Notes on Felix Walker
(references cited on previous page)
(from Dale Kiser)
OLD OIL JUG' MADE THE NAME OF "BUNCOMBE" AN ENGLISH BYWORD
Dellwood - They called him, "Old Oil Jug". The sobriquet was a hearty tribute to his talent for talking the people's language. He gave the world a synonym for humbug, applesause, tall talk, pie-in-the-sky and political claptrap. He made the name buncombe a byword among English-speaking people. He wrote it into every dictionary in the land.
Folks have been using the word 160 some years to describe "talking for talk's sake". An in that time, its spelling has changed to "bunkum" as well as being clipped to "bunk". Few folks can name the man who gave "buncombe" a special meaning and even fewer are aware that his home was near here on Jonathan's Creek in Haywood County close by Maggie Valley.
About the only monument he ever got is a historical marker erected by the NC Department of Archives and History. It's just down the road about 1-1/2 miles west of Dellwood.
The name on the marker is that of Felix Walker, Revolutionary officer and member of Congress, who did some trailblazing with Daniel Boone and was the first clerk of court in the Lost State of Franklin. And therein lies a story.
Felix Walker was one of the first settlerse in this section. That was back around 1800 when Buncombe County stretched all the way to Tennessee and Georgia. Old Jonathan McPeters had been the first white settler to take up land here and care out a homestead right next door to the Cherokee Indians. The creek that ran through his lush valley holdings got to be known as Jonathan's Creek.
About 1805, Walker came this way and talked McPeters into selling him some land. Walker was in his early 50s then. Even so, he was a rather flamboyant man. He was suave of manner. He had a reputation for bombastic political speaking. He was a lawyer by choice and a farmer by necessity. He was such a fine electioneer that folks referred to him as "Old Oil Jug", a sobriquet he wore with pride.
He was chairman of the first board of commissioners of Haywood county. He was serving in this capacity when plans for the first county courthouse were approved. As a pioneer businessman, Walker cut quite a figure. He had a store in Waynesville, one on Scott's Creek in Jackson County and another at Quailatown in the heart of the Cherokee domain. In 1817, he was elected to Congress from the Asheville District and re-elected in 1819 and 1821, retiring from politics in 1823. Whilein Congress Walker made his pitch for the history books and the dictionaries. And it was a good pitch.
The long debaate on the famous Missouri Compromise was coming to a close in the Sixteenth Congress. The legislators were weary of talk. They wanted to vote. They wanted to go home. They were just plumb tired of talk. But Felix Walker had other ideas. His thoughts were not so much on the MIssouri questions as they wre on the folks back home, his constituents who had sent him to Washington.
While the House was impatiently calling for the question, the old mountaineer got to his feet and said he wanted to be heart. Several fellow members hurriedly gathered about him, pleading an begging with hime to keep his mouth shut. But Walker wouldn't budge. "The people of my district expect me to make a speech," he argued, "I'm bound to do some talking for Buncombe". Well he did. It was a masterpiece of fence-sitting. When he finished, a collegue asked him "What in tarnation was the purpose of all that talk?" Walker looked at him and then replied "I was just talking fo rBuncombe". And that's how the word buncombe became the definition for "talking merely for talk's sake". That's how a politicalism was born. In time to come it was shortened to "bunkum" and "bunk".
By 1828, "talking to bunkum" was an old and common saying in Washington when a member of Congress got to making one of those humdrum and unlistened to "long talks" that lately had become so fashionable.
Newspapers in 1841 said, "There is a gread deal of speaking for Buncome, or as some would call it, for grandeur, in our legislative assemblies nowadays. In the people's language, buncombe became to mean "stuff", "nonsense", "humbug" more often with reference to legislative action designed merely to satisfy or impose upon public opinion. As a critic back in 1847 said of a speech: "To sum it up, it is a little of government - a great deal of bunkum, sprinkled with a high seasoning of political juggling".
Be that as it may, Felix Walker planted the word firmly in our language and folks are still using it. And that is not bunkum.
