Ann Montgomery was born in Ireland. After marrying into the Shearer name, by 1738 she had married Robert Walker and the couple moved to New Hanover County, North Carolina, where they established several plantations. After Robert Walker died in 1746, Ann inherited one of his plantations, which she maintained using enslaved labor. In 1757 she received compensation for one of her enslaved people who had been killed while running away from the plantation. Ann Walker died in New Hanover in about 1789, at which time she possessed eight enslaved people.