I. PHILIP WALKER,² (2) was the son of "Widow Walker,¹" of Rehoboth, and brother of James Walker or, of Taunton. (See 1st p.) The earliest record of him is a deed bearing his signature dated at Rehoboth, 1653. He was one of the Grand Jury, May 17, 1655, propounded for freedom, June 8, 1655, and took the oath of fidelity, June 1, 1658. In June 22, 1658, his name appears in the first division of Rehoboth No. Purchase, (now Attleboro) when lots were drawn for "the meadow; on the North side of the Town," and again, May 26, 1668, in the division of lands, in the North Purchase.

His birth-place, and age; and date of his arrival in this country, are not known. He married, about 1654, Jane, dau. of ---- Butterworth, of Rehoboth, or Michael Metcalf, of Dedham.^*

She survived him, and afterward m. June 2, 1684, John Polley, of Roxbury, and lived there till her death, in 1702. Dea. Walker was buried Aug.21, 1679, and his dust, reposes, no doubt, in the ancient grave yard, at Seekonk. His estate was appraised, Oct. 1679, on oaths of James Walker,** and Samuel Walker. In'y (inventory) £68l.
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*The compiler had supposed, till lately, that PhilIp's wife was a Bntterworth as his son Samuel, had an Uncle Samuel Butterwortb." It Is, of coursee, possible, that a Butterworth married a sister of Philip, but it is not known that he bad any sister,  except Sarah, w. of John Tisdale. What is more probable is that Butterworth was the uncle of Samuel's wife. Late investigation respecting "Joane Walker," dau. of Michael Metcalf, of Dedham, who, it is stated, In Metcalf's Genealogy, married Samuel (?) Walker, of Reboboth, has led to the opinion that it wes Philip, and not Samuel Walker, whom she married For reasons, see Samuel Walker, Immediately following the descendants of Philip.

** There Is no record of any James Walker, In R., In the town register, nor in the Probate Rec. of the County. excepting as far back as 1643 and 45, which have been alluded to, in the sketch of James Walker, of Taunton (See 6 and 7 pp.) He was about 60 yrs. of age at the time of Philip's death. and was undoubtedly, the Jame's who helped appraise his estate.
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His home and farm were on Watchemoket Neck, south of the Great Plain, at what is now the Kinnicut Place, on the road from Providence, R. I., to Barrington; about 1 mile from India Bridge, and in Rehoboth, now Seekonk, an attractive and fertile spot, overlooking the Providence river.*
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*The first permanent settlement In Reboboth, was around the "Great Plain," In that part or the township called Seekonk, meaning, "the abode of the wild goose." It is supposed that Rev. Mr. Newman, and his society, selected this spot because It was an extensive plain, already cleared of forest trees, and favorable for the cultivation of Indian corn. It is not far from the Pawtucket and Providence rivers, and had abundant facilities for obtaining fish and fowl.
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He left a house unfinished, which the Court ordered to be completed at the expense of the estate, The estate was to be divided as follows:---

"In reference vnto the disposall of the estate of Phillip Walker, late of Rebohoth, deceased, the Court ordered, that the now house in building shall be finished out of the whole intire estate_, and that those that shall injoy it, shall make some proportionable abatement, of what shall be theire pticular interest, in the said estate, and that the widdow shall have a comfortable, and convenient being therein, during her widdowhood, and that the said widdow shall have her third of the said estate, and the sume of twenty pound, for and towards the bringing vp of the youngest child, and that the remainder of the said estate be deuided into seauen equall ptes, whereof the eldest, to have a double pte, and the rest to be deuided vnto the other children, in equall and alike proportions,"

She gave bond of administration, Oct. 29, 1679,

"June 7, 1681, This Court graunts libertie vnto Jane Walker, widdow of Rehoboth, to make sale of a small psell of meddow ground, with the advice and approbation of Mr, Daniell Smith and Ensigne Pecke."

Philip Walker's occupation in 1659, was that of weaver. He became at length one of the wealthiest men of Rehoboth. In the allotments in 1671, his estate was estimated at £387, and was exceeded by only two in the town, the whole number being 78, In 1678, it was exceeded by only one in a valuation of 83 estates, He held various positions of trust and honor, He was surveyor, 1657, constable, 1658, on the Grand Inquest, 1668 and '78, one of the Select men, several yrs. between 1666 and '75, and was deputy to Plymouth, 1669, May 14, 1669, he was chosen one of a Committee, to meet a Committee of the new town of Swansey, to settle a controversy, (probably about boundaries,) lie also held the office of Deacon, in the Church, Nov. 2, 1663, Goodman Walker was appointed one of a Committee, to buy or build a parsonage,

or "house for the ministry." This ^"Goodman,"^* was undoubtedly Philip, as there is no trace of any other. Walker in R. at that time. June 20, 1678, the town having unanimously called Rev. Mr. Angier, to settle amongst them, "the townsmen and Deacon Walker, were chosen to treat with Mr. A. about it." It was also agreed upon by the town, that the sums to be raised, be freely subscribed, "if it may be," but if the subscriptions fell short, "Deacon Walker, Gilbert Brooks, and 3 others, should devise the mode to raise said sums."
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*It was anciently the custom., to use this prefix, " Goodman." in place of Mr.
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In one period, the towns were obliged to sustain the war against Philip. Many who served as private soldiers, advanced money. The list of those in R. is preserved, and shows that the amount furnished by Deacon Walker, was £26, the largest sum, with two exceptions, and about double what was advanced by any of the 77 others in the catalogue.