(Also from Dale Kiser)
Taken from Autobiography of a Southern Congressman of the Borderland with Daniel Boone)
At the age of sisteen my father bound me to a merchant in Charleston (Mr. George Parker, and Englishman of high standing in trade) for five years. He had there prentices of very singular names, one Ney Milly Stuckings and Atlard Belin and myself, Felix Walker (the youngest). He used to boast that he had three young men of such singular names none such to be found in the city of Charlestown in one house, either for name or service. I was highly gratified with my mode of life, well approved by my master, caressed by my mistress, who treated me with the sympathy and kindness of a child. I lived most delightfully for a time while the novelties of the city arrested my mind and occupied my attention.
At length those pleasures began to lag and I became weary and satiated iwth the continual sameness of the city. My restless and anxious propensities began to prevail and I thirsted and signed for those pleasures that variety afforded. Some more than a year being bound, I solicited my master ot give me up my indenturesand permit me to go home for a time, under the promise to return and serve out my acquaintance in the country brought in a greast custom. At length my father coming to town, I renewed my solicitations to go home and through the influence of my father and he seeing I was determined to go, he let me off with seemingly great reluctance. In this I believe my father committed an error in taking me away. He ought to have compelled me to business, and I have since thought that too much indulgence to a child, particularly in the rise or dawn of life, is the greatest injury we can do to them. I have experienced something of this in my own family.
During my residence in Charlestown in the Christmas of 1769 I heard the celebrated Dart Whitefield preach with great power. He was the greatest awakening preacher tha tperhaps erver filled the sacred desk. He had most crowded congregations. I feld the power of the awakening spirit under his preaching but it soon went off.
On my return home my father put me to work on the farm, which did not well accord with my feelings. Yet I submitted and worked faithfully for a while. I applied myself to music, for which I had a prominent tase, and soon acquired a great proficiency in performing on the violin (then called a fiddle) in which I excelled and although accustomed to frolic, I could never lean to dance. My father, discovering I had neither inclination or capacity for a farmer, he put me to school to Doctor Joseph Dobson of Burke County, for whom I received the best education I have evern been in possession of, although no more than the common ENglish, so-called. I returned from school in less than a year and lived a home nearly two years without much restraint, yet I obeyed my father and mother with the greatest punctuality, but at the same time living according to the course of this world, fulfilling my desires of the flesh and of the mind and of the vanities of life with the greatest avidity. At length becoming weary of so limited a circle, I solicited my father to suffer me to go to Kentucky (which was then called Louvizy) with Colonel Richard Henderson, who had than made a purchase of that country from the Cherokee INdians. He consented, and accordinglyh my father and myself set out to the treaty held for that purpose, on the Watauga in the month of February 1775, where we met with Colonel Denderson and the Indians in treaty. I there saw the celebrated Indian Chief called Atticullaculla - in our tongue "the little carpenter". He was a small man and said to have then ninety years of age and the character of being the greatest politician every knownin the CHerrokee Nation. He was sent as an agent or plenipotentiary from his Nation to England and dined with King George the Second with the nobility, so I heard him declare in a public oration delivered at the treaty. He was an eloquent and graceful speaker in his Indian way. The name "Little Carpenter" was given him by similitude. THe Indians said he would modify and connect his political views as to make every joint fit into its place as a white carpenter can do in wood. You may find his name mentioned in Weem's "Life of General Marion".
The treaty being finished and a purchase made, there associated and collected together about thirty men. Mr. WIlliam Twitty with six men and myself were from Rutherford; the others a miscellanous collection.
(Adventures with Daniel Boone in the Wilds of Kentucky)
We rondezvoused at the Long Island in the Holstein. Colonel Daniel BOone was our leader and pilot. Never was a company of more cheerful and ardent spirits set out to find a new country. We proceeded and traveled, cutting our way through wilderness of near three hundered miles, until we arrived within about twelve miles of the Kentucky River when, on the twenty-fifth of march, 1775, we were fired on by the Indians while wer were asleep in our camp; Mr. Twitty and his negro man killed, myself badly wounded, the company despondent and discouraged. We contineud there for twelve days. I was carried in a liter between horses to the bank of the Kentucky River, where we stopped and made a station called Boonesborough. I well recollect it was a 'lick". A vast nubmer of buffalo moved off at our appearance. I saw some running and loping and some walking quietly as if they had been dirven. I tw as clculated there were near two hundred.
But let me not forget, nor never shall forget, the kindness, thenderness and sympathy shown me by Colonel Daniel Boone. He was my father, my physician and my friend; attended me, cured my wounds, consoled me in my distress and fostered me as his own child. He is no more, has gone to rest, but let me pay my tribute of gratitude to his memory and his ashes.
In a fewdays after we had fixed our residence, Colonel Richard Henderson, Colonel Luttrell and COlonel Slaughter (From Virginia) arrived with about fifteen men, who stationed with us. This adidtin, our company consisted of about fifty men, well armed with good rifles, constitution, passed some laws regulating our civilization ever attempted in that little community. This assembly was held about the beginning of may 1775. This was the first feature of a flkurishing and enlightened State now Kentucky.
From the recenet occurrences of so unexpected event, my friend and protector, Mr. Twitty, taken dead from my side, myself deeply wounded without much expection of recover, brought me to solemn reflections should I be taken off, what would be my destination in the world to come. I could make no favorable calculations as to my future happiness. Under these impressions, I was indeed excited to make every possible exertion to meet death, prayed much and formed solemn resolutions to amend my liefe by repentance should I be spared; but on my recovery, my feelings weraing off, and my duties declining, I gradually slided back to my former course and pursued my pleasuers iwth the greatest avidity.
(Experiences of a Civilzer in Forests if Tennessee)
Such is the instability of all human resolutions and legal repentance, no power of the grace of Almighty God. During the time we were there we lived without bread and salt.
In the summer, perhaps in July, my wounds being healed, although very feeble, I was able to sit on horseback by being lifted up. I set out in the company of Messrs. Decker and Richard Hogan and returned by the way we came to Watauga, a dangerous route. It was a merciful Providence that preserved me from being killed by the Indians, who were then in open hostilities with all the adventurers of Kentucky. However, we arrived safe to Colonel Robinson on the Watauga, and from there in a few days I returned to my father in Rutherford. I lived at home about three months, when the spirit of novelty began to prevail. I wished to e moving, but what course to pursue was undetermined. At length concluded to go to Watauga (this river is a branch of the Holstgein, heads up in the mountains opposite to Ashe County in NOrth Carolina) where I had formed some acquaintances, on my way to Kentucky. And now being my own man (but with the consent of my father) I set out in October '75 and arrived at Colonel Charles Robinson's in a fe days, being about ninety miles.
The country being newly settled, in a short time they organized a county and called it Washington. I was appointed clerk of the court. It was then a county of district of self-government, not incorporated in the State of North Carolina until some years after. It was then taken in by Act of Assembly and so remained until it ws ceded to Congress in 1789, and since a part of the State of Tennessee. This was the first court ever organized in that section of the western country. I continued in this office for nearly four years.
The War of the Revolution commencing about this time, I considered it a favorable opportunity, a fine theatre, on which to distinguish myself as a young man and patriot in the defense of my country.
Accordingly I went to Mecklenberg County, and meeting with some recruiting officers, by the recommendation of General Thomas Polk (father of Colonel William Polk of realiegh) I was appointed Lieutanant in Captain Richardson's company with the rifle regiment, commanded by James Struger (than a colonel) and was there furnished with money for the recruiting service. I returned to Watauga and on my way throughout the country I recruited my full proportion of men and marched them to Charleston in May 1775, joined the regiment and was stationed on James Island.
Sir Peter Parker with his whole fleet warrived in the bay while we were stationed on the Island. General Lee arrived in Charleston and took command of the troops, but did not tarry long; he wenton to Savannah to assist the Americans against the British and Indians, and to regulate the troops. Sir Peter Parker commenced an attack on Fort Moultire on Sullivan's Island on the twenty-eight of June 1776, was repulsed with loss of two British men-or-war and a number of men, did not succeed in the reduction of Charleston.
(Ranging the borderlands with the "Light Dragons")
The war now becoming general through the American provinces, the British stimulating the INdians on the frontiers, the Cherokee breaking out and murdering the inhabitants of Watauga and HOlsein, where my property and interests lay, I was constrained to resign my commission, contrary to the wish of the commanding officer, and return home to engage against the Indians from making any depredations on the inhabitants.
I was appointed to command of a company of Light Dragons to range on the frontiers, was stationed at Nolachucky Ford a year and prevented the Indians from making any depredations on the inhabitants.
The war subsiding with the Indians, I returned to Watauga, attended to the duties of my office as clerk of the court (this is now Tennessee). Having experienced some of the bitters with the sweets of life, I became more local in my disposition . Thinkg it necessary to become a citizen of the world, in its utmost, concluded to marry.
Accordingly, I married Susan Robinson, a beautiful girl of fifteen, on the eight of January 1778, daughter or colonel Charles Robinson (where I resided for three years past). In March ensuing, my wife and self paid a visit to my father in Rutherford, designed to spend the summer. On the twenty-eighth of June, my dear girl had a miscarriage which terminated her existence. She died on the ninth day of july 1778 six months after our marriage.
This was the most momentous and eventful year in which I lived, through the whole period of my; life. .I was shocked and impressed with so unexpected an event, that my mist was almost lost. Absorbed in grief almost unsupportable, I felt so deeply afflicted that I thought all my prospects of happiness were buried with the woman I loved. However, happy for man, that in cases of the most deep and deplorahble affliction, the constitution of our nature affords some resources for recovery, and finds his way from under the pressing calamities; but as excess of any; kind is not intended to last, after some time, I began to collect mys cattered faculties and realize what would have been the consequences had I been called off in place of her that was gone, and altough it is now forty-eight years since that melancholy scene, yet I thremble as I write when I consider the goodness and merciful forbearance of Almighty God in sparing me to this day, who am a sinner through all the visissitudes and vanities of life which I haved been destined to fill. TO Him be praise forever. Under the alarm of so feeling a dispensation, I became serously and solemnly imprewsed with mighty concern for my own salvation.
Reflecting of my past life, I found that I had been traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, having lived in a state of sin and rebellion against God, ungrateful of His goodness, and trampled His mercies under feet. I resolved to reform and turn from my wicked ways and be a good Christian, and so ignorant was I that I thought all was within my own power with my good intentions; and but endeavoring to obtain forgiveness for all my sins through the merits of the Redemer (deluded hope) which I fear thousands are carried away on the quicksands of their own confidence.
In this resolution I was serious and determined. Accordingly, I read my Bible, prayed much, abstained form every evil as I could avoid, declined corrupt company, was sobert and reserved in my manners and morals, and so continued until I thought I was not only an almost, but a real Christain indeed, and in truth I wa sso settled on the fatal rock of self righteousness, that when the rain descended and the wind blew and beat upon it, it fell and great was the fall indeed, it swept away the refuge of lies; but glory, honor and praise be to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and eveer.
I was not sufferet to rest on so fatal a delusion; the Lord by his spirit cautioned me that all I have been doing was as filthy as rags and then the commandment and sin reviewed and purity and extent of the law was discovered to my mind with irresistible force and I was constrained to say "what shall I do to be saved?" The spirituality of Devine Law was as a piercing sword in my back, with condemning power.
This produced a deep sense of the depravity of my nature and pollution of my heart, and my utter inability to save myself by the utmost exedrtions of my moral powers. In this deplorable and depressed situation, almost to desperation, I remained for a time in inexpressible anguish of spirit, until it pleased the Almighty in His mercy to discover to my mind the way of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ as a Redeemer and Savior for lost sinners, such as I found myself to be, and at a certain time on a certain day, which was Sunday, I received power to believe in His Name and obtain pardon for my sins to my inexpressible joy and comfort. It apepared to me indeed that old things were done away, and all things become new, or as if I had really been born in a new world, for which I may be enabled to praise Him though the ages of eternity; so confident was I at that season of happiness, that I did then believe that all men on earth and all devils in hell could through their insinuations never prevail on me to do what I have since done; but since that period my courses through life havd been such medley of inconsistencies.
