Tag Archives: George W. Baker

Baker

Father of George W. Baker, 1779-1846, Linn County, Missouri

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Back in March, I tried to unravel the children and grandchildren of George W. Baker and his wife, Esther Robertson. Just before that painful exercise, I wrote a post explaining how convoluted the Baker family was in terms of trying to prove who the father of George W. Baker was.

My theory is that George was a likely nephew of both Revolutionary War soldiers George Baker and Boling Baker, while the strongest possibility for his father was John Baker, also called John Renta Baker.

As I untangled myself from the Baker headaches, I took a look at the family of Esther Robertson. Her father was Samuel Robertson and her mother is said to be Elizabeth Harris, although no marriage record has been found for them.

Samuel and Elizabeth had quite a few children. David Robertson was the eldest son and, based on the daughters’ marriage records, Esther was the eldest daughter.

David Robertson was born c1780 near Moraviantown (probably Salem, where the Moravian settlement was) in North Carolina. He was still living in Clay County, Kentucky at the time of the 1870 census when he resided with his son Allen and his family.

Allen was born on 25 March 1822 in Madison County, Kentucky and was interviewed on 15 April 1898 by the Reverend John Jay Dickey, whose diary interviews of Clay County, Kentucky pioneers survive today and have been microfilmed and held at the University of Kentucky.

I have no idea if anyone still holds the copyright, so I won’t be sharing the whole interview. However, there are a couple of very pertinent excerpts related to the Baker family.

Allen noted that his aunt Esther married George W. Baker. While talking about his own father, David, Allen noted, “He hunted then with John Baker Sr., father of “Julius” Bob, and “Durkham” John, George who married Esther Robertson my aunt and who was a Methodist preacher, and James called “Clay Bank,” (who was) a great fighter.”

John Baker Sr. died sometime after the 1830 census, when Allen would have been between 8-18 years old, depending on in exactly which year John died. He knew the man and other information given in his lengthy interview has been proven through vital records, wills  and land deeds. The man knew what he was talking about.

Allen added, “John Baker, Senior was called ‘Renta.’ He had a brother Bowling Baker and a brother George Baker.” These would be the two Revolutionary War soldiers and pensioners.

Although George Baker had removed to Morgan County, Indiana, where he died in 1840, Bowling Baker (Boling, Bolling, etc) applied for his pension in 1832 right in Clay County, Kentucky, where Allen lived. Allen likely also knew this man, although, again, Allen would have been a boy or very young man when Bowling Baker died.

Allen Robertson made one more comment about his father and the Bakers: “George’s descendants have disappeared. (Note: They moved to Indiana and Missouri.) The Bakers came from North Carolina to Madison County and lived in forts there. . . .Another of these hunters from the bluegrass was William Morris, called Cuddy, who settled in the forks of Goose Creek and Red Bird. These, Renta Baker, his three sons, George, John and “Julius” Bob Baker, (William) Morris, Jack Harris(on), Elijah Harrison, with my father, David Robertson, made the eight hunters who visited these regions.”

Allen was referring to the fact that these men were “long hunters,” men who were far from home for long periods of time, hunting in the wilds of Kentucky and eastern Tennessee.

I don’t have the original source article anymore, but Jess D. Wilson transcribed the parts of the Reverend Dickey’s diary relating to Clay County, Kentucky pioneers and his article was published in the Clay County Genealogical Society periodical, which I think is the Clay County Ancestral News. Wilson’s article was probably published in the 1980s or possibly the 1990s. I will have to look for this article when I get back to Salt Lake, as I know that is where I found it.

Because there are no other documents identifying George W. Baker’s father, I think this interview with Allen Robertson, George’s nephew by marriage, is the next best thing.

What do you think? Leave a comment, please!

 

 

Baker

Grandchildren of George Washington Baker & Esther Robertson, Part 3

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Okay, if you have survived all the Baker intermarrying so far, we only have four more children to cover as I identify the grandchildren of George and Esther Baker.

I have to admit that these Baker blog posts have been painstakingly headachingly (Is that a word? Oh, well, it is now.) horrendous to compile. I am so glad I am not even trying to figure out who the spouse Bakers belonged to. I don’t think there is enough Advil in the market for me to do that!

Onward we go!

Martha Baker

Martha is an oddity. In the 1848 and 1849 probate records, it is noted that Martha was the “insane” daughter of George W. Baker, deceased, and that Balaam Baker was reimbursed for his expenses in caring for her.

Some claim that Martha went insane after her husband, George, died in the cholera epidemic of 1846.

I can find only two Balaam Bakers in 1850. The first is the one who was born in 1806 and married to Caroline Baker, living in Linn County, Missouri. They have no Martha anybody living with them. The second Balaam Baker is living in Pulaski County, is only 21 years old and living with his young wife and two toddlers.

The elder Balaam would be the logical man to be caring for Martha, so either there is a third Balaam who died before 1850 (yes, there is a Balaam Baker in probate records) who was her carer or else Martha herself was either cured of her insanity or married or died or had a new care giver.  I believe the first and last options are correct – Balaam died and she had a new caregiver.

Based on the birth years of her siblings, she probably was born 1814-1817 in Kentucky. The 1850 census has the family of George Baker, 30, with wife Mary, 26, and children: Boling, 13, Lafayette, 8, Sarah J., 4, Isabell, 4/12 and Martha Baker, aged 33. The adults are all born in Kentucky, while all the children were born in Missouri.

Martha had a brother, George, who I have as born c1820, which fits this George. I find no marriages in either Indiana or Missouri for Martha Baker to a George Baker. I don’t believe this Martha was married at any time before the 1850 census.

George Baker’s 1860 household doesn’t include Martha Baker and I haven’t found her elsewhere either. She might have died by then.

However, I don’t believe she ever married and I don’t believe she had children, so this line ends with her.

George Robinson (Robertson?) and Mary (McCollum) Baker’s children:

We have again a bit of a sticky wicket, as the 1850 census shows children: Boling, 13, Lafayette, 8, Sarah J., 4, William, 2. and Isabell, newborn at 0/12. George and Mary are only 30 and 26, so not old enough to be Boling’s parents and I don’t think they were the parents of Lafayette either since they didn’t marry until 15 December 1842. I think those were orphaned relatives they took in, along with Mary.

Census and gravestone records provide evidence of their own children, but this family had a lot of sadness and heartache.

  1. Infant, born c1844, no dates on stone, but this is the only place for a lost child, unless one died c1864, which is also possible.
  2. Sarah Jane, born c1846, Linn County, Missouri; died 1880-1900, Linn County, Missouri; married James Baker, 1 January 1862, Linn County, Missouri. James was born March 1842, Missouri; died 1 April 1926, probably Linn County, Missouri. James married (2) Almeda Peavler, c1895, probably Linn County, Missouri. She was born 1872; died 1962.
  3. William W., born 1848, Linn County, Missouri; died 18 August 1852, Linn County, Missouri
  4. Isabelle, born 4 February 1850, Linn County, Missouri; died 16 August 1851, Linn County, Missouri
  5. Esther, born 5 November 1853, Linn County, Missouri; died 20 April 1862, Linn County, Missouri
  6. Elizabeth, born c1854, Linn County, Missouri; married Commodore Perry White, 14 August 1871, Linn County, Missouri. They married in her father’s home. I don’t know how many Commodore Perry Whites there were running around at the time, but if this is the same man, then Elizabeth probably died giving birth to a first child as Commodore Perry White married Sarah J. Hains, 9 April 1873, Calhoun County, Illinois. This man was born c1854, Illinois and died in 1938 in Los Angeles County, California. He also likely married at least one other time, perhaps even two. An Elizabeth White, born 17 December 1853; died 11 June 1872 and wife of C.P. White is buried at the Stephen McCollum Cemetery in Linn County, Missouri.
  7. David, born c1856, Linn County, Missouri; died after the 1870 census, when he was at home with parents. No further record. There is a David Baker enumerated in 1880 in Clark County, Washington, where other Baker relatives migrated. The age is off a bit – born 1851, but born in Missouri with parents born in Indiana. The three children, Dora, Flora and Morris, were born in Washington. With a son named Morris, I suspect this might be the right man. The family isn’t found after 1880. Wife was “Carah,” born c1852, Missouri.
  8. Nancy, born 4 April 1858, Linn County, Missouri; died 19 August 1859, Linn County, Missouri.
  9. James M., born c1860, Linn County, Missouri; died after 1880, when he was at home. No further record.
  10. Lafayette, born c1862, Linn County, Missouri; died after 1880 when he was at home with parents. No further record. Not buried with parents in Linn County.
  11. Martha A., born c1865, Linn County, Missouri; died after 1880 when she was home with parents. No further record. Not buried with parents in Linn County.

Esther Baker and James Theodore (Jim Ted) Baker had these children:

The 1850 census includes children: Susan, born 1834, Missouri; James R., born 1838, Illinois and John, born 1840, Indiana. Given that Esther was born in 1820 and Jim Ted’s age is consistently two years younger than his wife, thus born 1822, they were just too young to be the parents of these children. Remember, Linn County was decimated by cholera in 1846 and 1848. Relatives took in many orphaned children.

  1. Louisa, born c1843, Linn County, Missouri; died 8 October 1887, Linn County, Missouri and is buried at Baker-Findley Cemetery, Linn County, Missouri; married Daniel McCollum, 12 March 1862, Linn County, Missouri. Daniel was born c1842, Missouri; died after 1900, when he still lived in Linn County, Missouri.
  2. Francis Marion, born c1846, Linn County, Missouri; died 26 March 1923, Linn County, Missouri;  married Mary Ann McCollum, 23 December 1865, Sullivan County, Missouri. Mary Ann was born 5 November 1843, Missouri; died 12 August 1910, Linn County, Missouri.
  3. Permelia Mary, born 19 March 1847, Linn County, Missouri; died 1 January 1879, Linn County, Missouri; married Samuel Washington Findley, 7 September 1865, Linn County, Missouri. Samuel was born 21 September 1843, Missouri; died 18 May 1919, Camden County, Missouri.
  4. Samirah, born 29 July 1849, Linn County, Missouri; died 2 December 1894, Linn County, Missouri; married David Hughes McCollum, 9 February 1869, Linn County, Missouri. David was born 26 May 1849, Missouri; died 26 March 1913, Linn County, Missouri.
  5. Jackson, born 17 September 1853, Linn County, Missouri; died 14 January 1876, Linn County, Missouri; unmarried.
  6. Lucinda, born 26 June 1855, Linn County, Missouri; died 21 December 1938, Linn County, Missouri; married (1) James Beck, between 1880-1887, when daughter Lulu was born. He abandoned her and the children.  (2) Hamilton Ward Yount, 20 February 1898, Linn County, Missouri. Hamilton was born 14 February 1845, Illinois; died 19 May 1936, Linn County, Missouri.
  7. Andrew Clint, born February 1860, Linn County, Missouri; died 22 January 1935, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon; married Winifred McCollum, 7 February 1894, Linn County, Missouri. She was born December 1876, Missouri; died 1910-1920, possibly in Washington.
  8. Rachel M., born 2 April 1862, Linn County, Missouri; died 18 March 1935, Linn County, Missouri; married Daniel Stufflebean, c1890, probably Linn County, Missouri. Daniel was born 13 December 1851, Linn County, Missouri; died 2 June 1934, Linn County, Missouri.

Last, but not least – yes, we have finally reached the last of the dozen children of George and Esther Baker – we have:

Robert Baker and Elizabeth Couch’s children:

  1. James Washington, born 13 February 1845, Ray County, Missouri; died 28 November 1923, Chariton County, Missouri; married Rachel Piatt, 12 October 1865, Sullivan County, Missouri. Rachel was born 1 May 1845, Illinois; died 30 August 1908, Chariton County, Missouri.
  2. George A., born c1847, Ray County, Missouri; died after 1860, when he was still at home with his parents. He is not the George Baker who married Mary Jane Peavler and Mary Ann Johnson, as Caroline Minor, mother of that George, is living with them in 1880. No further record of this George.
  3. Joseph Christopher, born 19 May 1850, Ray County, Missouri; died 12 February 1916, Linn County, Missouri; married Sarah Elizabeth Peavler, 1 September 1872, Linn County, Missouri. Sarah was born 7 January 1852/54, Kentucky; died 30 December 1933, Livingston County, Missouri.
  4. Margaret Esther, born 18 May 1852, Missouri; died 14 June 1925, Visalia, Tulare County, California; married Isaac Calvin Matney, 29 February 1872, Sullivan County, Missouri. Margaret is listed as divorced in 1880, Sullivan County, with two young Matney children while Isaac is enumerated as married, but living alone, in Wyandotte County, Kansas. In 1900, they are enumerated together in Wasco County, Oregon and listed as married for 28 years. Isaac was born January 1830, Virginia; died 18 February 1910, Wasco County, Oregon.
  5. Thomas Alvin, born 1 November 1854, Linn County, Missouri; died 26 February 1929, Adair County, Missouri; married Lucretia A. Coffman, 12 February 1880, Linn County, Missouri . Lucretia was born 9 September 1858, Linn County, Missouri; died 23 July 1938, Linn County, Missouri.
  6. Samuel Robinson, born 28 March 1857, Linn County, Missouri; died 2 December 1936, Linn County, Missouri; married Nancy Jane Pickerell, 7 September 1885, Sullivan County, Missouri. Nancy was born 31 July 1863, Sullivan County, Missouri; died 16 January 1926, Linn County, Missouri.
  7. Matilda E.,  born 19 August 1859, Linn County, Missouri; died 24 June 1930, Chariton County, Missouri; married Meredith Henry Arthur, 24 July 1876, Linn County, Missouri. Henry was born 27 March 1859, Indiana; died 24 June 1917, Chariton County, Missouri.
  8. Robert A., born 16 March 1861/62, Linn County, Missouri; died 13 October 1938, Linn County, Missouri; married Nancy J. Stufflebean, 9 April 1882, Linn County, Missouri. Nancy was born 9 November 1861, Linn County, Missouri; died 30 November 1918, Linn County, Missouri.
  9. Charles, born c1869, Linn County, Missouri; died after 1880, when he was at home with his parents. He has a cousin, Charles, son of Samuel and Elizabeth Baker, who was two years younger and died on 16 May 1915 in Linn County. No further record found for him.

I am exhausted, but we have finally reached the last of the known grandchildren of George W. and Esther (Robertson) Baker. If you are wondering how many known grandchildren there are – the total is 93!

If you are a descendant and can add documented information to what I have already compiled, please contact me. I haven’t seen this complete a listing of their grandkids anywhere else, but I would still love to clean up some of the question marks in these families.

Baker

Grandchildren of George Washington Baker & Esther Robertson, Part 2

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Yesterday, we looked at the 38 grandchildren of George and Esther Baker through their first four children, Elizabeth, Samuel, Susannah and Jane.

Today, we’ll continue with grandchildren through John R., Caroline, Nancy and Andrew Jackson.

John R. and Susannah (Baker) Baker’s children:

This family presents several issues to correctly identify. First, John married in Morgan County, Indiana, moved to Linn County, Missouri by 1850, went on to Denton County, Texas in 1860 and landed in Johnson County, Kansas in 1870. By that time, most of this family had disappeared. John and Jane aren’t found after 1870, either. We also have more of the same-name-game issue, as with daughter Esther. To top it off, Susannah died by 1860 when John is married to Jane, born in Tennessee. He is still with Jane in 1870, but she is vastly younger, although still born in Tennessee so I’m not sure if her age is wrong or he had two wives, both named Jane and born in Tennessee. No marriage record has been found for John R. Baker to a Jane. It appears that the first Jane might have been married to a Smith since Mary Smith, aged 6, is in the 1860 household. Also, depending on the accuracy of Esther’s age in the 1850 census, there might be one more daughter born 1826-1830, based on the 1830 census of Morgan County, Indiana, who either died young or was married and out of the house by 1850.

The first nine children are definitely Susannah’s children. Robert may be Susannah’s last child because when Jane appears in 1860, Mary Smith, aged 6 is also there and there are no children younger than Mary in the home.

Melinda would be the daughter of his later wife, Jane.

The bottom line is if anyone can do a better job documenting this family, PLEASE contact me.

  1. Daughter, born 1826-1830; died after 1840
  2. Esther, born c1831, Morgan County, Indiana; she is not the Esther who married William Moore in Linn County, Missouri on 31 December 1859 because the 1860 census shows that Esther to only be 17 years old. The other two Esther Bakers in Linn County both married before 1850. No Esther Baker marriage has been found in Texas, where the family lived in 1860.
  3. George, born c1834, Morgan County, Indiana. There is a George W. Baker who married Susan Baker (yes, another Baker marriage) on 12 September 1852, Linn County, Missouri,  living in Clark County, Washington in 1870. Both Georges were born c1834 in Indiana so they might be the same man. The George in Washington died in 1928 and his gravestone has the following inscription: Cpl. Co., K 7 MO. Cav. Civ. War. Susan died in 1910 and is buried by him.
  4. Ailey, born c1837, Morgan County, Indiana; died after 1850 census; no further record found.
  5. Samuel, born c1839, Morgan County, Indiana; died after 1850; no further record of him after that time.
  6. Daniel Boone, born c1841, Linn County, Missouri. He is likely the Daniel Baker who married Nancy McCollum on 17 June 1863 in Linn County, Missouri. This family also appears in Clark County, Washington in 1870. Daniel might have migrated there with his brother, George. Daniel in Washington died on 24 September 1914 and is buried in Vancouver. Nancy was born July 1843, Missouri; died 10 October 1922, Clark County, Washington and is buried with Daniel.
  7. Henry Clay, born c1844, Linn County, Missouri; died after 1860, when the family lived in Denton County, Texas. No further record found.
  8. Oliver Hazard Perry, born c1846, Linn County, Missouri. There is an O.H. Baker living in Eagle County, Colorado, unmarried in 1910. He was born c1846 in Missouri with a father born in Indiana and could be this Oliver. If so, he appears to never have married and had no children. He isn’t living with family in 1910.
  9. Elijah, born 4 October 1847, Linn County, Missouri; died 8 September 1920, Jackson County, Missouri; married Martha Catherine Beagle, c1870, probably Jackson County, Missouri. Martha was born 20 December 1850, Jackson County, Missouri; died 26 October 1942, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. Elijah is the only child for whom I’ve found a death certificate. His parents are named as John and Susan Baker.
  10. Robert, born c1857, Linn County, Missouri; died after 1870 when the family lived in Johnson County, Kansas. No further record.
  11. Melinda, born c1861, Missouri; died after 1870. No further record.

Caroline Baker and Balaam M. Baker’s children:

Balaam Baker died before October 1868 and Caroline married (2) William Minor, before 1870. No children lived with them in 1870.

In 1860, there are several children living with the family who I believe are orphaned Baker children of relatives – Phebe, Isaac, Benjamin and Sarah, not living with them in 1850.

