Notes:

Thomas, christened 29 May 1815 is the son of Margaret Sibbald & Thomas Walker.

Birth:
Christening

Notes:

. St. Edmund's Parish Register, File #12605
Baptized 16 Sep 1792, Parents Jane & John Walker.

. 1798 Land Tax Redemption
Joseph Barker, Sedgefield, Durham, Occupied by John Walker, tax £2,5 pd. 1799 Mar 21.

. Hamilton City Directory:
Thomas Walker, Nightengale St., 1833 Settlement, nativity, England, Wagon Maker.

. 1834. A D Ferrier's Reminiscences, from lectures delivered to Farmers & Mechanics Institute, Fergus in 1864. Ferrier recalls his travels starting in 1830-1834:
1834 Jun. Ferrier visited Niagara Falls, St. Catherines to Hamilton, Ontario
In 1834 Hamilton was quite a small town & there had ben a fire in the main street, & the ruins were still standing. Burleigh's Hotel was the best at that time.The corner of John & King Sts was occupied by a neat little cottage, garden inferno & large orchard adjoining, & there were not a dozen houses between that the next. The only public building of any pretension was the Court House. There was nothing very inviting abut it & the road to the lake was very bad. There was great trouble insurer for want of wanter.
Ref: Sketches of the Early Days of Fergus & vicinity, 1919.

ONTARIO, CANADA CENSUS & ASSESSMENT:
(some without column headings, making interpretation difficult):
. 1835 Census & Assessment, Hamilton Town, Ontario
John Walker: 1 male; 1 male under 16; 2 females under 16, Total 7, Church of England: Eight. Rentable Property £20.
Note1: this doesn't add up correctly.

. 1837 Census John Walker: 6 Males; 1M> 16F>16; 1F Total 11 [i.e. Doesn't add up]
. 1837 Assessment Hamilton: John Walker: Framed 2 stories £35; 1 Mich Cows £3; Rentable £110. 'In the same apartment bldg. Some of those in this app. owning lots in the town: The persons residing in the country: Doctor Casy.

. 1838 Assessment & Census: John Walker: 1 Town Lot; Frame One Story; Grist Mill wrought by water with one of stones: 1; Merchant storehouse: 2; Closed carriages with 4 wheels: 4; £60.

. 1840 Assessment Hamilton.1 of 2: John Walker, Cherry Street Lot, Between John King & John St.: Framed under 2 Stories: 1; Milch cows 1: Closed carriages with 4 wheels: 2.

. 1840 July 14 Census.2 of 2, Hamilton, Wentworth Co., Ontario, CANADA:
John Walker
Males above 16 years: 3 [i.e. John Sr.; Geo. Michael; John Sibbald Sr., or perhaps Robt. Walker.]
Males under 16 years: 3 [ Infant Edward Walker, b 1840.
Females above 16 years: 2 [Marg. Sibbald Walker, Jane Thompson Walker.
Females under 16 years: 2 [Marg. Walker, Jr. Total: 10 in family.

. 1841 May Assessment Hamilton Town: John Walker, 2 men, 2 boys, 1 Female, 6 girls (column?) Total 6 [repeated].

. 1842 Assessment Hamilton Town:
John Walker, John Street, 6 houses before Cherry St.: Total 4 persons. Assessed at £100.
John Walker, Catharine Street, one adult. nil assessment
[i.e. John Walker Senior & John Sibbald Walker, Junior. This is also the last record found for John Thomas Walker.]

Thomas Walker later returned to England & secured a situation as Supt. of the bridge building department of the Great Western Railway & died in England.

. HAMILTON QUARTER SESSIONS OF PEACE, ONTARIO
Walker, Thomas, 1838 June, Plaintiff, Page 12,
Walker, John, 1839 March 14, Plaintiff,
Walker, John, 1847 /8 DEC 24, Plaintiff,
Thomson, Jane, 1843, June 12, Plaintiff, Page 18.
Note2: Further research for details is needed. - PJA.

