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Family
Marriage: Children:
  1. Rebecca Jane Walters: Birth: 12 SEP 1815 in Jefferson Co., Tennessee, USA. Death: 24 JAN 1879 in Fulton Co., Illinois, USA

  2. Greenbury Taylor Walters: Birth: 1 JAN 1817 in Jefferson Co., Tennessee, USA. Death: 18 MAR 1861 in Farmers Twp., Fulton Co., Illinois, USA

  3. Thomas Jefferson Walters: Birth: 12 JUN 1820 in Sugar Grove, Sangamon Co., Ill.. Death: 11 MAY 1901 in Fulton Co., Illinois, USA

  4. Nancy Caroline Walters: Birth: 16 MAR 1823 in Sugar Grove, Sagamon Co., Ill.. Death: 28 DEC 1887 in Avilla, Jasper Co., Missouri, USA

  5. Hiram Walters: Birth: 23 JAN 1825 in Sugar Grove, Sangamon Co., Ill.. Death: 25 JAN 1891 in Fulton Co., Illinois, USA

  6. Daniel David Walters: Birth: 14 OCT 1827 in Bernadotte Twp., Fulton Co., Illinois, USA. Death: 16 NOV 1919 in Table Grove, Fulton Co., Illinois, USA

  7. Infant Walters: Birth: ABT 1829.

  8. Lucinda Walters: Birth: 6 MAY 1830 in Bernadotte Twp., Fulton Co., Illinois, USA. Death: 14 JUN 1918 in Adair, McDonough Co., Illinois, USA

  9. William Walters: Birth: 26 SEP 1832 in Bernadotte Twp., Fulton Co., Illinois, USA. Death: 1 JUL 1915 in Lushton, York Co., Nebraska, USA

  10. Mary Walters: Birth: 19 FEB 1836 in Bernadotte Twp., Fulton Co., Illinois, USA. Death: 28 FEB 1870 in Fulton Co., Illinois, USA

  11. John Walters: Birth: 30 APR 1839 in Bernadotte Twp., Fulton Co., Illinois, USA. Death: 13 JUL 1926 in Macomb, McDonough Co., Illinois, USA


Family
Marriage:
Sources
1. Title:   William Walters tombstone
2. Title:   1850 Fulton Co., Ill. Census
3. Title:   Newspaper article
4. Title:   William Walters probate records
5. Title:   1860 Fulton Co., Ill. Census
6. Title:   Fitzpatrick, June
7. Title:   Galitz, Pat

