John Hardeman Walker
John Hardeman Walker (March 3, 1794 – April 30, 1860) was an early landowner in southeast Missouri, most famous for convincing the United States Congress to place the Bootheel in Missouri instead of Arkansas.
Walker was born in
New Madrid earthquakes
of 1811–12, Walker maintained his cattle operation in the area and steadily increased his holdings.
When Missouri was added to the Union, its original border proposal in 1818 was to be an extension of the
St. Louis in Missouri than with its proposed location in Arkansas Territory. The border was then dropped about 50 miles to the 36th parallel north. It follows that parallel about 30 miles until it intersects the St. Francis River, then follows the river back up to about the 36°30' parallel just west of Campbell, Missouri
.
Walker served as sheriff of New Madrid County in 1821–22 and later served as a county court judge in Pemiscot County. After the 1851 formation of Pemiscot County from New Madrid County, Walker helped to lay out the town of Caruthersville in 1857 and died there in 1860.[2][3][4]
Notes
External links
- How Did ... Missouri Come To Include the "Bootheel"?, from Missouri's Office of the Secretary of State
 | This article about an American businessperson born in the 1790s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |