William Walker Sr (abt. 1860 - 1933)

Born about 1860 in Versailles, Woodford, Kentucky, United States

Died 20 Sep 1933 at about age 73 in Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

William Walker Sr is Notable.

Jockey William "Uncle Bill" Walker won 1877 Kentucky Derby on Baden-Baden. Churchill Downs' leading rider between 1875 and 1878, he retired from the saddle in 1896. An expert on Thoroughbred pedigrees in America, Walker was instrumental in developing the modern racehorse. (taken from Kentucky Historical Marker #1992 ^[1])

Billy Walker was born into slavery in Woodford County, Kentucky. He rode Baden-Baden^[2]to win the 1877 Kentucky Derby.

From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry) Walker, William, Sr. "Billy" (born: 1860 - died: 1933) William Walker, Sr., born in Versailles, KY, rode Baden-Baden to victory at the Kentucky Derby in 1877. Walker was born a slave on the Bosque Bonita Farm in Woodford County, KY.^[3] He won his first race in Lexington, KY, at the age of 11. He became one of the leading riders at Churchill Downs between 1875-1878. After retiring in 1896, he became a trainer as well as adviser to horse breeder John Madden. The family resided in Smoketown, historically African-American Neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky from 1900-1930, and later a few blocks away near First and Jefferson Streets. Walker is buried in the Louisville Cemetery; his grave was unmarked until Churchill Downs placed a headstone on it in 1996.

For more see Roadside History, by M. P. Hay, D. Wells and T. H. Appleton; and "Once noted jockey dies," The Daily Mail, 9/21/1933, p. 10.

Slave Owners

• Abraham Buford

Sources

1. ↑ Kentucky Historical Marker Database, see marker #1992 for Louisville Cemetery
2. ↑ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baden-Baden_(horse)
3. ↑ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Buford_II#Bosque_Bonita_Farm

• “Walker, William, Sr. "Billy",” Notable Kentucky African Americans Database, accessed June 2, 2021, https://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/items/show/1906.
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Walker_(jockey)
• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M94L-X5W : accessed 2 June 2021), William Walker Jr. in household of William Walker, Magisterial District 6, Precinct 22 Louisville city Ward 5, Jefferson, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 53, sheet 3B, family 55, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,530.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2DG-354 : accessed 9 July 2022), William Walker, Louisville Ward 5, Jefferson, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 107, sheet 14A, family 123, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 485; FHL microfilm 1,374,498.

• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHGS-DWF : 1 February 2021), William Walker, 1920.
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMXZ-888 : accessed 2 June 2021), William Walker, Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 82, sheet 15B, line 84, family 321, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 756; FHL microfilm 2,340,491.
• Death: "Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852-1965"
  Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives; Frankfort, Kentucky
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry ca Record 1222 #649183 (accessed 12 December 2022)
  William Walker death 20 Sep 1933 (age 73) in Jefferson, Kentucky, USA.
• Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/94222418/william-walker : accessed 02 June 2021), memorial page for William “Billy” Walker Sr. (1860–20 Sep 1933), Find a Grave Memorial ID Find A Grave: Memorial #94222418, citing Louisville Cemetery, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA ; Maintained by kellybean (contributor 47383012) .