John Walker (biographer) facts for kids

John Walker (born 1674, died 1747) was an English church leader and historian. He is best known for writing a book about Church of England priests. These priests faced difficulties during the English Civil War and the time when England was ruled without a king, called the Interregnum.

Early Life and Education

John Walker was born in Exeter, England, and was baptized in January 1674. His father, Endymion Walker, was the mayor of Exeter in 1682. John went to Exeter College, Oxford, a famous university, in 1691. He became a Fellow there in 1695. This meant he was a senior member of the college.

Church Career

In 1698, John Walker became a deacon, which is a step in becoming a priest. He also earned his first university degree (B.A.) that year. Soon after, he became the rector of St Mary Major church in Exeter. A rector is a priest in charge of a parish. In 1699, he earned his Master's degree (M.A.).

Later, in 1714, Oxford University gave him a special degree, D.D. (Doctor of Divinity). He also became a prebend at Exeter. This is a special position in a cathedral. In 1720, he became the rector of Upton Pyne in Devon. John Walker passed away in June 1747 and was buried in the churchyard there. He had married Martha Brooking in 1704.

Sufferings of the Clergy

Why the Book Was Written

After the English Civil War, many church leaders faced problems. Some were removed from their churches. A historian named Edmund Calamy wrote a book about nonconformist ministers. These were ministers who did not follow the official Church of England rules. They were "ejected" or forced out of their churches after 1660.

This book gave John Walker an idea. He wanted to write about the Church of England priests who had also suffered. These priests were removed from their positions during the Civil War and the Interregnum. Another person, Charles Goodall, was also collecting information. He shared his notes with Walker.

Gathering Information

Walker collected stories and facts by sending out questions to different church areas. He received help from many people, including Mary Astell. After he died, his son William gave all of Walker's notes to the Bodleian Library. This library is part of Oxford University.

About the Book

Walker's famous book, Sufferings of the Clergy, was published in 1714. Many people supported the book, and over 1,300 people subscribed to it. The book has two main parts:

• A history of church events from 1640 to 1660. This part explained why the Puritans were removed from their churches after the king returned to power. Walker argued it was fair because of what they did when they were in charge.
• A list of the priests who were removed from their churches. This part shared details about the hardships they faced.

Walker listed 3,334 names in his book. He believed that if all suffering clergy could be found, the number might be as high as ten thousand. He tried to check his facts carefully.

How the Book Was Received

Some people praised Walker's book. For example, Thomas Bisse called it a "book of martyrology." This means a book about people who suffered greatly for their beliefs. However, others criticized it. John Lewis called it a "farrago of false and senseless legends." This means he thought it was a jumble of untrue stories.

Nonconformist writers also disagreed with the book. John Withers and Calamy himself wrote responses. They argued about who had been persecuted more. Later, shorter versions of Walker's book were published in 1862 and 1863.

List of Publications

• Sufferings of the Clergy (online text)