John Allen Walker

Narrative:

     John Allen Walker was born on 17 Jan 1789 in Wilkes Co., Georgia.^4,5,6
     John married Mary Boone Grimes on 3 Oct 1836 in Madison Co., Kentucky.^7,8
     John appeared on the 1840 Federal Census of Monroe Co., Mississippi, with a household consisting of one male age 15 to 20 (unknown), one age 40 to 50 (himself), one female under age 5 (daughter Martha), and one age 20 to 30 (wife Mary). Also listed were 38 slaves.¹¹
     John and Mary appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Monroe Co., Mississippi, enumerated 16 Nov 1850, reporting real estate valued at $40,000. Their children Martha, Louisa, Virginia and Susanah were listed as living with them. Also listed are 106 slaves.^2,12
     His wife died on 28 Aug 1858.^13,14
     John appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Monroe Co., Mississippi, enumerated 7 Aug 1860, reporting real estate valued at $69,800 and personal estate of $218,680. His children Martha, Louisa, Virginia and Susanah were listed as living with him. There were also 154 slaves housed in 22 slave houses.^15,16
     John appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Aberdeen, Monroe Co., Mississippi, reporting real estate valued at $6,500 and personal estate of $2,000. His daughter Susanah was listed as living with him.¹⁷
     He was a farmer, apparently a very prosperous one, at least until the War.^2,15,17
     John left a will dated 8 Jun 1871 stating he was of Monroe Co., Mississippi, in which he left all his land in Phillips Co., Arkansas, and all his stock in the Mobile and Ohio Rail Road and the New Orleans Jackson and Great Northern Rail Road to be shared equally by his three younger daughters, Louisa, Virginia, and Susanah. He said he had previously divided his household and kitchen furniture and all the land he owned in Mississippi between his four daughters. He said he had given more to the husband of his late daughter Martha than to the others, and he owed $1,500 and interest for several years, so her heirs were debarred from any further interest in his estate.¹⁸
     John died on 8 Dec 1871 at age 82.⁹ He was buried in Walker-Jameson Cemetery, Prairie, Monroe Co., Mississippi.¹⁰ His will was proved on 11 Jan 1872 in Monroe Co., Mississippi, Chancery Court.¹⁹
     Letters of administration for his estate were issued on 11 Jan 1872 to Maj. Robert H. Cobb since his will did not name an executor. Robert was named in response to a petition by the three daughters, the husbands of the two married daughters, and John T. Jameson, husband of the deceased daughter. Robert posted a bond of $30,000, with Jameson, Louisa's husband, Susanah, and G. W. Grimes as sureties.¹⁹
     The first settlement of the estate was filed on 29 Jan 1873. The administrator reported that he had received $4,680 from a lawsuit and payment on a note due the estate, and had spent $195 for the funeral, $2,000 to settle an issue with the land in Arkansas, and $594 for taxes on that land. This left a balance in the estate of $1,890.²⁰
     The second settlement of the estate was filed on 14 Jul 1876. The administrator reported that he had received an additional $9,320 from the lawsuit, and had spent $325 for the cemetery monument, $43 for medical bills, $1,170 for taxes on the Arkansas land, and $780 for other expenses. This left a balance in the estate of $8,890.²¹
     The final settlement of the estate was filed on 7 Mar 1878. The administrator credited the estate with $533 in interest, and charged it $700 for his fees and $23 in other costs, leaving a balance of $8,700. He requested the estate be closed. Having received notice from each of the heirs that they were satisfied with the settlement, the court closed the estate and ordered disbursement of $2,900 to each of the three sisters. The settlement did not include the land in Arkansas, which consisted of 14 parcels totaling 3,700 acres, or the rail road shares.²²