There is a lot of information out there on the descendants of George and Esther, but what is in one place has not been updated since about 1980 and what has been updated is in bits and pieces all over the place.

This post has pulled it all together in one place so that more research can be done by family members in an organized fashion.

To recap, George W. and Esther Baker had at least twelve children. However, several of them can’t be found in marriage records or in 1850 or later, so the grandchildren are included only for those whose parents can be found. That leaves the future possibility of finding a few more.

Note: The Baker child and his/her spouse are in bold italics and they are listed in birth order of the Bakers.

Elizabeth Baker and Michael Stufflebean had ten children:

1. George Stufflebean, born about 1820, Estill County, Kentucky; George married (1) Esther Baker, 1 November 1849, Linn County, Missouri and (2) Nancy Jane Baker on 2 June 1863, Linn County, Missouri. He died on 24 May 1896, Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas.
2. John Stufflebean, born 30 June 1821, Estill County, Kentucky. John married (1) Gulielma Beals on 25 December 1845, Linn County, Missouri and (2) Matilda Jane Peavler, 9 June 1853 in Sullivan County, Missouri.  He died on 10 June 1864 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee during the Civil War. This is my husband’s direct line.
3. Michael Stufflebean, born about 1823, Estill County, Kentucky; Michael married Margaret Murphy, on 15 March 1865, Linn County, Missouri. He died 20 April 1873 in Sullivan County, Missouri.
4. Elizabeth Stufflebean, born about 1823 (I don’t know if she and Michael were twins or if their ages were off in census records), Estill County, Kentucky. Elizabeth married William T. Clark about 1839. She died in 1863 in Sullivan County, Missouri.
5. Samuel Stufflebean, born 9 April 1825, Estill County, Kentucky. He married Maria Beals on 24 December 1844 in Linn County, Missouri. Samuel died on 12 October 1880 in North Salem, Linn County, Missouri.
6. Hiram Stufflebean, born 2 July 1827, Estill County, Kentucky. Hiram married Susan Baker on 2 January 1849 in Linn County, MIssouri. He died on 24 February 1910 in Linn County, Missouri.
7. Susan Stufflebean, born about 1830 in Morgan County, Indiana. Susan married Reuben McCollum on 4 December 1852 in Linn County, Missouri. She died after 1900, probably in Sullivan County, Missouri.
8. James Stufflebean, born 11 February 1832, Morgan County, Indiana. James married America Pulliam on 16 March 1850 in Linn County, Missouri. He died 21 April 1915, in Linn County, Missouri.
9. William Henry Stufflebean, born about 1836 in Morgan County, Indiana. He died 18 September 1858 in Linn County, Missouri; unmarried.
10. Rachel Jane Stufflebean, born July 1844, probably in Linn County, Missouri. Rachel married (1) Isaac Peavler about 1861, probably in Sullivan County, Missouri and (2) Henry Smith on 8 January 1867 in Linn County, Missouri. She died on 19 February 1916, Linn County, Missouri.

Samuel Baker and Rachel Davidson had thirteen children:

1. Mary Emily, born 24 November 1828, Morgan County, Indiana; died 26 October 1866, Cole County, Missouri; reportedly married Balaam Baker, probably in Missouri, but no record found. He also died in 1866 in Cole County, Missouri.
2. Elizabeth, born 17 May 1832, Morgan County, Indiana; died 18 February 1908, Montgomery County, Iowa; married Isaac Newton Poston. c1851. They likely married in Page County, Iowa, where marriage records don’t begin until 1866. He was born c1824, Tennessee; died 27 June 1907, Montgomery County, Iowa.
3. Andrew Jackson, born c1833, Indiana; died 1912, Seattle, King County, Washington; married (1) Joanna Means, 4 February 1858, Montgomery County, Iowa. Joanna was born c1838, Missouri; died 4 October 1873, Montgomery County, Iowa. (2) Margaretta Wells Boatman.
   
