William R. Walker: A Conundrum ...

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

I'm trying to research this man and I came across something rather confusing.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22854810/william-r-walker?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR02NWxaJmC_P8f43TQFmXnORJ4UN11iKM5lOg8gkdkBq40zH1mXAV42IM0_aem_AQAiqFnhd7n1EE4_BgIDzo_GuS7SeFcjLIWmzoV7yLlnWz0fvdeh7uiJprDM1JN_lLNJ3bMYjbPR7B5xgq2I4K2g

You see his military marker States he was a Sergeant in Company K 25th Tennessee Infantry Regiment. Born July 13th, 1824 and died May 10th, 1896.

But when I checked the military records for him I found this.

Why would his military records say he was 19 if his stones say he was born in 1824 ???


I'm woefully confused.

 

[JackADriscoll]

That's interesting. THE William Walker was born in 1824 but was executed In 1860.

Could your walker possibly have a senior also in the unit?

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Could these records refer to one and the same person?

The grave marker shows a birth year of 1824; the displayed military record states the entry age was 19 years in 1861, suggesting his birth year was 1842. Is it possible that the actual birth year of '1824' was misread as '1842' and incorrectly entered (at another time), when writing the military record shown.

All other details shown on both record sources seem to be consistent. Both were initially privates (at least at muster-in), both belonged to Co. K, 25th TN and both had exactly the same name, including middle name initial.

 

[RedRover]

Per his birth given on the stone, he was just turned 17 when he enlisted in July, 1861. Being a minor, he was likely either obliged to lie about his age, or his officers to add to it on the rolls, in order to accept him.

The Confederacy officially extended its conscription ages to 17 year olds in February, 1864.

 

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

Could these records refer to one and the same person?

The grave marker shows a birth year of 1824; the displayed military record states the entry age was 19 years in 1861, suggesting his birth year was 1842. Is it possible that the actual birth year of '1824' was misread as '1842' and incorrectly entered (at another time), when writing the military record shown.

All other details shown on both record sources seem to be consistent. Both were initially privates (at least at muster-in), both belonged to Co. K, 25th TN and both had exactly the same name, including middle name initial.

Plus there's only one William R. Walker on the regimental roster.
Although there is a William P. Walker who enlisted in Company "L" 35th Tennessee Infantry also a Sergeant.

 

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

Can anybody find a death notice for him?

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Plus there's only one William R. Walker on the regimental roster.

Thought there are too many coinciding factors present here - suggesting both record sources displayed refer to the same person.

The age entry (i.e. 19 years) on the military record being based on a misread birth year, seems a plausible explanation.

 

[lelliott19]

Can anybody find a death notice for him?

Sorry. Not much help in this one, but it's all I could find.

Knoxville Sentinel. (Knoxville, TN) May 16, 1896, 5.

 

[lupaglupa]

I was away when this was first posted but I saw it yesterday and thought I'd take a look. I pulled the military records and also records for William Russell Walker, the man buried at Spring Creek Campground Cemetery. And after reviewing all that I could find, I have a theory.

I don't believe that the William R. Walker buried in Riceville, TN is the man in the CSMR record. I think the CSA stone, which clearly post dates his death by a long time, was placed in error by someone who mixed up the records. A well meaning Confederate patriot who didn't check their facts but saw this man and the record and mashed them together without checking. Here's my reasoning:

The William R Walker in the 25th TN enlisted in Tullahoma. That's a good 120 miles from McMinn County where William Russell lived during the Civil War (according to the Census and other records). There was at least one man named William Walker who was the correct age living in Coffee County (where Tullahoma is) in the 1860 Census. While it's possible a married man with a farm to run could have chosen to take a two-day walk to enlist, it seems unlikely.

William Russell Walker of McMinn County in the 1870 Census has a wife, Amanda (whom he married in 1849 in McMinn County - she is buried in the same cemetery with a matching tombstone) and 7 children. Two of those children are of an age to be conceived while William R. Walker was in active military service. It is again possible he slipped away during his service (though not after being captured) and ages are not exact in the Census, again this looks unlikely.

William Russell Walker of McMinn County's stone looks very modern and thus was not placed at the time of his death or near after. This would not be the first time we'd found a stone like this with inaccurate info on it.

I found no pension application for a William Walker in Tennessee who would match either man, though since he was clearly listed as a deserter that's not too surprising.