John Walker was born in Darley, Yorkshire, England on 27 Feb. 1794, the 8th child of Robert (1755) and Rachel (born Spence) Walker.
John attended the Quaker Ackworth Boarding School at Ackworth, Yorkshire from 1804 to 1808. Following school he was apprenticed to Godfrey Woodhead of Foolstone, near Holmfirth. He later became a Clothier of Rawden, in the parish of Guisely, about seven miles northeast of Leeds (The modern spelling of Rawden is now Rawdon). He is described in Charles Walker’s Note Book as“being engaged in the woolen trade at Rawden, manufacturing cloth”.
On 14 Oct. 1818, John married Mary Thompson at the Friends Meeting House in Rawden. Mary was born in Rawden in 1794, the daughter of Richard and Hannah Thompson. John and Mary had 7 children, all born at Rawden:-
Robert lived only 5 months. He was buried in the Friends Burial Ground at Rawden Meeting House.
Elizabeth attended Ackworth Boarding School from 1836 to 1839. She died on 16 May, 1854 at age 29 and was buried in the Friends Burial Ground at Rawden Meeting House.
Mary died at age 2 and was also buried in the Friends Burial Ground at Rawden Meeting House.
Sarah died at age 9 and she too was buried in the Friends Burial Ground at Rawden Meeting House.
See separate biographies for Hannah, Thompson and Richard.
John Walker kept an account book of his cloth manufacturing business in Rawden, which is presently in the possession of his Gr. Gr. Grandson, Christopher Walker of Bexhill-on-Sea, in East Sussex. The records show that he made cloth, both plain and coloured, from wool of domestic and merino sheep and that he shipped it to India and America by sailing ships. John dealt primarily with Cropper, Benson & Co. and Rathbone, Hodgson & Co. For example, on 24 July, 1821 he shipped 2 cases of woolens, died indigo, to Calcutta via the ship “Albion” per Cropper Benson & Co., at a cost of £187-7-0. James Cropper was a Quaker so it is not surprising that John Walker choose him as his shipping agent. Most ships at that time were registered (insured) with Lloyd’s of London. It should be noted that the Brig “Two Friends”, which was registered with Lloyd’s in 1775, was the same ship that John’s Grandfather, Robert Walker (1717-1785) sailed in from America on his return to England in 1775. The “Tythe” records for Rawden in 1846 show that John was required to pay on two occasions, 6 shillings & 8 Pence. Upon refusal to pay the bailiff sequestrated 26 lbs. Candles and 20 lbs. of lump sugar, valued at 11 shillings and 11 pence and 12 shillings and 6 pence respectively.
Mary Thompson died at Rawden on 7 Dec. 1848 at age 54, and was buried in the Friends Burial Ground at the Rawden Meeting House.
John Walker, of Henley Cottage, Rawden, (See Rawden map.) described in the Quaker Digest of Deaths located in Brotherton Library of Leeds University, as a Gentleman, died at Rawden on 2 Dec. 1866, at age 72. His Will, dated 1863, leaves his entire Estate, both real and personal, to be divided equally between his three remaining children and is witnessed by his brother, Spence Walker. His estate was valued at approximately £20,000. John was one of the siblings that inherited £7,800 from their brother, Joseph Walker, who died in 1835.
By - R.B.Walker, Eng. & H.L.Walker, Can.- Rev. 29 December, 2000