. 1906 WELLINGTON COUNTY ATLAS, Ontario, Canada:
WALKER, John Sible, was b. Durham, Eng., & came to Hamilton in 1827 with his father, Thomas Walker, & the rest of the family. Thomas Walker later returned to England & secured a situation as Supt. of the bridge building department of the Great Western Railway & died in England.

. 1861 Census Great Aycliffe, Co. Durham: John Walker was living with his niece Jane Welch & her son Geo. E Welch.

. 1871 Census - John Walker, born 1792, in Sedgefield.
In the Census 1871 Darlington Union Workhouse shows a widower who meets the profile of our John Walker. There was a rather large population for the workhouse was reconstructed from the bishop's palace, which had fallen into neglect.

The year of John's birth 1792, is remembered as the year Sedgefield's streets were filled with two feet of hail that fell on July 17th, damaging many houses & windows.
The Parish Church, dedicated to St. Andrew, occupies a commanding position on what was formerly the site of an early Saxon church. The erection of this most interesting structure may be said to date from the early part of the thirteenth century. It is cruciform in shape, consisting of nave, aisles, transepts, spacious chancel, south porch & western tower. The lower stage of the tower is connected with the nave by a fine arch consisting of three chamfered orders, resting on octagonal responds. The parish register commences in 1558.
Ref: History, Topography & Directory of Durham, Whellan, London, 1894.
John Thomas Walker was called John in England. In Canada is was his family referred to him as Thomas, but he continued to sign his name John Walker.
Ref: John's own Birth Registration; Marriage Bond & Birth Reg. of sons John S. & George M. giving his name as John Walker; & the Wellington Co., Ontario, Atlas, the family refers to him as 'Thomas'. Additionally in the Hamilton, Ontario Census he uses the name of John.

. Auckland includes
Archdeacon Newton, Auckland St. Andrews, & St Helen, Armpton, Binchester (old Roman), Bishop Auckland, Bishop Auckland & Pollards Lands, Blackwell, Bolam. Hadrian's Wall, which is not too distant, was built c.122 AD, to separate the Romans from the Brignates & Caledonia Tribes. These tribes where the original inhabitants of Britain & thus neither English or Scot.

. 1801 is population was 1,184 & In 1821 the population of Sedgefield Twp., Durham was 1268 persons.

. Sedgefield stands on rising ground John Walker & family learned their trades in the heart of the ancient village of Sedgefield which was founded by the Normans. The old Roman road, Cade's Road, runs northward, just skirting Sedgefield.
By 1828 the village manufacture agricultural implements like saddlery, four milling an shoemaking. Sedgefield in North East England is were rail travel was first start in Sept. 1825 with Geo. Stephenson's famous Locomotion Number One.

. 1887 Gazetteer for Sedgefield, is a market town & is 9 miles from Durham City. The town has also a grammar school, MECHANICS' INSTITUTE, & an old market cross. Fairs for cattle are held in April & Oct. The Durham Count Lunatic Asylum is nearby in the township.

. SEDGEFIELD, Durham Co., Yorkshire. (Stockton District)
Includes twp. or civil parish: Bishop Middleham, Bishopton, Bradbuy & the Isle, Butterwick & Oldarcres, Chilton, Confoth, E & W Newbiggin, Elstob, Embleton, Ferryill, Bishburn , Foxton & Shotton, Garmondsay Moor, Great & Little Stainton, Mainsforth, Mordon, Preston le Skerne, Sedgefield, Stillington, Thrislington, Timdon, Woodham. The extensive parish of Sedgefield is divided into 7 townships: 1, Hardwick, Sans & Layton; 2. Bradbury & the Isle; 3 Mordon; Foxton & Shotton; 5 Butterwick inc. Old Acres; 6. #Embleton, inc. Swainston & the Mortons; & 7. Fishburn.
In 900 AD there were 20 Villain-farmers each of whom held two ox gangs, & contributed with their harvest to the poor. Ploughing Matches, at which prizes are given, are occasionally held at Sedgefield, for the encouragement of agricultural labourers.
Sedgefield means the open land belonging to Cedd. - - -

Birth:
Chester St.Alt DOB: 1792 Sep 16.

