William Johnson Walker

Background

Walker, William Johnson was born on March 5, 1790 in Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Major Timothy and Abigail (Johnson) Walker.

Education

Graduated from Harvard, 1810, Doctor of Medicine 1813. Studied abroad under Laennec, Corvisart, Sir Astley Cooper.

Career

Returned to Charlestown, 1816. Physician, surgeon to Massachusetts State Prison. Consultant physician Massachusetts General Hospital, 1816.

Orator before Massachusetts Medical Society, 1845, presented An Essay on the Treatment of Compound and Complicated Fractures, 1845. Offered Harvard approximately $130,000 for reforming Medical School, gift refused because he demanded new faculty acceptable to himself. Willed gifts to Amherst College, Tufts U., Massachusetts Institute Technology, Boston Society Natural History.

Endowed professorships in mathematics at Amherst and Tufts, 1861. Contributions to educational instns. total over $1,000,000.

Connections

Married Eliza Hurd, April.

Father:

Major Timothy Walker

Mother:

Abigail (Johnson) Walker

Spouse:

Eliza Hurd