John Walker (1805-1857)
From Graces Guide
John Walker (1805-1857) of Johnnie Walker
John Walker was born in 1805 near Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire. When his father Alexander died in 1820, he was left £417 in trust. In 1820, the trustees invested in an Italian warehouse, grocery, and wine and spirits shop on the High Street in Kilmarnock.
In 1833, John married Elizabeth Purves. He was a respected businessman, leader of the local trade association, and a Freemason. His store's stock was almost entirely destroyed in an 1852 flood, but the business recovered within a couple of years. His own whisky brand, then known as "Walker's Kilmarnock Whisky" was popular locally, although John Walker himself was a teetotaler.
See Also
Loading...