2007-01 Tribute to Rodney Walker

David Walker • January 28, 2007
ImageThe Law of Unintended Consequences

As I approach my 8th year of serving the John Walker Family Organization, and approach an end to my term as President, it dawns on me that the consequence of my service has been quite different than was intended. I believe this has been a good thing and would invite you to take a moment to consider this month’s message. Over the next year I will elaborate upon these ideas in the form of monthly newsletters. So what were those unintended consequences?

Like many of you, I attended the National Family Reunion in Nauvoo, in 1999 and had a wonderful time. It was my first experience with the John Walker Family Organization, and the starting point in this adventure. Little did I know that attending a family meeting and making a simple suggestion would almost guarantee a spot on the Board and in my case an election to the presidency. More on this practice later…

 My suggestion was simple and has been confirmed time and again, that the only practical way of distributing information to a family organization of this magnitude is to use technology and the internet. So I went about creating our first website and thus began the fundamental shift in the distribution of information to you.

We recognized almost immediately that in moving to a web based organization we would cause a hardship on our most active supporters, those who are not internet oriented. So for several years, we operated in a parallel mode. Rodney and I would collaborate on printed material and then duplicate that material on the website and in emails. At the same time we published several new books in the traditional format and began to sell them online as well as by conventional means. 

What began to emerge was a much broader organization with involvement in many more family branches. This was evidenced by our Reunions in Farmington, Utah (2001) and then again in Nauvoo (2003). And it was most apparent from the nature of inquiries received from the website as well as the constantly growing number of site visitors.

At the Reunion in 2005 we made significant changes in our organization, most notably was the frequency of National Reunions to each five (5) years. Furthermore, Rodney indicated a desire to focus on his life’s history and we decided to no longer publish the printed version of the John Walker Family Newsletter. For all practical purposes, the transition to a web based organization was then complete.

So what was the unintended consequence? I believe it was this – that moving to an internet based organization diminished Rodney’s role as the beloved leader of this organization, the authoritive source of information about genealogy, the primary point of contact for thousands of handwritten letters, and the repository of an entire library of family history artifacts. This was never my intention!

Rodney Walker, aided by his delightful companion Pat, is one of my personal heroes. His list of accomplishments, in the areas of life that really matter, is quite astonishing. Over the past eight years it has been a tremendous blessing to become better acquainted with this good man. For the past 50 years he was the John Walker Family Organization in many respects. Furthermore, his disposition in this inevitable transition to an internet based organization is another example of his good character. And there are not too many 93 yr olds who do email, the internet, and technology at all!

Next month I will outline proposed changes to the governance of The John Walker Family Organization. The new reality of our organization does not fit the 1940’s style of non-profit governance very well. By using technology we can automate the delivery of content, improve the dialogue, and connect in ways we simply could not have done in the past.

Your input in the form of surveys and votes within the private area of or website will be the key to these changes. I hope you will take the time to participate with us in those changes. Now is the time for any of you who have an interest in the direction and development of this organization to please contact me if you have any suggestions, ideas, or wish to serve.

As always, your ongoing support either in GEDCOM’s, family history articles, or donations is greatly appreciated. Thanks for your ongoing support.


Sincerely,
 Image

David R. Walker, President
John Walker Family Organization

How many wives did WM H Walker Have?