Notes
a. Note:   History of Fulton County, Illinois, Peoria, Chas. C. Chapman & Co., 1879, p 506: Bernadotte Township
  "...William Walters came into the township about 1826, being its first settler. In a short time he sold out to Isaac Stewart and moved over into Farmer's township, where he passed the remainder of his days. Soon came in Daniel Walters, who settled upon section 15." ________________________________________________________________ History of Fulton County, Illinois, Peoria, Chas. C. Chapman & Co., 1879, p 674: Farmers Township
  "Daniel Walters; P. O., Ipava; sec. 36. William Walters in 1822 loaded his wife and two children into a keel-boat in Alabama, and made his way to Illinois by way of the rivers, and landed in Sangamon Co., where he remained one year, and then removed to Fulton Co. We frequently speak of old settlers being well known in the early history of this county, but Mr. W. was known nearly all over the State, and none knew him but to love him. When he first landed in Ill. he had one bed (straw), a rifle, and 25 cents in money. The first horse he owned he mauled rails to pay for, and this pony was killed by over-riding by a negro who took it without the knowledge of Mr. Walters. Before his death his property was valued at $10,000. He was born in May, 1788, in Jefferson Co., Tenn.; was a soldier in the war of 1812, serving under Gen. Jackson; and consequently was a pensioner up to his death, which occurred Sept. 16, 1877. He also fought in the Black Hawk war...." _______________________________ The following is from June Fitzpatrick:
  About 1820, William Walters (oldest son of Thomas) loaded his family on a keel-boat on the Tennessee River. It is not known if this was in Jefferson County, Tennessee or Madison County, Alabama because the Tennessee River runs through both of these places. They followed the Tennessee River to the Cumberland, the Cumberland to the Ohio, the Ohio to the Mississippi, then the Mississippi to the Illinois, and finally up the Sangamon River until he reached Sangamon County, Ill. He resided there in Sugar Creek Township for a few years. William traded a pony for a quarter section of land in Fulton County, Ill. along Spoon River. He came to Lewistown by river and Indian Trail and Ossian Ross helped him find his purchase. it was a fairly good quarter, five miles distant from the little cluster of log cabins that was Lewistown in those days. A creek cut it in tow parts of nearly equal size. There was good bottom land, easily cleared, and some fine and heavy timber. Here William built his cabin and brought his family in 1823. Eventually, his sister and brothers all came to Fulton County, none of them coming at the same time, and all lived there the remainder of their lives.
  A Pottawatomie Indian village of 30 or 40 teepees was within a half-mile of the Walters home, nearer to the river. The little Indians were the playmates of the Walters children. The Indians trapped and hunted and sold furs at Lewistown. As other settlers came into the area, game and furs became less plentiful and trouble with the Indians resulted. They stole and ate the settlers' pigs and milked the settlers' cows. The Indians were so troublesome that William had to carry his gun with him when he went to feed his stock. When William became known as a Captain of the Indian fighters, the Indians put a bounty of one hundred buckskins for his scalp. He was forced to kill several Indians to keep them from obtaining his scalp.
  Finally the Indian neighbors were told that they must leave and make their home on land reserved for them in Iowa. The Indians of the village lingered until the situation became tense and there was a fight in the vicinity of Duncan Mills between the Indians and a party of settlers, including William and his brother, Thomas. After, this, the Indians, under their old chief, Raccoon, quickly left the country.
  From the Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois 1890, pages 457-458 in a biographical sketch of Hiram Walters the following is taken: "Many stories were told of the physical powers of William and his excellent marksmanship. He could shoot a gun from his shoulder, hitting the center instantly with the unrested weapon; could take a two-bushel sack of wheat in his teeth and throw it over ten feet, and it is recorded that at one time he shot a deer across Spoon River when the ice was floating, swam the river, got the deer in the water, and taking its ear in his mouth brought it back. This feat was accomplished in the presence of Jimmy Hale, who afterwards became his son-in-law."
  William was in the War of 1812, Captain Joseph Roper's Company, White Division, serving under General Jackson. He married Elizabeth Royer December 3, 1814 in Jefferson Co., Tennessee, and she died in Fulton County, Illinois, in 1852. She was the daughter of John Royer and Ann Taylor and was born in Virginia, probably Augusta County since that was where her parents were married. William survived her by many years, dying at age 90.
  Although nothing is mentioned in any of the Fulton County histories or other write-ups concerning William, it appears that he remarried after the death of his wife, Elizabeth Royer. There is a marriage for William Walters and Mrs. Elizabeth Evans on November 29, 1853, recorded at the Fulton County Courthouse. It is true that this could be some other William Walters, except that the 1860 Federal Census for Farmers Township, Fulton County, Illinois, lists William Walters, age 74, born Tennessee; Elizabeth Walters, age 52, born Ohio, John Walters, age 21, born Illinois; and Angeline M. Evans, age 16, born Illinois. What became of this Elizabeth is unknown, but it is probable that she died before 1870, because she is not listed on the 1870 Census for Fulton County nor is she listed in William's probate record.
  William died without a will so his probate is a veritable gold mine for anyone doing research on this family. William lived to be about 90 years old, so by the time he died, some of his children were already deceased. The probate record lists all of his know heirs, and in some cases, where they were living. ______________________________________________________________________________ The following was written by Pat Galitz:
  William and Elizabeth were both born in Jefferson County, Tennessee. William's birth date was April 15, 1787, and Elizabeth's was May 21, 1797. William served as a solder in the War of 1812, under General Jackson. In May 1812, Congress passed an act that set aside bounty lands as payment to volunteer soldiers for the War against the British (War of 1812). The land was set aside in the states of Arkansas, Michigan, and Illinois. The bounty land in Illinois was located in the western part of the state between the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. William took advantage of this bounty and purchased land for himself, Brother Daniel and John on April 24, 1820 (land records). William married Elizabeth Royer on December 3, 1814, in Tennessee and they had eleven children. In 1820, William loaded his wife Elizabeth and their two children, Rebecca and Greenbury, into a keel-boat in Alabama, and came to Illinois by way of the rivers. Their son Thomas was born that same year so Elizabeth was more than likely pregnant during the Journey landed in Sangamon County, where they remained one year, then moved to Bernadotte Township in Fulton County, Illinois. "Among seven picturesque hills lies the little village of Bernadotte. The site was purchased by William from the Indians in 1822 or 1823. Although these Indians had been paid fifty deer skins for their land, it was still necessary for the early settlers to drive them out to an area near Keokuk, Iowa." (A History of Fulton County, 1968). "When they first landed in Illinois they had one bed (straw), a rifle, and 25 cents in money. The first horse William owned he mauled rails to pay for and this pony was killed by over-riding without his knowledge. Before his death his property was valued at $10,000 and he was a very strong man both mentally and physically." (History of Fulton County, 1879). According to Chapman's "History of Fulton County," in 1827 William sold his land to Isaac Stewart and moved to Farmers Township. Other family members remained in Bernadotte and were buried in the Walters Cemetery which was used as a family burying ground. William was one of the first settlers in Farmers Township, Illinois. Most of the settlers came from Virginia, the Carolinas, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The settlers came in covered wagons which were their homes until they could erect log cabins. They tried to reach their lands in the spring so they would have a full season to build homes, raise gardens and some corn for grain and flour ( History of Fulton County, 1968). William also served in the Blackhawk War of 1832, under General Stillman that ended the last serious threat to white settlements in the state of Illinois. This Indian conflict headed by the warrior Blackhawk, included both the Sauk and Fox warriors who were successfully driven out of the state. Apparently, the Indians were not hostile, but could not be trusted because of their love for drink, which made them dangerous. Most settlers treated them kindly and fed and lodged them when they stopped at their cabins. After the Black Hawk War, the Indians were pushed out of the state, but many returned every fall to hunt and trade with the merchants (A History of Fulton County, 1968).William's other siblings eventually came to Fulton County, married and farmed. They settled in several different townships in Fulton County and had very large families. In researching the Walters family, there were three different families of Walters that settled in Fulton County. Some researchers feel they are related, some do not. Yet the other two families followed the same migration from Virginia to Tennessee to Fulton County. Some old histories and interviews say they were all cousins. The connection has not yet been proved but may be in time. The families were "dubbed" the "Red Walters" and the "Black Walters" referring to hair color. Our branch falls into the "Red Walters." category (June Fitzpatrick, 1998) _________________ From Joan D'Andrea: Mrs. Elizabeth Evans, mother of several Evans children, the two youngest Almyra and Angeline, grew up in the William Walters home. ______________________ 1850 Fulton Co., Ill. Census, Town of Farmers, taken 18 Dec. 1850, p 76:
  William Walters - age 63 - Farmer - RE Value $4000 - b. Tenn. - Dwelling #89 - Family #92 Elizabeth " - age 53 - b. Va. William " - age 18 - Farmer - b. Ill. May? " - age 15 - b. Ill. John " - age 11 - b. Ill. Joseph Wright - age 19 - Farmer - b. Ky. ______________________ 1860 Fulton Co., Ill. Census, Farmers Twp., P. O. Bernadotte, p 239:
  Wm Walters - age 74 - Farmer - RE Value $6000 - Pers. Estate Value $1000 - b. Tenn. - Dwelling #1753 - Family #1699 Elizabeth " - age 52 - b. Ohio John " - age 21 - Farmer - b. Ill. Angeline M. Evans - age 16 - b. Ill.



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