I am trying to get to the bottom of the Toaping Castle Walker situation. Notes below.

ƒç I have found little if any documented evidence to suggest the Toaping Castle immigration story is true or can be believed. The ¡§STORY¡¨ goes - 3 Walker brothers Isaac, Charles, and Nathan were a loyal Catholic Jacobites, and tradition has it that they survived of the Battle of Culloden 1746. After the battle, Isaac, Charles and Nathan, were forced to flee and find temporary secrecy and security in France. His wife Elizabeth Stuart was a member of the Stuart clan and of royal blood. Isaac left his wife behind him with the intention of returning for her - not daring to write to her lest the whereabouts of himself and brothers should become known - a reward of 500 pounds being on their heads as rebels and felons. By a strange coincidence when he arrived at Alexandria, Va. to take passage for Scotland to bring his wife over, he met Lady Elizabeth at the wharf, she having come over in a vessel in which he intended to sail. He sought a land grant and named the estate Toaping Castle after the home he had to leave behind in Scotland. Does any hard evidence exist or are researchers relying on the internet or the story put forth by Samuel Walker in 1883 ¡V 129 years after the supposed flight from Culloden field to Maryland??? I suggest much more documented evidence is needed before folks jump in with both feet. This story reads like other tale tales that permeate genealogy.
ƒç Another inconstancy in the ¡§toaping castle¡¨ story: The roadside marker erected by the PGC historical society about Toaping Castle states: ¡§On this site Isaac, Charles and Nathan Walker ¡K. which the three brothers had fled after the failure of attempts to unseat GEORGE I, King of England as ruler of Scotland. Isaac permanently settled here and obtained land grants¡¨. This can¡¦t possibly be right. George I, King of Great Britain came to the throne in 1714 and died in 1727 ¡V 19 years BEFORE the battle of Culloden in 1746 and the brothers supposed flight from Scotland. According to the 1776 census Isaac Walker SR wasn¡¦t born until 1721 and was around 6 years old when George I died in 1727 ¡V Was he an infant warrior?
ƒç The original land patent for Isaac Walker was called Toping Castle not Toaping Castle. There is a good reason for this. Reviewing historical and topographic maps is it noted that the old home place sat on TOP of a hill (elevation 250¡¦). Hence the name on the original land patent - Toping Castle. I do not believe it was the name of the stronghold left behind in the old country. I find no evidence/record of such a place existing in Scotland. The only reference to a place with a similar name is Topping Castle on the Cumberland / Northumberland border in England. I doubt it has any significance to Maryland Walkers.
ƒç Charles Walker Sr. and wife Rebecca Isaac of ¡§Bacon Hall¡¨ had sons Charles Jr. (1698), Isaac (1705), Richard (1709), and Joseph (1715). The eldest - Charles Walker Jr. was born in 1698 St. Barnabas Parish PGC MD. This Charles Jr. then had children Isaac, Charles, Nathaniel.
ƒç The eldest son ¡V Isaac Walker was born ca.1721 and married Elizabeth Ferguson. Elizabeth was born May 3rd 1730 in King George¡¦s Parish PGC. She was the daughter of Duncan Ferguson and Catherine? (Per church records). Duncan Ferguson was supposedly a Scottish rebel who was transported to the colonies in 1716. He and Catherine then had three children one of which is Elizabeth ¡V all the children are born in Prince George¡¦s County between 1730 & 1743. Duncan was in Maryland by 1716 and his daughter Elizabeth was born in Maryland ¡V Not Scotland or France.
ƒç As stated before, records indicate that Dunkin Ferguson (Elizabeth¡¦s father) was a Scottish rebel transported to Maryland in 1716. This is right after the 1ST Jacobite rebellion of 1715 led by The Old Pretender. So he probably was in fact a Scottish Jacobite. Later decedents of Isaac Walker and Elizabeth Ferguson were probably passed on the story of grandfather who was a loyal Jacobite Highlander, came to America, etc...etc¡KI think it is entirely possible that the grandfather¡¦s, Walker and Ferguson, got confused / mixed up in the telling.
ƒç The will of Duncan Ferguson that names wife Catherine, Son-In-Law Isaac Walker, and John Ferguson. Appraisers are James Wilson and James Tannehill. Dunkin bought ¡§Hamilton¡¦s Addition¡¨ from Tannyhill in 1731. The property was originally granted to Gavin Hamilton in 1694.
č In 1760 Catherine Ferguson, wife of Duncan, leaves this- Recorded 29 Mar 1760 I Catharine Farguson do send Greeting. Know ye that I Catherine Ferguson of Prince Georges County in the Province of Maryland for and in consideration of the Love and good will and Natural affectin which I have and do bear towards my daughter Elizabeth Walker, have given granted unto the said Elizabeth during her Natural Life the use of my Negro Girl named Eastor with her future Increase and after the decease of my said Daughter Elizabeth I give the said Negro with her future Increase to be equally divided between my said Daughter Elizabeth Walker's children that she now as or hereafter may have by her present Husband Isaac Walker as their Proper goods and chattels absolutely without any manner of Condition. In Witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal this third Day of March 1760. Signed Catherine (her mark) Farguson in the presence of Josa. Beall and Andrew Beall. [Frederick Co. MD Deed Bk BB2 p. 236]
ƒç in 1783 Josias Ferguson and Isaac Walker conduct a bill of sale. In the deed Josias Ferguson is called brother in law by Isaac Walker ¡V meaning that Josias and Elizabeth Ferguson (Isaac¡¦s wife) were brother and sister. Again, this highlights the fact that Isaac Walker¡¦s wife Elizabeth last name was not Stuart.
ƒç Josias Ferguson (born 1743) ¡V brother of Elizabeth Ferguson ¡V was married to Marjorie Duvall (born 1741), daughter of Mareen Duvall and Ruth Howard. One of my oldest Walker ancestors (Gideon Walker) married another daughter of Mareen and Ruth - Pricilla Duvall. We also know through DNA analysis of Group 20 that Gideon Walker is somehow connected to the "Bacon Hall" Walker's.
ƒç Isaac Walker (b.1721) did have a wife named Elizabeth but her surname was Ferguson not Stuart and she certainly did not come over on a boat from Scotland or France. Nor did this Isaac Walker. This Jacobite ¡§story¡¨ might have been misconstrued over time or later generations of Walker lines unknowingly attached themselves to the Toaping Castle Walker¡¦s - If there is such a thing. Again, I think some hardcore documented evidence is needed to corroborate the ¡§Toaping Castle¡¨ immigration story. I would hate to think that generations of researchers have taken the 1883 pamphlet at face value without digging a little deeper.