Died:
Aged 82.

John married Margaret SIBBALD on 17 May 1812 in Auckland, St. Andrew, Durham, England. Margaret (daughter of Thomas SIBBALD, .1 and Mary HARRIOTT, .2) was born on 21 May 1794 in Auckland, St. Andrew, Durham, England; died est < 1861 in England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

. Sibbald, MARGARET, Christened 1794 MAY 21, Auckland St. Andrews, Durham, England,
d/o Thos. Sibald & Mary Harriot.

. Marriage:
Sibbald, MARGARET, 1812 Feb. 17,
Auckland, St Andrew Anglican Parish, Durham, England,
Married Walker, John of Durham, England.

Marriage Bond for Durham Diocese, England
1812 Feb 17 on with day appeared personally John Walker of British Auckland in the County & Diocese of Durham in {Surrogate court?] & being Sworn on the Holy Evangelists, alleged & made Oath that he is a minor & intends to marry Margaret Sibbald of British Auckland in the County & Diocese of Durham, aforesaid, she is also a minor.
He prayed a license to solemnize the said marriage in the Parish Church of of St. Andrew, aforesaid, deponent, that she the said Margaret Sibbald hat had ever usual place of above of the space of 4 weeks last past,
On the Same Day the said John Walker was sworn before me John Faceon, Surrogate, Signed, John Walker.
[In hand writing:} Upon the same day appeared personally John Walker Sr, the matrimonial & lawful father of John Walker the younger, aforesaid, minor & Thomas Sibbald of Bishop Auckland the natural & lawful father of her the said Margaret Sibblad a minor, & made Oath that they are consenting to the side intended marriage,
Stood before me, John Bacon, Surrogate & Bacon Pastor?,
Signed, John Walker, Thos. Sibbald.
Know all Men, by the Present, that we John Walker of Bishop Auckland in the County of Durham, Cartwright,
& John Londsale of Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham, aforesaid, Sen?sel are bound firmly obliged to Sir Thos. Bernard, Barnoet for £200. 17 Feb 1812, the condition of the Obligation is such that if the above said John Walker, a Bachelor & Marg. Sibbald, a spinster now licensed to be married together, Signed, John Bacon, Surrogate.
Note: Margaret Sibbald age 17y 11 26d. & John T Walker Jr. age 19y 8m 16d.

. AUCKLAND
is the site of the Bishop of Durham's Place of residence, dating 1242. The origin of the name Auckland, which is shared with West Auckland & St Helen Auckland is obscure & its earliest recorded form being Alcleat, a Celtic word meaning cliff on the River Clyde. Alcleatland was interpreted by the Vikings as Auckland which means separate land. The place has sometimes been called oakland, because of the well wooded countryside.
Ref: www.englandsnortheast.co.uk

. THE DIALECT & ACCENT OF THE LAND OF THE ANGLES:
One of the most distinctive & best known features of the North East is its famous dialect which is a very important feature of the region's heritage. It is still distinguished by its often musical tones & peculiar words that often originate from the ancient languages of Germanic & Scandinavian Europe. They were the Angles & Saxons, a fierce sea-roving pagan race originating from Angulus (now in southern Denmark) & Saxony (in northern Germany). Over the centuries the old Anglo Saxon language changed beyond recognition with the gradual introduction of Latin, Norman-French & other foreign influences.
The Anglo-Saxon `Northumbrian' dialects of North Eastern England take a number of forms which are often loosely termed `Geordie'. Distinctively Geordie & Northumbrian words are more than 80 % Angle in origin, compared to standard English, where the figure is less than 30 %. The dialects of the region take numerous forms such as the Geordie of Tyneside, the Northumbrian dialect, the Wearside dialect of Sunderland & parts of Durham & the south Durham & Teesisde dialects.