  1. Daughter, born 1826-1830, probably Kentucky
  2. Son, born 1826-1830, probably Kentucky
  3. James, born c1831, Indiana; died before 24 September 1862, when his wife applied for a widow’s military pension; married Nancy Jane Thomas, 17 October 1850, Linn County, Missouri. Nancy was born 9 January 1836, Kentucky; died 5 January 1918, Jackson County, Missouri. She married (2) George Stufflebean, before 1870.
  4. Elizabeth, born 22 December 1833, Brown County, Indiana; died 4 March 1918, Linn County, Missouri, per her death certificate. She apparently married John Marshall, c1859, but no marriage record has been found. John was born c1837, Ohio; died after the 1910 census, but there is no death certificate for him.
  5. William, born c1838, Indiana; died after 1850. No further record.
  6. Nancy E., born c1840, Indiana; died after 1850. No further record.

Nancy Baker and David W. Nance’s Children:

  1. Caroline, born 21 January 1832, Morgan County, Indiana; died after 1880, possibly Antelope or Boone County, Nebraska; married Alfred Caswell, c1866. Alfred was born c1820, Illinois; died after 1900, possibly Antelope or Boone County, Nebraska.
  2. Esther, born September 1833, Indiana; died 10 November 1903, Sullivan County, Missouri; married James Allen Carmack, c1853. James was born c1824, Indiana; died 29 April 1896, Sullivan County, Missouri.
  3. Angeline, born c1838, Indiana; married John A. Head, 26 June 1856, Linn County, Missouri. John was born c1825, Tennessee; died 1880-1900, probably Linn County, Missouri.
  4. Jane, born c1845, Missouri; not at home with parents in Sullivan County, Missouri in 1860. No further record.
  5. Fredrick, born c1849, probably Sullivan County, Missouri; at home in 1860, but not found after that. An 18 year old Fredrick Nance enlisted in the Union Army in 1864. This may be him and he may have died during the war.

Andrew Jackson Baker and Ailey Baker’s children:

There are research issues with this family, too, as they can’t be found in 1850 and Andrew died before 1860. I think he might be the A.J. Baker in the 1850-ish probate records and he may have died in the cholera epidemic like so many others. Ailey appears to have died between 1860 and 1870.

I have no proof of what happened to these children, but online information (which, yes, might be accurate and might not) give the following details:

  1. Rachel, born 5 April 1837, Morgan County, Indiana; died 9 April 1877, Linn County, Missouri; married William Morris McCollum, 8 February 1855, Linn County, Missouri. He was born 25 July 1835, Kentucky; died 10 January 1914, Linn County, Missouri.
  2. George W., born April 1839, Morgan County, Indiana; died 25 May 1902, Douglas County, Missouri; married Leonora Elizabeth Hunt, 15 May 1863, Livingston County, Missouri. Leonora was born 28 March 1846; died June 1906, Adams County, Oregon.
  3. James, born c1841, Linn County, Missouri; died after 1860. His name is too common and I can’t connect him to any of the 1870 James Bakers. He reportedly married Jane McCollum in 1862 and died in 1914, but I can’t find proof of that.
  4. William, born 18 October 1844, Linn County, Missouri; died 9 April 1918, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California; married Charlotte Carpenter, 10 January 1866, Sullivan County, Missouri. Charlotte was born 16 April 1849, Sullivan County, Missouri; died 22 September 1919, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California.
  5. Morris Allen, born 2 September 1847, Linn County, Missouri; died 17 July 1942, Pendleton, Umatilla County, Oregon; married Havannah McCollum, 18 October 1868, Linn County, Missouri. Havannah was born 22 April 1852, Missouri; died 11 January 1926, Umatilla County, Oregon.

Here ends the grandchildren of George W. Baker and his wife, Esther born to their middle four children. So far, the tally is 65 known grandchildren.

Those born to their four youngest children will be posted tomorrow.