The Real Walkers
The family tree in Walker's Key is a fictitious one. None of the characters in the novel actually existed, though some of them are inspired by real people of the past. Here is the real Walker family tree. Henry M. Walker, the ship captain who is the inspiration for Kenelm Walker in the novel, was my great-great-grandfather. His grandson, Frederick B. Walker (1891-1960) was my grandfather.
For more information about the Walkers, go to Inspirations
Photos of the Walkers
Captain Henry M. Walker (1843 - 1900), my great-great-grandfather. Ship Pilot at Egmont Key.
Louisa (Eldridge) Walker (1844 - 1918), my great-great-grandmother. After her husband's death on Egmont Key, she resided in St. Petersburg, FL, for many years. Smart woman.
Frederick B. Walker (1863-1900), my great-grandfather. Lightkeeper at Indian Hill.
Clarissa (Nickerson) Walker (1861-1950), my great-grandmother. After her husband's death, she raised their children back in Harwich.
Frederick B. Walker (1891-1960), my grandfather, with his maternal grandmother (Clarissa's mother), Rebecca (Nickerson) Nickerson (1833-1924).
Constance (Walker) Haddleton, my mother. (1928 - 2020)
The Burgesses of Harwich
This chart shows some of the Harwich Burgesses who were lost at sea. In addition to those shown here, the youngest son of Henry M. Walker, Henry M. Walker, Jr., was lost at sea in September, 1891, when the fishing schooner he was on went down in a gale somewhere off Nova Scotia. Henry M. Walker and Frederick B. Walker were not lost at sea.