He worked as a farmer briefly and later joined Daniel Boone's company, which established the settlement of Boonesborough, Kentucky, in 1775.
He worked as a trader and land speculator in Haywood County before being elected to Congress.
Allegedly, to the exasperation of his colleagues, Walker insisted on delivering a long and wearisome "speech for Buncombe.
[2] His persistent effort made "buncombe" (later respelled "bunkum") a synonym for meaningless political claptrap and later for any kind of nonsense.
[1][3] Although he was unable to make the speech in front of Congress it was still published in a Washington newspaper.