Could I write in tears of blood the many failures, backslidings and self indulgencies of which I have suffered myself to be the victim, I could not describe the heartfeld inquietudes I have experineced as the consequences; and in truth confess that sinning and repending has filled up the measure of my days, which I lament and deplore before Him that knows my heart, and regret with the deepest sensibility that I was not more faithful and watchful and grace-given and not permitted the old traitor without, combined with my own traitorous self within, to place me to maintain a habitual disposition to press forward through fears without and fightings within, and ofttimes like a lost sheep wandering on dangerous grounds, has brought me back to the fold again, and by the Grce of God I am what I am.
Ad this narrative fo my pasasge through life may be read by my children while I am mingling with the dust I have trodden for seventy-three years, I have been more copious on the experimental part (for their encouragement) that if any of them should travel the same thorny road I solemnly warn them of the danger of deviating from the narrow path of recitude of virtue and religion. Not to wander on foreign and forbidden ground.
The wages of sin is death, and to be assured that a man's sin will find him out. If they have been the chief of sinners, som am I; if they are backsliders, so have I been; if they are struggling and striving for victory over a corrupt heart and degenerate nature, som am I at this time, and have hope that through broad righteousness of our Great Redeemer's merits, I shall in the end arrive on the shores of a happy immortality; and (oh! transporting thought) if the father and mother, sons and daughters, would be participants of that happy region, whawt a happy consolation beyond expression to be found worthy.
"With rapturous awe on Him I gaze, who taught the light for mre,
And shout and wonder at his Grace through all eternity."
If this be read with the same interest and feeling with which it is writtten, I trust it will not lose effect.
Haaving given a concise view of my times so far, I return to the narrative as it relatews to my further progress through life.
I continued at my father's as a home for about sixteen months under the pressure of a wounded and broken spirit, rather in a state of despondency, spending my time without much effect. The war now raging in utmost violence, I was occasionally with the Whig or Liberty party, though took no commissions as I might have had. The Colony of Rutherford was at this time stricken off from Tryon, and made a new county. I was appointed clerk of the court in October, 1779, which brought me into business.
After some time my spirits began to revive and gradually emancipated me from under my drooping situation, and viewing myself a sa young man and must travel through life on some ground, thought it best to marry and become a citizen of the world once more. Accordinglyh, after some preliminary acquaintance, I was married to Isabella Henry on the tenth of January 1780, in teh twenty-seventh year of my age and the seventeenth of hers, a daughter of William Henry, Esquire, of York, South Carolina. Mr. Henry was a reputable citizen, a plain, honest, reputable character, was a member of the legislature and was on of the first settlers in the frontiers of the crolinas. he raised a reputable family of sons, and all of whom took an active part in the Revolutionary War, of a decided military character, invincible courace, feared no danger, and always ready for the most eventful enterprise.
Grandfather Henry (it is asserted) was descended from a wealthy famly in Ireland, the only sone of his father, who possessed a large estate, his mother dying young, his father married a second wife, and he not liking so well his next mother, eloped from his father about eighteen years of age, cme to American and never returned to ask for his hereditary inheritance. He settled in Augusta County, in Virginia, there married your grandmother, Isabella McKown, of a good family. My acquaintaince with her enables me to say she was a woman of the first class in her time and her day. She died at the age of fifty-six. Mr. Henry moved to Carolina about age seventy-five or eighty years past and died at the advanced age of one hundered and two years, a complete century, which one in ten thousand never arrive to. Thus you havd transient account of both the paternal and maternal line of your ancestors, so far as my infomation extends; but have something more to relate as respects my further progress through this world, where woods and wild promiscuous shoot, and garden tempting with forbidden fruit.
