HON. MILO P.J. WALKER
& the JONES FAMILY

BIOGRAPHY

AS RECORDED IN:

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF TOLLAND AND WINDHAM COUNTIES CONNECTICUT.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLED FAMILIES.

PUBLISHER: J.H.BEERS & CO., CHICAGO; 1903 P. 935

HON. MILO P.J. WALKER, formerly of the town of Union, but now of the town of Stafford, Tolland county, is a member of the old Walker family of Union, where several generations of the family have resided, and have been among its most substantial and reliable citizens.

Nathaniel Walker, the ancestor of the Union family, was born in 1675. He had two wives, Rebecca and Jemima, and was living in Ashford, Conn., but in 1729 purchased land of Samuel Allen, one of the original proprietors of Union, and with a family of seven children moved into the new settlement. Tradition has it that he was the richest man of the early settlers in Union. His death occurred July 1, 1759, when he was over eighty-four years of age. His children were as follows: Nathaniel, Benjamin, Obadiah, Rebecca, Israel, Abigail, Hezekiah and Edward – two of whom were the children of his first marriage. Hon. M. P.J. Walker is a descendant of the sixth generation from this Nathaniel Walker, the line of descent being through Obadiah, Ezra, Perley and Joseph Walker.

Obadiah Walker, son of Nathaniel Walker, born Feb. 3, 1715, was married March 20, 1739, to Mary Chaffee.

Ezra Walker, born March 29, 1741, married for his first wife, Abigail, by whom he had two children; to Anne Pitge, his second wife, were born five children. The children were: Perley, Olive, Henry, Wyllys, Olive (2), Betsey and Leighton.

Perley Walker, born July 22, 1767, married Rebecca Broughton, and their children were: Warsham B., Ezra, Perley, Huldah A., Palmer, John N., Joseph and Rebecca.

Joseph Walker, the father of Milo P.J. Walker, was born March 11, 1805, and was married June 25, 1829, to Rebecca Jones. She was born March 17, 1805, and was a daughter of Benjamin Jones, who was born in 1771, a son of Benjamin and Cynthia (Russell) Jones, who were married February, 1794. Cynthia Russell came from Ashford, Conn.

The Jones family came from England in 1665, and settled on Providence Island, in Narragansett Bay, R.I. A more remote generation settled in Ashford, Windham county; from thence came Benjamin Jones, who was born in 1771. He settled in Union about 1795, bought land of William Williams, and died in 1848. His children were (1) Diana, born in 1794, died when a child of two years; (2) Benjamin Reynolds, born in 1796, died a young man in 1819; (3) Hannah D., born in 1801, married in 1827 Ephraim S. Carpenter, and died in Ashford, Conn.; (4) Rhoda, born in 1803, married in 1823, David Fuller, and live and died in Willington; (5) Rebecca, noted above as Mrs. Walker, was born March 17, 1805, and died in Union July 1, 1844; (6) Betsey (deceased), born March 30, 1807, had scarlet fever when a child, and was
left deaf and dumb. (7) Josiah R., born in 1809, and was a teamster in Union for many years, where he died March 16, 1900; (8) Aaron R., born in 1811, married Jerusha Bowen, and died in January, 1896, at Windsorville, Conn.; (9) Elisha Benjamin Reynolds, born in 1814, was the father of H.L. Jones.

To Joseph and Rebecca Walker were born: Frank E., born Dec. 27, 1830, died in 1836; Frank (2) born Sept. 23, 1837, enlisted in Co. G, 22d C.V.I., and died in the service, April 5, 1863; Emeline J., born May 6, 1833; Augusta, Born Sept. 22, 1839, wife of William H. Champlin; Milo P.J. Walker.