4. James Davidson, born 7 November 1835, Morgan County, Indiana; died 1 September 1894, Montgomery County, Iowa; married Rachel Russell, 22 June 1865, Montgomery County, Iowa. Rachel was born 26 August 1844, Ohio; died 21 February 1925, Montgomery County, Iowa. She married (2) George Hunter, who died in 1907.
5. Susan Caroline, born 16 December 1836, Indiana; died 7 May 1873, Montgomery County, Iowa; married John Gourley, 25 November 1858, Montgomery County, Iowa. John was born 30 April 1831, Pennsylvania; died 13 April 1913, Natrona County, Wyoming.
6. Martha Jane, born 1 December 1839, Morgan County, Indiana; died 23 February 1927, Anacortes, Skagit County, Washington; married Samuel Caldwell Dunn, 28 October 1858, Montgomery County, Iowa. Samuel was born 23 June 1822, Ohio; died 6 March 1905, Montgomery County, Iowa.
7. Missouri, born 17 December 1841, Pulaski County, Missouri; died 18 September 1913, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri; married Charles H. Thayer, 13 November 1862, Montgomery County, Iowa. Charles was born 1832, Ohio; died 1900, Missouri.
8. Daniel W., born c1842, Pulaski County, Missouri; died between 1860 and his father’s will in 1875, as he is not mentioned. He apparently did not marry and did not have children.
9. Rachel, born 2 May 1844, Pulaski County, Missouri; died 13 May 1872, Montgomery County, Iowa; married William F. Thayer, 22 June 1865, Montgomery County, Iowa. William was born 1835, Ohio; died 18 April 1890, Holt County, Missouri.
10. Margaret Esther, born 3 May 1847, Pulaski County, Missouri; died 26 November 1926, Phillips County, Kansas; married John Henry Russell, 3 September 1866, Montgomery County, Iowa. John was born 4 March 1847, Ohio; died 2 April 1891, Phillips County, Kansas.
11. Samuel William, born August 1850, Pulaski County, Missouri (3 months old in the November 1850 census); died 1 August 1931, Lancaster County, Nebraska; married Mary Elizabeth Mitchell, c1868, probably in Page County, Iowa. Mary was born 18 December 1850, Indiana; died 2 July 1936, Lancaster County, Nebraska.
12. Sarah Emily Catherine, born 31 July 1853, Montgomery County, Iowa; died 22 August 1910, Pomona, Los Angeles County, California, but buried at Seattle, Kings County, Washington; married William L. Stanley, 7 December 1869, Montgomery County, Iowa. William was born c1839, Ireland; died in Pomona, Los Angeles, California before 10 February 1918, when his obituary was published in Seattle, but buried at Seattle, Kings County, Washington.
13. Laura Rachel, born 23 January 1856, Montgomery County, Iowa; died 31 January 1923, Dundy County, Nebraska; married (1) Francis William Acton, 4 February 1872, Montgomery County, Iowa. They apparently divorced before 1879, but had two sons, Charles Albert Acton, born c1872 and Samuel, born c1875. They lived in Adams County, Iowa in 1880, where Laura is listed as widowed and she was working as a servant. (2) John Gourley, widower of her sister, Susan Caroline, on 23 December 1886, Adams County, Iowa. John was born 30 April 1831, Pennsylvania; died 13 April 1913, Natrona County, Wyoming.

Susannah Baker and William McCollum had four children:

1. Rachel McCollum, born c1827, Kentucky; died September 1869 during a typhoid epidemic, Owsley County, Kentucky; married Elisha Thomas, 4 May 1844, Platte County, Missouri. Elisha was born c1816, Kentucky; died 1884, Owsley County, Kentucky.
2. David McCollum, born 28 October 1829, Morgan County, Indiana; died 10 July 1886, Colusa County, California; married Sarah Jane Baker, 15 December 1850, Linn County, Missouri. She was born c1835, Morgan County, Indiana; died 28 April 1899, Sacramento, Sacramento County, California.
3. Martha McCollum, born 7 January 1832, Morgan County, Indiana; died 3 January 1888, Brush Prairie, Clark County, Washington; married William Baker, 5 September 1847, Linn County, Missouri. William was born c1827, Morgan County, Indiana; died after 1910, probably Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon.
4. Elizabeth, born c1833, Morgan County, Indiana; died 1879, Clark County, Washington; married Rufus T. Carpenter, 27 April 1848, Linn County, Missouri. Rufus was born c1828, Missouri; died December 1869, Sullivan County, Missouri.

Jane Baker and William Baker had at least nine children, born by 1840, and apparently eleven by the time they died, but I don’t know who any of them are (by proof) and I have no idea whose child William Baker was.

1. Son, born 1826-1830
2. Son, born 1826-1830
3. Daughter, born 1826-1830
4. Daughter, born 1831-1835
5. Daughter, born 1831-1835
6. Daughter, born 1831-1835
7. Son, born 1836-1840
8. Son, born 1836-1840
9. Son, born 1836-1840

The family lived in Linn County, Missouri in 1840 and both parents likely died of cholera in 1846.

However, online posted by others, I have found:

1. Samuel, born c1827, Clay County, Kentucky; died 24 October 1897, Sullivan County, Missouri; married (1) Charlotte Lemon, 10 April 1852, Linn County, Missouri. Charlotte was born 1 August 1833, Indiana; died  22 April 1863, Sullivan County, Missouri. (2) Elizabeth Morris, 11 February 1864, Sullivan County, Missouri. Elizabeth was born June 1836, Iowa; died 4 March 1904, Sullivan County, Missouri.
   