For example a Geordies calls ALD WIFE is a woman whether she is married or not is an 'Old Woman'. A Geordie may say Aaal Larn yer (meaning I'll teach you) which meant to teach you. Certain Geordies & Northumbrian Geordie words like Dede, Coo, Cloot, Hoot Wrang, Strang & Lang are in fact the original Anglo-Saxon pronunciations for Dead, Cow, Clout, House, Wrong, Strong & Long.

. The Bishop Auckland's accent seems to be closer to Darlington & similar to Teeside. Historically the Teeside area was separated from neighbouring regions, cut off by a strong natural wooded ravine area & the marsh flood plain of Sedgefield.
Ref: www.englandsnortheast.co.uk - - -

Birth:
(Bishop) Auckland St. Andrews Church.

Died:
(Presumed died England). Husband widow on Census 1861 (but nothing found for 1851).

Notes:

Married:
Alt Date: 17 Feb 1812

Notes:

. John Walker, is native of Masham NRY [North Riding Yorkshire] & his wife Jane, daughter of Joseph & Jane Barker of Sedgefield Parish.
XRef: See birth registration of fifth daughter, Alice Walker.

. 1828 Pigot's Directory, Sedgefield, Durham Co., England
Sedgefield is a small market town Township & parish in the north-east division of Stockton ward, 252 miles from London, 11 m. from Durham City, The town is finely seated upon a swell of gravel ground, open to every aspect; is peculiarly healthful, & has been long noted for the longevity of its inhabitants, a indeed is the whole of the parish. Here are alms-houses for 5 poor women & the like number of men, well endowed. Here is endowed a grammar school & the (St. Edmond) church Sunday school educates about 100 children.
In manufactures this town shoe making is the principal trade; & about a mile from the town is a forge for making spades, shovel, & some otter agricultural implements.*
Miscellaneous: Walker, Robert, Manufacturer of spades & edge tools, Sedgefield.

. Miscellaneous Note: Until 1752, when Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar, the New Year started on Lady Day, 25 March.

*Note: Smithing & like-trades continued with John Walker.I sons descendants:
John Thomas Walker & his sons John Sibbald, Robert & George Michael would continue in Canada to make agricultural implements. John Sibbald made the first metal shank plow in Canada. In Erin, Ontario John S Walker & brother Robert Walker in Hamilton, Ontario both also made carriages in their blacksmith shops. The Walker tradition of smithing continued:

KNOWN WALKER Ancestors or Descendants in the Smithing Trades:
Joseph Barker, b.est 1693 at Stanhope, Durham Co., England, Master Foundry Forger.
Joseph Barker ,b. est. 1740, Sedgefield, Forge Master 1805.
John Walker, b.c. 1752, Sedgefield, Blacksmith, Forgeman.
Arthur T Walker, Dundas, Ontario, Tinsmith, Hardware & blacksmith.
Charles Henry Walker, Erin, Ontario, Blacksmtih, carriages & sleighs.
Edward R Walker, Sr., Guelph,ON., Moulder.
Edward R Walker, Jr., Guelph, ON., Moulder.
Robert Walker, Sedgefield, Forgeman, Spade & shovel maker.
James W Walker, Erin, ON. - d. Fergus, ON., Iron moulder.
John Clifford Walker, Erin, ON., Moulder, Crowe Fdy.
John Sibbald Walker, Sr., b. Sedgefield, England, d. Ontario: Erin Foundry & Machine, Carriages, cutters.
John Sibbald Walker, Jr., Erin, Moulder.
Robert James Walker, Machinist (foundry / mechanic).
William Walker, Sedgefield, Forgeman.
William Henry Walker, Hamilton, ON. - died Flesherton, ON., Machinist, Blacksmith
Lofus George Briggs, Bruce Co., ON. - blacksmith (married daughter of blacksmith J S Walker).
Edward Brock, Burlington, ON. -DOFSCO foundry (office). - grandson of blacksmith Chas. H Walker).
John W Felker, Erin, ON., painter in the Erin Fdry. Carriages ( married dau. of blacksmith, Chas. H Walker).
George Grieve, Bruce Co., ON, Blacksmith (married dau. of blacksmith, C. H. Walker).

