Henderson Walker

Henderson Walker (1659-1704) was the President of the Council and acting deputy governor of the Province of Carolina (present-day coastal North Carolina) between 1699 and 1703. He is better known for his contribution in the founding of the Church of England in the Albemarle Sound region.

Early years

Henderson Walker was born in North Carolina in 1659 and died in 1704. He arrived in Albemarle County around 1682. There he owned land, and raised livestock for selling. He began his legal career serving as a clerk of the county courts, and later was appointed to many other public offices. He served at different times as attorney general (from October 1695), judge of the supreme court, and President of the Council, making many judicial reforms. He was also a judge of the General Court, Court of Chancery, and Admiralty Court, assemblyman, and customs collector. He participated in the Colonial Council in 1694, under Governor Thomas Harvey. He was appointed as boundary commissioner in March 1699 to help settle the boundary dispute with Virginia.

Governor of North Carolina

In 1699, after the death of Harvey, Walker was named chief executive and acted as governor of North Carolina. However, he never was deputy by the governor at Charleston. His government led to an era of peace and economic growth in North Carolina. Thus, many Virginians traveled to North Carolina (and South) to achieve economic improvements. However, the English Crown sought to undermine proprietary colonies, so Walker was often forced to decide whether to help the Lords Proprietors or to support the monarch. He chose the Crown, helping to found the local Church of England.

He managed to pass a Vestry Act in 1701, which levied taxes on North Carolinian's; the tithing tax was used to maintain Anglican Churches and pay ministers. Parishes were established and churches were built, and a public levy applied to all tithables. He also secured control of the colonial assembly. However, many North Carolinians rejected the union of church and state. Attempting to turn the Anglican religion into the official religion of the colony, he began to create a "church party" in North Carolina, which caused an ongoing conflict between churchmen and dissenters, This conflict promoted a rebellion against him, called Cary's Rebellion, and much later the Regulator Rebellion.

In 1703 the Native Americans, accused of attacking the settlers, were charged with "destroying and burning their stock and timber houses, refusing to pay tribute" and to obey the government. That year, Henderson Walker resigned from the governor's office, replaced by Robert Daniel. But he remained on the council, serving as its president from 1703 to 1704. He also served as a justice.

Walker died in Edenton, North Carolina, on 14 April 1704. He was buried at his plantation, located near the Albemarle Sound. However, he was later reburied in the graveyard at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Edenton.

In April 1686 Walker married Deborah Green; they had a daughter named Elizabeth. In February 1694 Walker married Ann Lillington. The second marriage had no children.