Milo P.J. Walker was born June 6, 1843, in the town of Union, Conn., where he was reared on the farm, and given a common school education. In the early stages of the Civil war he enlisted in Co. G, C.V.I., Aug. 30, 1862, and with that organization performed honorable military service for a period of nine months. This regiment was commanded by Co. George S. Burnham, and after being mustered into the United States service, Sept. 20, 1862, was sent to Washington, where it went into winter quarters near Falls Church, Va., at Minor’s Hill. It was attached to the Army of the Potomac, and was assigned to the defense of Washington under Major Gen. Heintzelman. Its division and brigade commanders were, respectively, Gen. Abercrombie, Gen. Cowden and Col Burr Porter. In the spring of 1863, the regiment assisted in
the construction of fortifications overlooking the Capitol near Arlington, Va., and in guarding Long Bridge, at Washington. Later the regiment was sent to Suffolk, Va., and there participated in the defense of that point under Generals Getty and Gordon, against the siege of Longstreet. At this point the men were called to arms for several hours each morning before daybreak, and waited under arms for battle orders. The siege there was raised early in May and the command was then ordered to West Point, on the York river, where it remained until the post was abandoned. The entire body of troops was conveyed by transports to Yorktown Plains, where the 22d was encamped in front of McClellan’s massive intrenchments, in sight of the old rifle pits that dated from the heroic days of the Revolution. The regiment was put in the advance column June 9, in the the forward movement on Richmond. The advance was made by way of Williamsburg and the Chickahominy
River, to Diascubed Bridge and the Chickahominy Church. Later in the month the force was joined by Gen. Dix, and then moved by way of York river. The entire expedition has passed into history as “The Blackberry Raid.” The regiment came back to Yorktown, and from there it was ordered to Hartford, Conn., where it was mustered out July 7, 1863, Mr. Walker sharing its experiences from start to finish.

When Mr. Walker was a young man he taught school about ten years. He was a student in a select school at Union, which was taught by Mr. Barrows and Mr. Weaver, for about three terms. On returning home after leaving the service, Mr. Walker resumed work on the farm, where he remained until the close of the year 1890, and became a resident of Stafford Springs, Feb. 11, 1890. To many positions of trust and honor his fellow citizens have called him, and whenever he has been found he has displayed ability and efficiency. He served his town as a representative in the State Legislature in 1871. He was a selectman in 1873 and 1874, and for seven years in Union, and one year in Stafford he was a member of the board of county commissioners. In Union Mr. Walker was on the school board, and in Stafford has been assessor for
both the borough and the town. One has only to read between the lines to judge that he is a man of good business ability. He is popular and capable, and is in every way a substantial citizen. His spirit is for the general good, he is enterprising and progressive, and has done much to advance the best interests of Tolland county.

Mr. Walker was married Feb. 13, 1866, to Jennie Sarah, a daughter of Amasa and Sarah Ann (Thomas) Morse, and to them have come children as follows: (1) Frank H., born Oct. 19, 1868; (2) Herbert M., born Aug. 15, 1871, died March 29, 1880; (3) Alice J., born Nov. 30, 1874, graduated at Mt. Holyoke in 1897, and attended the Normal at Willimantic, and then became a successful and accomplished teacher at Upper Montclair, where she remained two years; she also taught in a private school in New York City, where she is still engaged at a good salary; (4) Albert M., born Oct. 21, 1877, is in the office of the Palmers Mill Co., at Three Rivers, Mass., where he is learning the business; he was married March 28, 1900, to Esther M. Cowles, of Springfield, Mass.; (5) Ruth N., born Nov. 10, 1880, is now a student at Mt. Holyoke.

Mrs. Walker was born July 12, 1842, and her father, who is a farmer, was ordained a preacher of the Advent Church.

Mr. Walker belongs to D.P. Corbin Post, No. 74, G.A.R., of which he was senior vice commander. He is connected with the A.O.U.W. at Stafford Springs, and was a charter member of Union Grange, and was also a member of Mashapaug Lake Grange. He and his wife are members of the Congregational Church.

Reproduced by:

Linda D. Pingel – great-great granddaughter of Cyrus White of Rockville, Ct.

Biographies of Tolland County