John Thomas Walker, Sedgefield, Hamilton, Ontario, & returned to England, Waggon maker works, Hamilton, ON.
George Michael Walker, b. England, d. Bruce Co., ON., Waggon maker.
George Walker, Erin, Harness & Farming Implements.
Robert Raymond Walker, Sedgefield - died Hamilton, ON., Carpenter, Carriage & sleigh maker.

Robert Walker, Sedgefield, Whitesmith: Jeweller.
Robert H. Walker, Erin, ON. - died Bruce Co., Jeweller. - Known total of 21 Walker involved in smithing & three in-laws.

. A WALKER
As a proportion of the population Walker is most numerous in the Teesside area of County Durham. It is also found in large numbers around Leeds & Wakefield. There is no evidence that the Walker surname originated on Teesside, but it undoubtedly a northern name. Notably, one of the most famous Walkers was John Walker of Stockton on Tees who invented the friction match in 1827.
As early as 1260 the surname Walker is recorded in Yorkshire where the Assize Rolls mention a Robert le Walker. Le Walker - 'the Walker' is a clue that this was an occupational name, as Walker is one of a number of surnames connected with the cloth making process. A Walker scoured & thickened raw cloth by beating it in water. This was originally done by men who trampled or literally walked on the cloth in a trough - hence walker. In Durham we find a small street called Walkergate, which was the street of the cloth workers who worked at a mill near the River Wear.
An alternative name for the walking process was fulling & this has given rise to Fuller, a surname more commonly found in the south & midlands. Another name for a fuller was a 'tucker' deriving from an Anglo-Saxon word 'Tucian' - 'to torment'. The surname Tucker is primarily associated with south west England. Other cloth working surnames include Webster and Weaver, who wove the raw cloth before it was fulled. After fulling the Teasler was set to work removing lose fibres from the cloth using the Teasel Thistle. This has given rise to the surnames Tazelaar and Tesler. Finally the cloth was dyed by the Dyers who were known in the north as Litsters from the Scandinavian word Litt - to dye. This final process has produced the surnames Dyer & Lister.

A smith is of course a someone who works in metals and the root of the name in England seems to be the Anglo-Saxon word Smitan meaning 'to strike'. Most people called Smiths are descended from someone who worked as a blacksmith, although the variation Smythe can also mean someone who lived near a Smith's forge.
The surname Whitesmith, means a worker of tin,
Brownsmith, a worker of copper or brass &
Goldsmith a worker in Gold. Greensmith is a surname most closely associated with the Midlands and is a nickname for a coppersmith,
Sixsmith is a maker of sickles,
Arrowsmith is a maker of arrows &
Shoesmith is a farrier, that is a maker of horseshoes.
Ref: www.endlandsnortheast.co.uk

. 1810 Universal Gazetteer, United Kingdom.
- Masham, a town in the N. Riding of Yorkshire, with a cotton manufactory. It is seated on the river Ure, 218 miles from London. Market on Tuesday.

. Masham Moor (pronounced Massam) is a small market town in Wensleydale in Harrogate borough of North Yorkshire, England, situated on the western bank of the River Ure. The name derivates from the Saxon Maessa's Ham, the homestead belonging to Maessa. Masham importance is due to its major sheep market & has the largest Market Place in the district. In September is held the annual Sheep Fair.

