History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

1291

honored citizens of Detroit. He gained admission to the bar at Detroit
while Michigan was still a territory, and his death occurred in that city
February 24, 1886, at the age of seventy-four.
Henry Nelson Walker was born at Fredonia, Chautauqua county, New
York, November 30, I8II, a son of John and Nancy (Hines) Walker.
The ancestral history goes back to Scotch origin and it has been determined that the founder of the family in America was a Colonel Walker,
an officer in Cromwell's army in England, and who, after the restoration
of King Charles II, in I660, came from the north of England to America
and became an early settler in Rhode Island. The descent through the
subsequent four generations is briefly noted as follows: Hezekiah
Walker, one of the descendants of the Colonel Walker just mentioned,
was the father of William Walker. The latter was born at Foster, Rhode
Island, in I750 and married there Polly Rounds. John Walker, son of
William and Polly, was born at Scituate, Providence county, Rhode Island, on October 19, 1770, and in the same locality was married to Miss
Nancy Hines. Of their several children Henry N. Walker was one.
Mr. Walker received an unfortunate handicap in his boyhood days.
While running races with other boys, being then only nine years of age,
he strained his knee, and a serious trouble ensued which confined him to
his bed for seven years and left him permanently lamed. However, he
himself said that his illness was a blessing in disguise, as during the long
years of inaction he was continuing his studies and when finally able to
return to school had determined to make the study of law his life work.
After completing a course in the Fredonia Academy in his native town,
he began the study of law under James Mullett, an able lawyer of that
section of New York state. In I834, at the age of twenty-three, Mr.
Walker came to the Territory of Michigan, finished his law studies in the
office of Farnsworth & Bates, the members of which were Elon Farnsworth and Asher B. Bates, both foremost representatives of their profession in the territorial and early statehood bar. In 1835 Mr. Walker
was admitted to practice law in Michigan Territory, and in the following
year joined Farnsworth & Bates in practice. Mr. Farnsworth in I836
became chancellor of the chancery court of Michigan territory. Subsequently Samuel T. Douglass was admitted to the firm, which thus became
Bates, Walker & Douglass. With the retirement of Mr. Bates, the firm
of Walker & Douglass existed for several years, and by the admission of
James V. Campbell became Walker, Douglass & Campbell, admittedly
one of the strongest aggregations of legal talent in the entire state during
its existence. Both Judge Douglass and Judge Campbell served terms on
the Michigan supreme bench.
In 1837, soon after Michigan became a state, Mr. Walker took up
his duties as Master in Chancery. From 1842 to I845 he was attorney
general of Michigan, and in I843 had also taken the position of city historiographer of Detroit, which he held several years. In I844 Mr. Walker
was representative in the state legislature, and the same year was appointed court reporter, succeeding to and finishing the work of Mr. Harrington, the first court reporter of this state. Mr. Walker published only
one volume of reports under his own name before giving up the position.
During I859-6o he served as postmaster of Detroit, and in I883-84 held
the post of state commissioner of immigration under appointment from
Governor Begole.
During the '40s while at Washington, Mr. Walker was admitted to
the United States supreme court upon motion of Daniel Webster. In
legal circles Mr. Walker had the reputation of being one of the best equity
lawyers in Michigan, and by his varied attainments, through services in
behalf of large corporate affairs, he was during the time of his active
strength of usefulness hardly second to any lawyer in the middle west.