2. Male – no further information
3. Rachel Elizabeth, born 30 March 1830, Indiana; died 15 April 1858, Linn County, Missouri; married Henderson Caney McCollum, 31 December 1847, Linn County, Missouri. She died in childbirth and the baby, Isaac Z., also died. Henderson was born 20 February 1830, Clay County, Kentucky; died 27 October 1897, Linn County, Missouri.
4. Esther, born 14 February 1832, Morgan County, Indiana; died 8 June 1903, Linn County, Missouri; married Morris Baker, 7 November 1847, Linn County, Missouri. Morris was born c1827, Indiana; died 13 October 1911, Oklahoma, but buried in Linn County, Missouri.
5. Nancy, born c1830, Morgan County, Indiana; died c1865; married James A. Baker, 25 October 1849, Linn County, Missouri. James was born c1831, Indiana; died 26 January 1919, Canadian County, Oklahoma. James married (2) Catherine Bull, 11 June 1865, Linn County, Missouri. Catherine was the widow of Nancy’s brother, Bolin Baker.  (3) Rebecca Abercrombie, 29 March 1876, Sullivan County, Missouri.
6. Susannah, born c1835, Chariton County, Missouri; died 28 May 1910, Clark County, Washington; married George W. Baker, 12 September 1852, Linn County, Missouri. George was born c1834, Morgan County, Indiana; died 7 September 1928, Clark County, Washington.
7. Bolin B., born 1 February 1837, Chariton County, Missouri; died 24 December 1861, Linn County, Missouri; married Catharine Bull, 25 June 1856, Linn County, Missouri. Catharine was born c1838, Probably Clay County, Kentucky; died 1870-1880, Linn County, Missouri. She married (2) James A. Baker, 11 June 1865, Linn County, Missouri.
8. James Robertson (Robinson), born c1839, Chariton County, Missouri; died 11 May 1925, Sullivan County, Missouri; married Mary Catherine Guffey, 8 July 1866, Linn County, Missouri. Mary was born c1843; died 1931, Sullivan County, Missouri.
9. John, born c1840, Missouri; died after 1850, when he and his younger siblings were living with a Baker aunt and uncle in Linn County, Missouri.
10. Lafayette, born c1842, Missouri; died 20 August 1893, Clark County, Washington; married Elsie McCollum, 10 May 1864, Linn County, Missouri. She was born 25 June 1846, Missouri; died 9 October 1927, Clark County, Washington.
11. William Jasper, born 5 September 1843, Linn County, Missouri; died after 1900 when the family lived in Clay County, Arkansas; married Margaret Bull, 2 April 1863, Linn County, Missouri. Margaret was born in February 1844, Kentucky; died after 1900.

The Bakers were a prolific clan. I’ve only covered children of George and Esther’s four eldest children and I’ve already found 38 grandchildren. We will take a look at the next four children in tomorrow’s post.

 

Yesterday, I shared the tangled clues about the origin of George Washington Baker, a Baptist preacher and “long hunter” who lived on several frontiers in Kentucky, Indiana and, finally, Linn County, Missouri, where he died in the summer 1846 cholera epidemic. His wife was Esther Robertson, daughter of Samuel Robertson and brother of David Robertson of Clay County, Kentucky. George and Esther married on 14 July 1800 in Garrard County, Kentucky.

You’ll notice a distinct pattern here in spouse choices. Elizabeth really stepped out of the family comfort zone when the English Bakers married into the German Stufflebean family.

An 1847 land deed identifies their children:

