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Col. John Waller, the second son of Dr. John Waller and Mary Pomfrett, was born at Newport-Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, England on 23 Feb., 1673. About 1696, while yet in his twenties, Col. John came to Virginia and purchased 1039 acres of land from Elias Downs, located in Pamunkey Neck, on the Mattaponi River in what was to become King William County, Virginia, in 1701. On this land, he established his plantation home which he called "Endfield." Col. John Waller married Dorothy King about 1697 or 1698. He was made Justice of the Peace in the new county in 1701 and Sheriff in 1702. He became a Major of Militia in 1704 and was elected to the House of Burgesses for the term 1710-1714 and for another term from 1720-1722.
It would appear that Col. John had acquired additional land in the western part of King William County, which ended up in the new county of Spotsylvania when the county was organized in 1720. In 1722 he became the first Clerk of the new county of Spotsylvania, an office that would remain in his family for three generations, as two sons and two grandsons served the county. In 1723, Col. John moved his home to Spotsylvania County, calling the new plantation "Newport." He was succeeded as County Clerk in 1742 by his son, Edmund. He was made a vestryman of St. George Parish, Spotsylvania County, in 1745, and a Trustee of the new City of Fredericksburg in 1747. He died in 1754.
Col. John Waller, and Dorothy King Waller had six children, one of whom was Thomas Waller born 1705, who married Elizabeth Dabney. These were the parents of our subject, John "KW" Waller. John attached the "KW" to his name as a means to identify himself as being of the Waller family originating in King William Co., VA. There were many Wallers in the Virginia area at the time, and we can see from family research that there were also many John Wallers.
John "KW" Waller, was born 1739 and married Mary Small, born in 1755. With his wife and several infant children, John immigrated to Kentucky from Fredericksburg, Virginia about 1780-1784. They settled on Cartwright’s Creek, in what was then Jefferson County, about 1780. This was when Kentucky was trying to get admitted into the Federal Union. The representatives of the Waller family in Morganfield and Union Co., recognized as one of the oldest and largest families in the county, are the direct descendants of John "KW" Waller and his wife, Mary Small Waller,
John "KW" Waller, a Protestant, received a grant of 978 acres on Cartwright’s Creek, the patent dated May 15, 1784. Besides this land, he held many other lands with Matthew Walton. Originally he owned land on both sides of the Springfield and Bardstown Road, but in 1798 he sold 500 acres on the north side thereof to Matthew Walton. John Waller’s tract on Cartwright’s Creek, adjoined the lands of Matthew Walton, Philemon Waters, Adam Shepherd, George Grundy, and Jacob Meyers. John built a 2-story brick home. In January 1787, he was granted permission to build a mill on his land on Cartwright’s Creek. An Order to this effect is found in Order Book A, of the Nelson County Court. His two story brick home, the water-grist mill, and a saw mill were erected very close to the present site of St. Rose Church and Priory. When navigation on the Mississippi River became free, he bought quantities of wheat, ground it into flour and shipped it to New Orleans. This mill served the community for many years. The ruins of the mill are yet discernable at the northern boundary of the Saint Rose Cemetery, about two miles southwest from Springfield.
The Waller family continued to reside on Cartwright’s Creek for a number of years, and thirteen children were born of this family: Thomas, Robert, John, Ann, Lydia, John Jr., Dempsey, Mary, Elizabeth, Aaron, Eli, Massey, and Nathan. With the coming of the Catholic settlers, who located up and down Cartwright’s Creek on both sides for several miles. John "KW" Waller was determined to get away from a neighborhood in which there were so many Catholics and so very few of his own Protestant faith. John chose to move to Union Co., KY because he believed that there he might, with small sums,place his children in possession of broad acres and rich lands. This apparently was a wise choice as the future growth and prosperity of this family and their contributions well demonstrated.
At one time, while returning from a trip to the Falls of the Ohio River (Louisville), in company with some of his neighbors with packhorses, they were surprised by a party of Indians. John "KW" Waller, being in the rear, was wounded, and with one other was captured. His horse escaped and ran the distance home, carrying safely the load on its back. John Waller was kept a prisoner two years, and thought dead by his family and friends, before he was able to effect his escape. The story is told of how an earlier opportunity for escape presented itself, but he refused to avail himself of it without his companion in captivity sharing it with him. That companion was sleeping and could not be aroused without attracting attention, so Waller elected to remain rather than desert his friend.
