pioneer trader, real estate promoter, politician, b. Lynchburg, Va., He was the brother of Isaac Pigeon Walker (q.v.). He moved west with his father in 1825, settling in Gallatin County, Ill. In 1833 the lure of fur-trade profits brought him to Solomon Juneau's (q.v.) trading post on the Milwaukee River, and in Mar., 1834, he located south of the river at what became Walker's Point, and later, Milwaukee's south side. Here he pre-empted a quarter section of land, erected a cabin and warehouse, and eventually secured title to the land in 1849 when he received a patent from the federal government. Engaging for a time in the Indian trade, Walker ultimately occupied a position in the development of Milwaukee's south side that was similar to that of Juneau and Morgan L. Martin (q.v.) on the east side, and to that of Byron Kilbourn (q.v.) on the west side of the Milwaukee River. A Democrat, Walker was active in local politics, was a member of the lower house of the territorial legislature (1842-1845), and was state assemblyman (1851). From 1845 to 1849 he was register of the Milwaukee land office, and was twice mayor of Milwaukee (1851, 1853). A leading promoter of many of the state's early railroad ventures, he was especially interested in the Milwaukee and Mississippi R.R., the Milwaukee and Watertown R.R., and the La Crosse and Milwaukee R.R. B. Still, Milwaukee (Madison, 1948); J. A. Watrous, Memoirs of Milwaukee Co. (2 vols., Madison, 1909); Milwaukee Sentinel, Sept. 21, 1866; WPA field notes.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of the George H. Walker Miscellany for details.

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[Source: Dictionary of Wisconsin biography]