The Walkers of Schenectady county, New York, trace descent from Scotch ancestry. The Scotch history is soon lost in the Rutherfords, whose line of descent is from the Alleins. John Rutherford lived on the river Tweed in Scotland, where he married Isabella Allein, daughter of Rev. Joseph Allein, a noted divine, author of "Allein's Alarm." From Scotland he moved with his family to county Downs, Ireland, where he died in his eighty-fourth year, his wife in her eighty-second year. They had eight children, the youngest being a daughter Katherine.
John Walker, the first of the name that is known, lived in Wigton, Scotland, where he married Jane McKnight, and had sons, two of whom were John and Alexander. John married Katherine Rutherford, of previous mention. It is from this Walker-Rutherford marriage that the Walkers of Schenectady descend.
(I) John Walker, born in Scotland, came to the United States during the revolution and made permanent settlement in the town of Princetown, Schenectady county, New York. He purchased a farm there which he cultivated until his death. He married and reared a family. He was actively connected with the Presbyterian church, and was a substantial citizen of the town.
(II) James, son of John Walker, was born in Scotland and died in Schenectady, New York. He came to New York state with the family, and for a few years was a farmer of Princetown, later, in 1786, settling in Schenectady, where he was a prosperous merchant. The business he founded was continued in the family for several generations, and was one of the largest and most prosperous in the village and later city of Schenectady. He married Leah Lytle, of the town of Florida, Montgomery county, New York, and both died quite old. Children:
- Catherine, married Rev. George Mairs, of the Presbyterian church; died in Argyle, Saratoga county, New York, leaving children: Thomas, Mary, Henrietta, Amelia and James W. A grandson of James Walker and James W. Mairs continued the mercantile business in Schenectady founded by their grandfather.
- John J., died unmarried.
- Sarah Matilda, married Judge Thomas V. Mitchell; no issue.
- John J. A., died unmarried.
- Sarah M., died unmarried at an advanced age.
- James, see forward.
(III) Elder James (2), son of James (1) and Leah (Lytle) Walker, was born in Princetown, Schenectady county, New York, 1816, died May 9, 1875, in Schenectady. He was educated in the public schools, and engaged with his father in business in Schenectady and later succeeded him. He was successful in business and a man of influence. He was an elder of the Presbyterian church for many years, and a Republican in politics. He married Mary, the adopted daughter of Rev. Jonathan Crane, who died in Schenectady, quite old. Children:
- William E., see forward.
- Leah L., married Thomas Yelverton, a prominent business man of Scheilectady and at the time of his death, clerk of Schenectady county; children: James W., married Mary E. Ellis, widow of Herman Veeder, by whom she had Mary E. Veeder; by second husband, James W. Yelverton, she has a daughter Ruth.
- Mary C., married Edward Ellis, deceased; founder of the locomotive works in Schenectady, now owned by the American Locomotive Company; child: Lilly B., married William G. Gilmore, deceased, and has one child, Ellis Gilmore.
(IV) William E., only son of Elder James (2) and Mary (Crane) Walker, was born in Schenectady, New York, May 16, 1840, died October 15, 1886. He was educated in Schenectady, and entered his father's store, as clerk. He later succeeded to the business in association with his cousin, James W. Mairs, also a grandson of James Walker, the founder of the business in 1786. The firm was known as Walker & Mairs, and besides their city trade supplied the country for miles around. They dealt in groceries, seeds, housekeeping goods and farming implements, and were successful and prosperous. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, and an influential citizen. He was a Republican in politics, and always took a strong personal interest in the volunteer fire department of Schenectady. He belonged to a fire company of which he was foreman and later became chief of the department. He married, in Schenectady, November 19, 1868, Cornelia Schermerhorn, born in the town of Rotterdam, Schenectady county, New York, educated in the public schools, graduating from Syracuse (New York) high school. She is a daughter of Henry and Amanda (Carpenter) Schermerhorn. Henry was born in Rotterdam; went to California in 1849; was customs inspector of the port of San Francisco; returned to the east and died in Rotterdam, New York, at the age of sixty years. He was a son of Simon and Cornelia Schermerhorn, and a grandson of Jacob Schermerhorn. Amanda (Carpenter) Schermerhorn, mother of Cornelia (Schermerhorn) Walker, was a daughter of Zachariah and Jane (Veeder) Carpenter, of Glenville, Schenectady county, New York, and granddaughter of Hon. William Carpenter, the well-known attorney, who settled in Glenville in 1813. In 1804 he was a member of the state legislature from Saratoga county. He married Esther Wilmarth and had children: William, Zachariah, Henry, Esther and Polly. Hon. William, a son of Zachariah Carpenter, grandson of William Carpenter, and a descendant of William and Elizabeth (Arnold) Carpenter, of Rhode Island, the progenitors of the Carpenters of America known as the Providence family. Children of William E. and Cornelia (Schermerhorn) Walker:
- Thomas L., born February 12, 1870, died February 13, 1801; married Martha T. Walker, of Saratoga county, no issue.
- James, born November 9, 1872; graduated at Union University, 1892, bank clerk; died June 30, 1903, unmarried.
- William E., born February 7, 1874; graduated from Union University, class of 1894; pharmacist and junior partner of Platt & Walker, the leading drug firm of Schenectady; married Catherine B. Lathrop, of Albany; child,
- Mary C., born June 10, 1908.
- Grace E., born October 18, 1876; graduate of Union Classical Institute and Training School; married Henry Craft Houck, of Cincinnati, Ohio; child,
- Mary Elizabeth, born March 17, 1909.
- Harry, born April 20, 1879; pharmacist; unmarried.
Mrs. Cornelia (Schermerhorn) Walker survives her husband and continues the family home in Schenectady. She is a member of the Presbyterian church, and interested in church and benevolent work.