john wesley walker
1870-unknown
Life Story
Birth & Parentage
John Wesley Walker was born about 1870 in Newton County, Mississippi, to Luke Walker (1842–1912) and Lydia Evans Walker (1855–1900). He was part of the Walker–Evans family network that was deeply rooted in the county’s post–Civil War African American farming communities.
Marriage to Fannie Moore & Family
Around 1893, John Wesley Walker married Fannie Moore (1874–?). From this union, a large family was formed, reflecting the extended household structures common in rural Newton County during this period.
The following children were born to John Wesley Walker and Fannie Moore Walker:
- Flem Walker (1893–?)
- Leila Walker (1894–1969)
- Emma Walker (1897–1959)
- Dicy Walker (1897–?)
- Elbert Walker (1899–1967)
- Walter Walker (1902–1937)
- Beatrice Walker (1904–1996)
- Lamptin Walker (1906–?)
- Dewitt Walker (1908–1908)
- Ella Walker (1910–?)
- Octavia Walker (1912–?)
- Louise Walker (1913–?)
- Dessie Ree Walker (1915–2002)
- Thomas Jefferson Walker (1916–1994)
- Arch C. Walker (1918–?)
By December 1919, John Wesley Walker and Fannie Moore Walker were divorced. Prior to their divorce on April 6, 1919, John Wesley transferred fifty-four acres of land to Fannie for the amount of one dollar, located in Section 17, Township 5, Range 11-East.
Occupation & Education
Throughout his adult life, John Wesley Walker worked as a farmer, a common occupation among African American men in Newton County during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He reported having completed the 5th grade of elementary school, reflecting limited but meaningful access to formal education during the segregated era.
Death & Burial
Based on the burial locations of multiple family members, it is assumed that he may be buried at Evans Cemetery, though no marked grave has been definitively identified.
Resting Place
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1880 Federal Census
- 1900 Federal Census
- 1910 Federal Census
- U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
- The Journal Times, Beatrice Evens Obituary, Tue, Sep 24, 1996 ·Page 10
- The Newton Record, Dessie Ree Walker Obituary, Wed, Mar 13, 2002 ·Page 17
- The Newton Record, Fannie Walker vs. Jno. Wesley Walker: Divorce granted and care of children. Thu, Dec 18, 1919 ·Page 1
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