Submitted by Descendants: Amy Katherine, John Albert, and John Edward WALKER
Thomas Walker was born circa 1796 in Colleton County, South Carolina. His parents are not known at present, but he is thought to have been a descendant of Isham Walker of Colleton County, South Carolina. Thomas Walker married circa 1819 to Elizabeth “Bettie” Osteen. She was the daughter of Obediah and Sarah Osteen.
Thomas and Elizabeth Walker came to Florida in the late 1830’s. This was documented in a pension application of Thomas Walker’s son James in which the pension officials confirmed that Thomas Walker was on the roll of soldiers in Florida during the Second Seminole Indian War. Thomas Walker first appeared in the 1840 census for Hamilton County, Florida.
Thomas and Elizabeth had the following children:
1) Isaac (1820-1886) married Amanda Ponchier
2) James (1823-1901) married 1st Rachel Eliza Sistrunk, 2nd Mary Armstrong
3) Elizabeth (1826-abt 1862) married Samuel Barber
4) George W. (1827-abt 1864) married Eliz UNKNOWN
5) Littleberry “Berry” (1833-1904) married Georgiana Sullivan
6) Adaline (1835-aft 1880) married John B. Langford
7) William Rabron (1837-abt 1860) never married
8) Thomas (1838-abt 1865) married Roxie Ann Sullivan
9) Susan (1841-1913) married Mitchel Sullivan
By 1850 Thomas Walker, his wife and some of his children were living in Alachua County, Florida. The 1860 Census documents that many of his children had moved to Lafayette County, Florida. Thomas Walker was a farmer by occupation. It is thought he died circa 1860-1865 in Florida, but his exact burial location is unknown. Elizabeth “Bettie” (Osteen) Walker later in life lived with her son James and died at this home in 1885. She is buried at Midway Baptist Church Cemetery in Lafayette County, Florida.
Thomas Walker was first established as a Florida Pioneer in 2007