I was highly gratified im y second marriage, happy in the woman of my choice, and believed I could not have selected a better had I traveled and traveled till this day. I resided at my father's and father-in-law's alternately for a while; no place a home, but in camp, the war being so severe and Tories all around.
Charlestown, South Carolina was taken by the british the twelfth of May, 1780, after which a temporary victory and encouraged by the Tories they advanced up the country with the greatest repidity, overran the country in the frontiers of North and South Carolina. Myself with many others wre compelled to retreat over the mountains to Watauga and Holstein in Tennessee for refuge. I took my wife and property with me, and had to take a circuitous route by th head of the Yadkin river thorugh the Flower Gap, by New River to the head of Holstein down to Watauga in Washington County, Tennesseee, waiting there for the events of the war.
In April 1781, I returned to Rutherford, build a cabin on my father's land at the mouth of Cane Creek. Betsy was born in September 1782. I removed in a year to the mouth of the Green river, settled, cultivated my farm and attended to the duties of my office as Clerk of the Court, there resided to the year 1787. These five years were my halcyon days, the millenium of my life. I gathered property, lived comfortable with my little famly, in friendship with the world and generally at peace with myself.
But, alas, my restless propensity which I fondly hoped was abated, was only slumbering to arouse with double solicitude. A dazzling prospect of the Western country presented to my view the ten thousand advantages that I might acquire, which such resistless force, that I resigned my office with a fixed resolution to remove there in a few months.
"Fond man the vision of a moment made, dream a dream and shadow of a shade." Younge
This was the greatest error I ever committed in my temporal transactions through life. I had considerable property, owed nothing and resigned an office worth $1000 per annum. Colonel Lewis, in whose favor I resigned office, made a fortune worth $50,000 in thirty years. But being providently prevented (as I believe) from going to the west, I went down to York District, lived thre one year, 1790, returned to Rutherford, purchased a part of my father's old plantation at th emouth of Cane Creek, settled and lieved there seventeen years. My children, Betsy Stanhope, Elvira Watson, Felix Hampton, Joseph Emanuel, Jefferson and Isabella were born there, after i settled and fixed my residence. My acquaintance and intercourse had been and was then very extensive. I had thes confidence and friendship of society in general. They put up my name for the Assembly, and I was elected, losing few votes, in teh year 192. The Assembly met in New Bern, North Carolina.
On my return from the Assembly, I commenced merchandise with a tolerable coapital, for the country, which prevented me from continuing in the Legislature. I pursued that line of business about five years. Went to Maryland and Virginia and purchased several droves of negros. I was now much in the spirit of the world, and like to ahve forgotten I was purged form my old sins, bu ton reflection, collected my scattered fragments and little remaining strength, abandoned the uniquitous practice of buying and selling human beings as slaves, which I found to be a violation of my conscience, in direct opposition and in the very face of all morality and religion, and have ever since that conviction abhorred the principle and practice.
In the year 1795, I engaged in a large land speculation in teh western counties of Buncombe and Haywood, calculated that I had made an immense fortune by entering lands. I was not mistaken, and had the line between the United States and Cherokee Indians been run according to treaty, I wolud have realized a fortune indeed; but i was run otherwise by the commissioners and divested me of 10,000 acres of the best land I entered. What I saved I was forced into a law suit with Colonel Avery for twelve years. Although I gained it, it profitted me little, having expended so much money in the defence of the suit.
(On the floor of Congress in early days of Republic)
In the year 1799, I was again elected to the General Assembly by almost a unaanamous vote, and continued, with the exception fo a few years, to represent the county until the year 1806, which was the last year in the Assembly. At length, becoming weary fo the drudgery of legislation, I fled from the scenes of popular solicitations and removed to the mountains of Hayood in 1808, warned by the languor of Life's evening ray, thought I would house me in some humble shed, with full intention of lasting retirement for the remainder of my life. But, as says a great man, the spider's most attenuated thread is cord, is cable to man's feeble ties. I consented to have my name announced for Congress. The competition was Governor Pickens, late Governor of Alabama. He beat me by a small majority. I was then opposed by Judge Paxton. I obtained my elextion by a good majority and continued to represent the District of Morgan for six years in succession.
