Declaration of Independence Signer. Born near Farmville, Virginia, his parents died when he was a small child. He was taken in by his aunt and uncle, who apprenticed him to a carpenter when he was about 15. A family story has it that he saved the wood chips from his master's carpentry shop, and would burn the chips at night, using their light to teach himself to read. Finishing his apprenticeship at age 22, he moved to Savannah, Georgia, where he studied law. In 1774, he became a lawyer, setting up a practice in Savannah. The next year, he married Dorothy Camber, with whom he would have two children. Walton quickly became one of Georgia's leading lawyers. In 1775, he became secretary of the Georgia Provincial Congress and President of the Council of Safety. He took part in the seizing of power from Georgia's British rulers, and in 1776, he was elected as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. He would serve in the Congress from 1776 to 1777. In late 1777, he left Congress to serve in the Georgia Militia, becoming a Colonel. During the Battle of Savannah in December 1778, he was shot in the thigh and knocked off his horse. Captured and imprisoned by the British, he was finally released in a prisoner exchange in the fall of 1779. Soon after being released, Walton was elected Governor of Georgia. Later, he was elected Chief Justice of the state, and from 1795 to 1796, he served in the US Senate. He died in his home in Augusta, Georgia, in 1804.
Declaration of Independence Signer. Born near Farmville, Virginia, his parents died when he was a small child. He was taken in by his aunt and uncle, who apprenticed him to a carpenter when he was about 15. A family story has it that he saved the wood chips from his master's carpentry shop, and would burn the chips at night, using their light to teach himself to read. Finishing his apprenticeship at age 22, he moved to Savannah, Georgia, where he studied law. In 1774, he became a lawyer, setting up a practice in Savannah. The next year, he married Dorothy Camber, with whom he would have two children. Walton quickly became one of Georgia's leading lawyers. In 1775, he became secretary of the Georgia Provincial Congress and President of the Council of Safety. He took part in the seizing of power from Georgia's British rulers, and in 1776, he was elected as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. He would serve in the Congress from 1776 to 1777. In late 1777, he left Congress to serve in the Georgia Militia, becoming a Colonel. During the Battle of Savannah in December 1778, he was shot in the thigh and knocked off his horse. Captured and imprisoned by the British, he was finally released in a prisoner exchange in the fall of 1779. Soon after being released, Walton was elected Governor of Georgia. Later, he was elected Chief Justice of the state, and from 1795 to 1796, he served in the US Senate. He died in his home in Augusta, Georgia, in 1804.
Bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson
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