1. Elizabeth, born c1800, Kentucky; died 1850; married Michael Stufflebean, 25 December 1817, Estill County, Kentucky
2. Samuel, born 3 December 1803, Kentucky; died c1875, Montgomery County, Iowa; married Rachel, reportedly Davidson, c1827, but no record has been found of the marriage or of her maiden name. Rachel was born c1812, Kentucky; died 1 December 1874, Montgomery County, Iowa.
3. Susannah, born c1805; died c1846, Linn County, Missouri; married William McCollum, 7 May 1824, Estill County, Kentucky. He also died about 1846 and I think they were both cholera victims.
4. Jane, born c1806, Kentucky; died c July 1846, Linn County, Missouri; married William Baker, 15 September 1825, Clay County, Kentucky. He died in September 1846, two more victims of the horrible cholera epidemic that struck. It is thought that William Baker was a son of Boling Baker and Elizabeth Bunch.
5. John R., born c1809, Kentucky; married Susannah Baker, 15 January 1829, Morgan County, Indiana. Susannah was born c1812, Indiana; died between 1850-1860, probably either in Linn County, Missouri or Denton County, Texas, where the family lived at the time. Susannah was reportedly a daughter of Morris Baker and his wife, Rhoda. John R. married (2) Jane (MNU), before 1860. Jane may have been previously married to a Mr. Smith, as there was six year old Mary Smith living with them in 1860. By 1865, the family had moved on to Johnson County, Kansas. They were still there for the 1870 census, but no trace has been found of John, Jane, or children Robert and Melinda at home with them in 1870.
6. Caroline, born c1811, Kentucky; died after 1880; married Balaam M. Baker, 12 June 1826, Clay County, Kentucky. Balaam was born c1806, North Carolina and died c1868, Linn County, Missouri. Caroline married (2) William Miner, c1869, probably in Missouri. He was born c1800, Virginia; died 2 February 1880, Linn County, Missouri. It is thought that Balaam Baker was the son of Revolutionary War soldier George Baker and Susannah Morris.
7. Nancy, born c1812, Kentucky; died after 1880, probably in Antelope or Boone County, Iowa; married David W. Nance, 20 May 1831, Morgan County, Indiana. David was born c1793 in Tennessee and also died after 1880, likely in Iowa.
8. Andrew Jackson, born 1813, Kentucky; died in the fall of 1848, Linn County, Missouri; married Ailey Baker, 15 June 1836, Morgan County, Indiana. She hasn’t been found in the 1850 census and nothing further is known of their family. It is thought that Ailey was a daughter of Morris and Rhoda Baker, as she lived with them in 1860 after Morris died.
9. Martha; reportedly married George Baker, who died before 1847. No marriage record has been found and no further information on this family.
10. George Robinson (Robertson?), born 13 July 1820, Kentucky; twin to Esther; died 1 May 1892, Linn County, Missouri; married Polly McCollum, 15 December 1842, Linn County, Missouri. Polly was born c1824, Kentucky; died after 1880. Some say that he married Mary Lavina Johnson, but either that information is wrong or else it was a second marriage that I haven’t been able to find.
11. Esther, twin to George, born 13 July 1820; reportedly married James Baker, but I have found no record of the marriage or of them in 1850 or later. I have found three other Esthers married in Linn County to other men, but none seem to have a time period where they could have been married to James Baker.
12. Robert, “Surly Bob,” born 24 August 1824, Kentucky; died 3 July 1884, Sullivan County, Missouri; married Elizabeth J. Couch, 2 April 1844, Linn County, Missouri. She was born c1823, Tennessee; died after 7 June 1900, Sullivan County, Missouri, when she lived with her son’s family.

Some say George and Esther had two other children, Boling and James, but if they did, they predeceased George, as they are not included in the 1847 land deed.

Besides the 1846 cholera epidemic, Missouri had a second outbreak in 1849. It is possible that some of these other family members who died before 1850, like Michael Stufflebean, might also have died of that disease.

Tomorrow, I will outline the grandchildren of George and Esther Baker.

 

My husband’s ancestors are really annoying. Mine had the good sense to mostly live in places where good records were kept and survived. His kept moving into frontiers as they migrated across the United States, becoming some of the first settlers in those areas. Of course, most of those places have rather incomplete records. Never mind birth and death records. There are missing marriage records and probate records. In a couple of cases, land deeds also burned.

As for his Baker family, besides not being thoughtful enough to leave behind good records for posterity, the (huge) clan moved frequently in mob formation, gave all the same names to their kids AND intermarried constantly. Researchers have tried to untangle them for decades, with only limited success.

These Baker men were what is known as long hunters, as they would travel far from home for long periods of time hunting on the frontier. That has added to the difficulty in documenting this family.

The icing on the cake was the cholera epidemic in Linn County, Missouri in the summer of 1846. Many family members died during this outbreak.

No one has come up with definitive proof of the parentage of George W. Baker, but he was born c1779, most likely in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

There are several Revolutionary War soldiers affiliated with this Baker family. First, there is George Baker, who died on 25 February 1840 in Morgan County, Indiana. He was born about 1756, as he was 84 years old in 1840.  He married Susannah Morris on 29 August 1778 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. He would be a likely candidate to be the father of George W. Baker, but George and Susannah had a son, George Morris Baker, who continued to reside in Morgan County, Indiana long after George W. Baker moved his family to Missouri.

Next we have Bolin (Bowling) Baker, who migrated from North Carolina with George to Kentucky and applied for a pension in 1832, when he was “69 years and some months,” giving a birth year of about 1763. He was living in Clay County, Kentucky at the time.