In 1806, John "KW" Waller began selling off his lands. In February 1806 (Waller to Carrico), in December 1806, he sold 490 acres of his farm to the Rev. Edward Fenwick, a Dominican priest, who proposed to establish a school of that Order in Kentucky. On the same date he sold 106 acres to Thomas Robb, 139 acres to Thomas Waller, and 95 acres to James Catlin; on Dec. 9, 1806 he finished by selling 173 acres to Richard Thurman.
Webb, in his "Centenary of Catholicity in Kentucky," says John Waller moved from Washington to Union County after selling his farm. Records in the archives of Washington County indicate that it was not to Union but to Henderson County that Waller went after he disposed of his lands in Washington Co. He was living in Henderson County in 1810, for on June 11, of that year, Thomas Waller, "of Mayson County" deeded him a tract on the Rolling Fork, in Washington County. (Washington County Deed Book C).
The Waller home-tract in Washington County, sold to Father Fenwick in 1806, was located about two miles west, slightly south, from Springfield. The land was mostly rolling, but good. The surrounding country was, as now, picturesque and beautiful. Much of the land had been cleared and fenced, showing that John Waller was an industrious and forward-looking farmer. He had built a brick house very similar to the home of his neighbor, Matthew Walton. There is a tradition that Thomas Lincoln, father of President Lincoln, helped with the building of the Walton house. It is possible that he also aided in the construction of the Waller home. The two houses were among the first of that type erected in this part of Kentucky.
The Waller house was two stories high and practically new when the Dominicans acquired it. It was suitable for a temporary home for the priests and a few boys. Besides there were several outbuildings which could soon be fitted up for temporary school work.
In 1806, after selling his farms in Washington County, John Waller gathered up his family and goods and moved to Henderson County, settling in that part that later became Union County. They first settled in Bardstown when that station was established. John and Mary Small Waller lived in the Waverly section, and were parents of a large family. John "KW" Waller is buried on what is known as the Harris Farm in Union Co., now owned by Mr. Elliott Newman. John "KW" Waller owned and died on that farm.
The descendants of their tenth child, Aaron Waller, were the most numerous and most influential among those in Union Co., KY. Aaron lived on a farm west of Morganfield. He married, first, Elizabeth Rives, then Mary Allison Givens. Thirteen children were born of these unions, and all resided in the Morganfield district. They were Mary Gillium, Joseph Burwell, Thomas Small, Elizabeth Ann, John Givens, William, Elijah Lyle, Nathan J., Matthew Robb, Gibson Taylor, Margaret Rebecca, Robert Aaron, and James Kenny Waller.
The Wallers were among the incorporators of the first bank in Morganfield, afterwards named the Bank of Union County, and several of them held various public offices. The Waller Building, opposite the courthouse in Morganfield, KY was owned by Thomas Small Waller and his brother Matthew Robb Waller. It is built on a lot which has belonged to the family for more than one hundred fifty years. When the Peoples Bank and Trust Company was organized, James Kenny Waller became president. In the roster of county officials, government employees, educational, religious, civic, military, and social organizations are found the names of many of the Waller family who lived in Union Co., Kentucky and who died there after having raised a large family.
Four of John "KW" and Mary (Small) Waller’s children intermarried with the children of James Robb from Ireland. The families apparently met either in Virginia or Kentucky, but little is known at this time. Daughter Lydia married John Thomas Robb, son of James Robb. They were married in Washington Co., KY and they settled in Posey Co., IN. where they lived their entire life. Son John married "Nellie" Eleanor Robb and much later moved to John Thomas and Lydia Waller Robb’s settlement on Black River in Posey Co., Indiana. They are buried in the Robb family cemetery at the old John Thomas Robb home place. There are many Wallers buried in this cemetery also. Hugh Robb, son of James, married the daughter of John "KW" and Mary Waller and following her death married her sister, Ann. They lived in Union Co., Kentucky, originally Henderson Co., Ky.