My situation was so enviable that I was opposed at every election, but so feebly and scarcely to be felt.
In the year, 1823, Dr. vance of Buncombe, General Walton of Rutherford, Colonel Rayburn of Haywood, all offered for Congress. Walton had 978 votes, Rayburn 472, Vance and myself tied at 1913 votes each. The Sherrif of Burke gave the county vote to Vance and elected him. Had vance and myself met single hand, I should have beat him 1200 vote, and it was afterwards ascertained I had a majority of 71 votes over Vance, although in counting the ballots they made a miscount or misdeal. The next election my name was announced as a candidate, but on considerikng my age and growing informities, and consulting my feelints, wich seemed to forbid the bans, I withdrew my name from the list and dropped out of the circle, to the disappointment of the great majority of the DIstrict. Such was my standing when I shut the door on public life.
Through the whole course of my life, I have been a close observer of Providential occurrences, especially as it retards myself and similar concerns, and do verily believe it was a particular direction of wise and unseen Director who knows best for His creatures and cannot err, (by the unexpected event) to arrest my further progress in public life, to save me from the same ratality to which I might be liable, and lessen my responsibility in the affairs of State; a gracous donation, to give my few remaining years to retirement, and appropriate the remainder of my days to obtain better inheritance in a better world.
Since my realease form teh bondage of serving the busy world, I find myself perfectly regenerated, and so averse am I at the present, that no compensation could include me to accept any public vocation.
(Admitting MIssouri, Missisippi, Maine Illinois into the Union)
My standing in Congress is very generally known. I took a share in public debates, with what credit society must judge. We must all submit to public opinion. I was one who advocated with the utmost ability to the conduct of General Jackson in the Seminole War. Also in most of the interesting and pouplar discussion, I threw my mite on the floor - the Missouri Question, the reduction of the arm, the Revenue and Bankrupcy Bill were all debated in my time. The State of Missiour, the State of Mississippi, the State of Illinois, and the State of Main (Four new states were admitted to the Union during my serivce in Congress, under Mr. Munroe's administration.
From Webster's International Dictionary fo English language 1917:
"Buncombe, Bunkum, n (From Buncombe, a couny in North Carolina.) Speechmaking for the gratificatin of constituents, or to gain public applause; anything said, written, or done for mere show; insincere public action of speech. Cant or slang, U.S."
Note by W. Darlington:
"The phraise to speak for BUncombe, that is for mere show or pupularity, originate near to the close of the debate on teh famous "Missouri Question' in the 16th Congress. It was then used by Felix Walker - a naive old mountaineer who resided at Waynesville in haywood county of North Carolina, near the border of the adjacent county of Buncombe, which formed part of his District. The old man rose to speak, while the House was impatiently calling for the 'Question' and several members gathered around him, begging him to desist. He preservered, however, for a while, declaring that hte people of his District expected it, and that he was bound to make a speech for Buncombe"!
From the National Cyclopeadia of American Biography, Vol. VII, p. 304)
Felix Walker, soldier, politician, pioneer, was born in Hampshire County, Virginia, July 19, 1753. His grandfather, John Walker, emigrated from Derry, Ireland, to America, and settled in Delaware in 1720. His father, John Walker, wa sa soldier in the French and Indian War, and was preent at Braddock's defeat. This defeat caused the frontier of Virginia to be exposed, and John Walker removed farther South and settled in what is now known as Lincoln County, North Carolina. He wa sin General Grant's expedition against the Cherokee Indians in 1762; removed to Rutherford County, North Carolina;, in 1768; was a member of the Hillsboro Congress of August 1775, and gave his best energiews to the American cause. ALl his grown sons were active in the Revolution, and his name is the first signed to the "Association" of Tryon county, which promised mutually to protect and defend that caue in August 1775.
See more on Felix in the informatin by Clarance Griffin titled "Revolutionary Service of Col. John Walker and Family.
Contact me at cjwalker@alltel.net