Captain William WALTON was not for many years a citizen of Sumner County, but long enough to deserve mention here. He was born in Bertie County, North Carolina, a county that has given to Tennessee many of her prominent men, in 1760. He was of English Cavalier descent: attained his early manhood about the beginning of the Revolutionary war, and at the age of 17 enlisted in Major Hardy MURFREE'S battalion as a private. Later he was commissioned a Lieutenant, and then Captain. He was in many of the most important engagements of the war, and demeaned himself as a brave and gallant soldier. He was twice taken a prisoner. In December, 1783 he was married to Sarah JONES, and in 1785 removed to what is now Sumner County, Tennessee and settled on Mansker's Station near Goodlettsville. The next year he located a body of land in what is now Smith County, on a part of which the county seat was afterwards located (Carthage). Captain WALTON continued to reside in Sumner County until 1796, when he removed to his new home. At that time Smith County was a part of Sumner. When Smith County was formed he was one of its first magistrates, a position he had held in Sumner County. When the question of a county seat came up, through his influence it was located on his land, he giving a square in the center of the town for a courthouse and other public buildings.
     Captain WALTON inaugurated the plan, and was the contractor who built what is known as "Walton's Road," which connects the Cumberland country with Knoxville and East Tennessee, and was for many years one of the most traveled roads in the State. The construction of this road was a great achievement at that day. The Tennessee Central Railroad closely follows its course from Lebanon to Kingston, across the Cumberland Mountains.
     Captain WALTON died at his home in Smith County, March 6, 1816, leaving a handsome fortune and many descendants all of whom have, up to this day, been useful and honorable citizens.