By David Walker • August 3, 2025
A Question: Submitted by Eileen Wilcox, Rexburg, Idaho I was looking at the Family Search.org recently. I looked under Wm H. Walker and found some amazing things... namely sealings in Logan for a number of wives I’ve never heard of!! Is there some explanation for this? Here are the additional wives names: [the sealing dates were in various months during 1885 and 1886] Deborah Tisdale Catherine Walker Abigail Walker Wealthy Walker Hannah Walker Mary Walker Caty Sproat Ann Elizabeth Waldron Phebe Walker Mary Leonard Hannah Leonard Caroline Leonard Phebe Leonard Answer by family genealogist Eldon Walker: Very interesting about the 13 wives of William Holmes Walker. You have probably missed many more than that. I had seen this years ago, and was concerned as to what was happening. In doing some research, then, I found that many of the families had children that died early, were not married, nor were they sealed to anyone. The practice for some reason existed then, that the families wanted their children to be sealed to a worthy man. Many women who were sealed to their husbands, and the husbands were not worthy went to the temple and were sealed to some important official in the Church, such as Brigham Young, Parly P. Pratt, Lorenzo Snow, etc. They also felt that everyone needed to be sealed to someone, and so when William was in the temple, they asked to be sealed to him. They at this time did not llok upon the sealing as being married. It was only a sealing. So the question is: When is a sealing not a marriage and when is it only a sealing. I did not look at the age of these individuals, nor to see if they were dead or alive when they were sealed. (I am assuming they were dead - correct me if I am wrong.) I am certain that there were not any children begotten by William to any of these women. So, my suggestion is that we ignore them as wives and treat them as only a sealing. I went to the Temple Department today to see what they felt about this situation, and I got the feeling from them that I am on the right track. The members back then knew how important the sealing process was, and so they took all kinds of efforts to get this done. Of course, today they would not do it. Answer Submitted by Eldon Walker, Salt Lake City, UT

National Family Reunion Cancelled

By David Walker • May 1, 2020
We were so excited to host the 2020 National Family Reunion in historic Brigham City, Utah. Unfortunately the world had other plans. We'll try again next year.

Eastern States Missions

By drw.aa • January 21, 2020
In a statement by Lucy Walker (daughter), John "served two missions to the Eastern States" during the time between the passing of Lydia, his first wife in 1841, and his reappearance at Winter Quarters in 1846. There is however, no corroborating information found in the Missionary Database maintained by the church history archives. Click here for more information. More information about the missionary service of John Walker is needed. The Eastern States Mission was organized on 6 May 1839 when John P. Greene was sent to New York City to preside over the Saints in that area. The mission was not officially discontinued, but work in the area was temporarily suspended in 1850, 1858, and 1869.

Proven Pedigree of John Walker

By gladdad • September 2, 2007
Robert Walker was born 1607 in Manchester, England. He was indentured to the Winthrop Co. and arrived in America in 1630. He became a 'freeman" in 1634, married Sarah Leager, and settled in Boston, MA.

Robert Walker Timeline

By David Walker • October 1, 2006
The following timeline is from the book entitled From England to Boston: A Biographical Sketch of Robert Walker and Sarah Leager Walkerby Brett C. Walker Manchester Cathedral 1607/07 Robert Walker born in Manchester, Lancashire, England 1612 Sarah Leager born 1623 Robert began an apprenticeship as a linen weaver 1629 Robert completed his apprenticeship and married Sarah Leager in England 1630 They join the Puritan fleet led by John Winthrop and sail to America, landing in Salem, MA 1631 They moved to Boston 1632 Robert became 131st member of the First Church in Boston 1634 Robert became a freeman 1669 Robert co-founded the Third Church in Boston (Old South Church) - Sara is co-founder 1687 Robert died of a stroke at age 80 in Boston, MA 1695 Sarah died at 83 in Boston, MA

Intro to the John Walker Family Organization

By David Walker • August 20, 2004
The Walker Family is a great American Family. We arrived in the new world in 1630 as Robert Walker and Sarah Leager, who came from England to Boston via the Winthrop Fleet of 1630 . We were probably not the first family with the Walker surname in the New World, but close. This is a family of Patriots and Pioneers and we are growing larger each year. Due to the sheer number of related Walker descendants, our primary research is focused on our English ancestors down through the first 3 generations of John & Lydia Walker. Beyond that the scope is simply too large for a volunteer edndeavor. Of necessity, Family History has a beginning point and our beginning starts with John Walker , born on 20 June 1794, in Peacham, VT. He lived there until his conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in 1832. The family migrated to Western Missouri in the Spring of 1838, but did not stay long due to the political unrest present upon their arrival in October of 1838. The family settled for a time in Nauvoo, Illinois then ultimately journeyed West in company with the Mormon Pioneers.