Masham St Mary is an Ancient Parish in the county of Yorkshire. Other places in the parish include: Burton upon Ure, Swinton with Warthermask & Roomer, Ellenstring, Ellingstons, Ellingstring, Fearby, Healey & Sutton, Healey with Sutton, Healey with Suttons, High Ellington, Ilton, Ilton cum Pott, Ilton with Pott, Low Ellington, Masham Moor, Nether Ellington, Nutwith & Roomer Common, Over Ellington, Pott, Roomer, Swinton, Swinton with Warthermarske, Swinton with Warthermask, Swinton with Warthermaske, & Burton upon Yore. - - -

Birth:
Ref: Fifth daughter of John Walker, native of Masham NRY & his wife Jane, daughter of Joseph & Jane Barker of Sedgefield Parish. Harrogate Borourgh, NRY

Died:
Aged 77 years. Registered No. 602, File # 12965. Buried by curate Wm. Middleton.

John married Jane BARKER on 23 Mar 1783 in St. Edmund Anglican Church. Jane (daughter of Joseph BARKER, Sr. and Jane IRWIN) was born on 15 Feb 1764 in Sedgefield, Durham Co., England; died on 9 Jan 1840 in Sedgefield, Durham Co., England; was buried in St. Edmund Anglican Churchyard. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

. Jane is the daughter of Jane Irwin & Joseph Barker.

. St. Edmund Parish Marriage Register, File # 12962
John Walker, of Sedgefield, on 23 Mar 1783
married Jane Barker, of the Parish in Sedgefield. - - -

Birth:
/ Resided. Stockton District.

Died:
Aged 75 years.

Buried:
Registered # 1026.

Notes:

. "St. Andrew's Auckland Township, in the parish of the same name, comprises 1186 acres, & its annual value is £12,749.
"The village of Auckland St. Andrew, or South Church, as it is now usually called, is situated on the river Gaunless, which is at this place crossed by a stone bridge of one arch, & is one mile south from Bishop Auckland, & 11 south-south-west from Durham. It contains a brewery, & a manure manufactory formerly occupied as a foundry, but situated in the township of Bishop Auckland. The Gaunless sometimes overflows its banks at this village, & causes considerable damage."
. The number of inhabitants in 1801 was 121; in 1811, 135; in 1821, 119;
in 1831, 296; in 1841, 1367; in 1851, 1329; in 1861, 1401; in 1871, 1811; in 1881, 1274; & in 1891, 3100 souls.
Ref: History, Topography & Directory of Durham, Whellan, London, 1894. - - -

Birth:
Alt spelling: Sibald; Sibbeld, Siebold, Seybold, Sebald, etc. Alt Loc: Bishop Auckland

Thomas married Mary HARRIOTT, .2 est 1793. Mary (daughter of William HARRIOTT and Ruth RAWLINGSTON) was born on 24 Mar 1771 in Durham Co., England; died on 10 Aug 1830 in Auckland, St. Andrew, Durham, England; was buried on 10 Aug 1830 in Auckland, St. Andrew, Durham, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Alt Name: Harriot, Hariot & Harcott

Died:
Aged 59.

Notes:

Birth:
s/o Thomas Walker.

Died:
Verify identity & relationship to descendants.

Notes:

Birth:
/ Resided. Alt DOB 1725.

Died:

Joseph married Jane IRWIN est 1759. Jane was born in Est. 1742-1748 in Sedgefield, Durham Co., England; died on 22 Mar 1774 in Sedgefield, Durham Co., England; was buried on 22 Mar 1774 in St. Edmund Anglican Church. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

St. Edmund Parish Register, File #12607
Jane, Wife of Joseph Barker, Abode Sedgefield, Buried 22 Mar 1774. - - -

Birth:
/ Resided.

Buried:
Sedgefield.

William married Ruth RAWLINGSTON on 3 Jul 1768 in Auckland, St. Andrew, Durham, England. Ruth (daughter of Edward RAWLINSON, .2 and Ruth BELL) was born on 30 Mar 1748 in Auckland, St. Andrew, Durham, England; died on 24 Mar 1825 in Auckland, St. Andrew, Durham, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:


Died:
Widowed.