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Nelson Walker

1827 – 1875

Community leader in Tennessee

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About Nelson Walker

Lived 1827 – 1875 (aged 47–48).

Nelson Walker (c. 1827 - July 7, 1875) was a prominent community leader in Tennessee and Justice of the Peace. He was born enslaved, worked as a barber, purchased freedom for himself, his wife, and their four children, and became a wealthy lawyer, judge and bank president in Nashville, Tennessee. He was a member of the masonic fraternity. Nelson served as Treasurer for the first Negro Masonic Lodge and was influential in gaining support and funding for Mount Ararat Cemetery, Nashville's first black cemetery.

Mason died at his home July 1875. He was described in his obituary as a "prominent colored man" and noted as the first black Justice of the Peace in his county, elected to office in 1866.

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Important facts

Born
1827
Birth century
Died
1875

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Nelson Walker's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Nelson Walker?

Community leader in Tennessee

When was Nelson Walker born?

Nelson Walker was born in 1827.

When did Nelson Walker die?

Nelson Walker died in 1875.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Nelson Walker

· Wikidata: Q111914850

· DBpedia: Nelson Walker

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Nelson Walker. https://biography.guide/nelson-walker/

MLA: "Nelson Walker." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/nelson-walker/.

Chicago: "Nelson Walker." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/nelson-walker/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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