Thus, like his elder brother, James, of Taunton, he was prominent in efforts and sacrifices for 'the maintenance and usefulness of the ministry, and the protection of the settlement from Indian ravages; sustaining at' least, one kind of relationship and resemblance to him, and one which is certainly no dishonor. While James in Taunton, was distinguished and useful as one of the Council of War, for Plymouth Colony, Philip, in Rehoboth, was among the foremost in furnishing the "sinews of 'war."' Rehoboth, an isolated plantation, was especially exp6sed to the incursions of the savages. The first and last blood of that fierce struggle, in which Metacomet or Philip, -the powerful and subtle ,Indian chieftain, fought for the destruction of all the colonists in New England, was shed in Rehoboth. Here the conflict opened in 1675, here it closed by the fall of Philip, in1676.

Deacon Walker, it is probable, was in that gallant fight of the people of Rehohoth, with Philip, and his best warriors. Driven to desperation, and fearing if he remained at Mt. Hope, lie would be taken captive, the sachem fled into the interior, about the 1st of Aug. 1075. Encouraged by the strong appeals of Mr. Newman, their minister, and though not a part of the military force of the Colony, under his leadership, they pursued Philip, with great courage and activity. So rapid was their movement, that they overtook the rear of his forces at night, and with the aid of a party of friendly Moheagan Indians, who had joined them, attacked him and killed 30 of his men,' and carried away much booty, without any loss. When the minister led the way in so noble an enterprise, it is no groundless conjecture, that his Deacon was with him, especially one who had advanced money so generously for the defense of the settlement.

March 28, 1776, just after "Pierce's Fight," the Indians fell upon that part of Rehoboth, called Seekonk, and burnt 40 houses and 30 barns, As Dea. Walker, at the time of his decease, 3 yrs. later, left a house unfinished, it may have been, that his was one of those burnt by the Indians. Philip designed an assault upon Taunton, but apprised of it, the town was prepared for defense, and when he approached, July 11, '76, he was met with such determined resistance, that lie was compelled to fly, after burning two houses.*
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*When Philip escaped from Mt. Hope, In '75, a part of his warriors scattered in the wilderness, about Taunton, and burnt the houses of James Walker, and John Tisdale, his brother in law. John Tisdale was killed, and 2 other soldiers, who were from Eastham. Though Baylies states this as in 1675, may not the "two houses" burnt July 11th, '76, have been those of J. W. and J. T. It is known that John Tisdlale was killed June 27, '76.
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Apprehensive of their destruction, the Cape towns sent a Com. to Bridgwater, Taunton, and Rehoboth, to invite the inhabitants to take up their residence with them during the war, but the invitation was declined. The answer of Rehoboth, by their Com. indicates an unflinching bravery, and a sublime, though submissive faith. The heroic independence, the undaunted fortitude of those isolated settlers, in the face of the appalling perils which threatened their extinction, prove that they were worthy to he among the founders of civilization, and tile defenders of religion, in the New World, and are entitled to tile grateful remembrance and honor of their descendants and beneficiaries.
 

 All the notices of the position and character of Dea. Philip Walker, though few in number, are highly honorable. There is not a single spot on his escutcheon. He was prosperous, accumulating a property that was large for that period. lie was entrusted with the most responsible office in the church, save that of the minister. It is indeed a grateful record, his generous contribution for his country and for Christ. His office and his services are a proof of superior excellence in character and usefulness, and leave no doubt that he was eminently a Patriot and a Christian. Cut down in the vigor of his manhood, his death must have been a sore calamity to the colony and the church "as when an armor bearer falleth."

"Buried Aug.21, 1679," as the brief, sad record is, it is no groundless conjecture, that the members of the church, and the inhabitants of Rehoboth, gathered on this early autumnal day, to recognize the Services, and honor the memory of the departed Deacon. The thought and utterance of their hearts, interpreting their great loss, may naturally have been, "How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod."

His moral worth and piety have been inherited in a remarkable degree by his numerous descendants, unto the 8th and 9th generations. They furnish proof that the moral character, is an inheritance more surely entailed than any other. They illustrate the law that, "if the root be holy, so are the branches." They teach that, if it be a great privilege, it is also a great responsibility, to "partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree," in a godly ancestry.

For their virtues and piety are to be remembered, not for the fostering of family pride, but as an example and incentive to a. worthy life.

It is an idle and self condemnatory boast to say, "we have Abraham to our father," unless we "do the works of Abraham." But a multitude sleep in the old grave yard, at Seekonk, who proved their legitimacy from Deacon Philip Walker, by their christian worth, and many others have gone forth into other wildernesses, to help establish, and sustain the institutions, connected with religion and the public weal, and are now laboring, or resting from their labors, in many sections of the country. Not many illustrious names are found among his numerous, and widely scattered descendants. They have swelled the ranks of the honest, and faithful yeomanry of the land. They have cherished and transmitted the doctrinal faith, and reproduced the piety and usefulness of their ancestor. Of a great number of them it is true.
 

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