The 1820 census of Clay County, Kentucky includes Bowling Baker with a (supposed) wife, five sons and six daughters. However, I have found no list of his children that I can trust. Probate records for Clay County do not go back to the mid 1830s, when Bowling Baker reportedly died. He has not been found on the 1840 census.

I also have no proof of the name of his wife, although I have seen mentions that he married Martha (Patsey) Morris, sister of George’s wife, Susannah.

There is also some foolishness to be found online about Bowling Baker being a scout during the French and Indian War and changing sides, choosing to live among the Indians and marrying “Princess” Aracoma. First of all, being born about 1763 would make him the youngest scout ever as the war ended in that same year. Second, all the supposed children of Bowling and Aracoma conveniently died of smallpox in 1776. Lastly, I doubt he’d have been granted a Revolutionary War pension if his military “service” was fighting on the side of the Indians instead of against them.

Anyway, I don’t believe that Bowling Baker was the father of George W. Baker because Bowling was born about 1763 and George about 1779. He’s a bit too young to be George’s father.

There are two other reputed Revolutionary War soldiers from Wilkes County, North Carolina – Andrew Baker and Morris Baker. In 1800, Morris Baker was living in Ashe County, North Carolina, which had been carved from Wilkes County. Some say they were brothers, but I haven’t found any proof of that.

Morris Baker was born before 1755, based on the over 45 age category on the 1800 census, but he could have been born well before that year. He died in 1810. His wife was also Patsy, based on the court records of the probate of his estate. Sons Zachariah and Jonathan settled it and two minor children requested that their mother be their guardian.

Captain Andrew Baker, under whom George Baker served during one of his military terms during the war is a mystery man. Little is known about him and there might have been more than one Andrew Baker in the area at the time. It is not known whether George and Andrew were related.

In any case, I tend to doubt that Morris and Andrew are in the mix to be the father of George W. Baker.

The most likely candidate to be the father of George W. Baker is John Baker of Clay County, Kentucky in 1810. He is listed as 80-89 years old, thus born 1741-1750, assuming he is the John who is the head of household in that census. A Christopher Bowling lives two doors away (he married a Nancy Baker) and Robert Baker is ten doors away.

Legend has it that he married Elizabeth Terrill, but I can find no proof of that – not even a supposed year of marriage. There is a marriage bond filed in Wilkes County, North Carolina dated 10 September 1779 for John Baker with George Morris and Charles Rowland as securities, BUT, and this is a big but, the space for the bride’s name was LEFT BLANK. Some have also speculated that his wife was a Rowland. However, with all the intermarrying this family did, she could as well have been a Morris.

The truth is is that the name of his wife is unknown, but she predeceased him, as there is no elderly woman in the 1830 household. In fact, there is no woman close to his age range in 1810 or 1820, either, so she may have died long before him.

John is commonly known as “John Renta Baker,” but I have no idea where Renta comes from.

Children attributed to John “Renta” Baker and his wife:

1. Martha “Pattie,” born c1762; married Justice Boling, 8 January 1782, Wilkes County, North Carolina
2. Boling?, born c1764, possible son, but the many Bowling Bakers make it difficult to prove
3. Andrew B., born c1765; died c1841, Laurel County, Kentucky; possibly married a woman named Hannah.
4. James “Claybank”, born c1768; wife’s name not proven. As with Bowling Baker, there are too many Jameses to be certain who is who.
5. John “Durkham,” born c1770; reportedly married Hannah Morris
6. Robert Julius “Juder Bob,” born c1774; died 1859 in Owsley County, Kentucky; reportedly married Elizabeth Hammons, c1792,  in Lincoln County, Kentucky, but I’ve found no record of that.
7. George Washington, born c1779; died 1846, Linn County, Missouri; married Esther Robertson, 14 July 1800, Garrard County, Kentucky. This is my husband’s line.
8. Iffa (or Ifee), born c1790; died c1866, Jackson County, Kentucky; married Elisha Harrison, 28 August 1805, Madison County, Kentucky. Iffa, Ifee or Ipha is much younger than John Baker’s other children, but he gave permission for her to marry on 26 August 1805, so there is no doubt as to her parentage. She is said to be part Native American, which is possible with her unusual given name.

I believe that John Renta Baker was most likely the father of George W. Baker, but that belief is based on preponderance of evidence and supposition. Given the lack of vital and court records in Clay County, Kentucky, this might be the closest anyone can get to proving his parentage.

Now that you can see what Baker researchers are up against, I will share more of this Baker quagmire tomorrow as the children of George W. and Esther are identified.