Walker, George Leon, 1830-1900

George Leon Walker was born in Rutland, Vermont on April 30, 1830. He was educated at Andover Theological Seminary and received honorary degrees at Middlebury College and Yale University. He served as clergyman in Portland, Maine (1858-1867), New Haven, Connecticut (1868-1873) and Hartford, Connecticut (1879-1892). He was a corporate member of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and served on the commission to prepare the Congregational creed. He died on March 14, 1900. His son, Williston Walker (1860-1922) was educated at Amherst College (B.A., 1883), Hartford Theological Seminary (B.D., 1886) and the University of Leipzig (Ph.D., 1888). He served as professor of history/church history at Bryn Mawr College (1888-1889), Hartford Theological Seminary (1889-1901) and Yale University (1901-1922). He also served as a trustee of Amherst College (1896-1922), acting dean of Yale Graduate School (1916-1917) and provost of Yale University (1919-1922). He died on March 9, 1922.

From the description of George Leon Walker and Williston Walker papers, 1722-1922. (Yale University). WorldCat record id: 702179293

Chronology of George Leon Walker

• 1830 Apr 30: Born in Rutland, Vt. Walker studied law in Boston before studying theology with his father, Charles Walker.
• 1857 - 1859 : Post-graduate student at Andover Theological Seminary.
• 1858: Honorary M.A., Middlebury College.
• 1858 Sep: Married Maria Williston who became the mother of his two sons, Williston and Charles.
• 1858 - 1867 : Pastor at State St. Church, Portland, Me.
• 1865: Maria Williston Walker died.
• 1867: Forced to resign his pastorale due to illness, but continued to preach occasionally throughout New England.
• 1868 - 1873 : Pastor of the First Church in New Haven, Ct.
• 1869 Jul: Son Charles died.
• 1870: D.D., Yale University.
• 1870 Sep: Married Amelia R. Lamed.
• 1874 - 1879 : Forced to resign his pastorale due to illness, Walker traveled to Europe and preached fairly regularly at various places throughout New York and New England, often at Brattleboro, Vt.
• 1875 - 1878 : Acting Pastor of the Centre Church, Brattleboro, Vt.
• 1877: Appointed a corporate member of the American Board of C. for F.M.
• 1879 - 1892 : Pastor of the First Church in Hartford, Ct. Illness caused his resignation in 1892 but he continued to preach occasionally through 1896.
• 1880: Trip to England.
• 1883: On the commission to prepare the Congregational creed.
• 1887: Appointed fellow of Yale University.
• 1888 - 1896 : Member, Board of Visitors, Andover Theological Seminary.
• 1890: Trip to England.
• 1896 Aug: Suffered a paralytic stroke.
• 1900 Mar 14: Died.

Biographical information taken from: Who Was Who in America (Vol. 1, 1897-1942); Andover Theological Seminary, General Catalogue, 1808-1909; Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge.

Chronology of Williston Walker

• 1860 Jul 1: Born in Portland, Me., son of George Leon and Maria Williston Walker
• 1883: B.A., Amherst College
• 1886: B.D., Hartford Theological Seminary
• 1886: Married Alice Mather
• 1888: Dr.Phil., University of Leipzig
• 1888 - 1889 : Associate professor of history, Bryn Mawr College
• 1889 - 1892 : Associate professor of church history, Hartford Theological Seminary
• 1892 - 1901 : Professor of Germanic and Western Church history, Hartford Theological Seminary
• 1896 - 1922 : Trustee of Amherst College; secretary of corporation from 1901
• 1901 - 1922 : Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Yale
• 1916 - 1917 : Acting dean of Yale Graduate School
• 1919 - 1922 : Provost of Yale University
• 1922 Mar 9: Died

Walker served as president of the American Society of Church History and of the New Haven Colony Historical Society. He was a member of several other organizations concerned with the history of the colonial period. Walker published several books relating to Congregational Church history in New England and broader topics.

Biographical information taken from: Dictionary of American Biography, XIX, pp. 366-367.

From the guide to the George Leon Walker and Williston Walker Papers, 1722-1922, (Yale University Divinity School Library)