Chronicles of The Family Baker
Chronicles of The Family Baker
Chronicles of The Family Baker
of the
Family
by Lee C.Baker
i
ii
Table of Contents
1 THE MEDIEVAL BAKERS........................................................................................1
2 THE BAKERS OF SISSINGHURST.........................................................................20
3 THE BAKERS OF LONDON AND OXFORD ............................................................49
4 THE BAKERS AT HOTHFIELD ..............................................................................58
5 COMING OUT OF ENGLAND.................................................................................70
6 THE DAYS AT MILFORD .......................................................................................85
7 EAST HAMPTON, L. I. ...........................................................................................96
8 AMAGANSETT BY THE SEA ................................................................................114
9 STATEN ISLAND AND NEW AMSTERDAM ..........................................................127
10 THE ELIZABETH TOWN PIONEERS ....................................................................138
11 THE BAKERS OF ELIZABETH TOWN AND WESTFIELD ......................................171
12 THE NEIGHBORS AT NEWARK ...........................................................................198
13 THE NEIGHBORS AT RAHWAY ...........................................................................208
14 WHO IS JONATHAN BAKER? ..............................................................................219
15 THE JONATHAN I. BAKER CONFUSION .............................................................250
16 THE RETREAT TO THE CATSKILLS ....................................................................260
17 LIFE IN THE CATSKILLS.....................................................................................270
18 THE ANTI-RENT WAR 1839-1845 .......................................................................286
19 UPPER MOHAWK VALLEY AND FORT HERKIMER..............................................319
20 THE GODDING HISTORY....................................................................................330
21 RUBICON AND NEOSHO WISCONSIN IN 1850'S.................................................343
22 KILBOURN CITY AND LYNDON STATION............................................................372
23 SHEBOYGAN AND ON TO MINNESOTA ..............................................................385
24 FREEBORN COUNTY ..........................................................................................402
EPILOG .....................................................................................................................410
iii
Preface
The work that follows was written by Lee C. Baker. Lee
passed away before he was able to complete it for publication.
We, Lee's immediate family, all feel very strongly that this
work must be published. It contains a great deal of hard-earned,
Baker family information which must be preserved.
iv
1
THE MEDIEVAL BAKERS
Edward III, who became king, gave his people the triumphs
they desired and he was much loved and honored as had been his
grandfather, Edward I. The second half of his reign was a sadder
story. The plague of Black Death struck England in 1348-9 killing
roughly one-third of the population within ten years and radically
1.Parker, Michael St. John Britain's Kings & Queens. Pitkin Pictorials Ltd. 1988,
p.13. ISBN 0 85372 450 4
2. Ibid p.14
1
altering society. He died a sad and degrading death at the age of
sixty-five, old by medieval standards.3
3. Ibid p. 14
5. abreviation for messuage in Law; a dwelliong house, out house, gardens, etc.
2
While Mavis, my wife, and I were in Canterbury we made
the short journey down to Elham to visit the place where our
ancestors had lived
over 600 years before.
As we drove to the
center of Elham we
entered the town
square, the heart of
the village, by a little,
one-way street. We
found ourselves
completely surrounded
by buildings on four
sides. There was a
small, one-way street
to exit the square. The
entire square was
cobblestone and paved
surface for automobile
parking. You could feel
the security that the
medieval residents
must have had as they
closed the gates that,
no doubt, blocked the
Figure 1-1 St. Mary The Virgin Church, Elham, two entrances. About
County Kent one-half of the south-
side of the square contained the large church. We parked our car
and went straightway to the north tower entrance to the church.
It was an exhilarating experience to enter through the doorway
that Thomas Baker had entered through in the reign of Edward
III. Immediately inside, to the left of the door in the north isle,
was a huge treasury chest that had been hewn from a giant tree
and equipped with a massive hinge and lock. It had been there
since time immemorial.
3
Following is a reproduction of the will9 of Thomas Baker of
Elham. The fact that it is written in Latin in the scribe of an Old
English writer makes it difficult to read. Copies of it were reviewed
by Latin professors up and down the East Coast who were able to
provide hardly more information than you and I can probably
glean from its text. I think you will make out sons Thomas and
John in several locations, but not much more. The will was sent
to a professor in Florida who also had a Ph.D. in Medieval
English. He responded with the following statement: "Even an
excellent Latinist could not make head nor tales of this will
without a sure command of Poleography and also a knowledge of
the local history of the period, as the Bishop of Oxford appears to
be named in the second and third last lines." He does, however,
close his remarks with the following statement:
In closing, he states the will is not dated in the year 1370, in the
Reign of Edward III! The County Record Office at Maidstone and
the Library at Seven Oaks, in England, both show it dated in
1370. I believe we should accept that date as the proper date.
4
Figure 1-2 The 1370 Will of Thomas Baker of Elham
5
The next information of that time frame is for a John Baker.
He is the John Baker to whom King Edward III granted our
heraldic coat of arms during his reign from 1327-1377. John had
taken as his bride Mary Engham who was a descendant of the
family of Allen Engham of the Parish of Woodchurch, County
Kent, under King
John, 1204-1216.
These last two
paragraphs, which are
the beginning of the
Baker lineage,
establish the fact that
they were more than
of the yoeman class,
with the children
selecting mates from
the privileged class of
that time period.
Edward III also
created "The Knight of
the Garter" in 1348 in
recognition of people
of distinction in
England.10
With nothing
more to verify the line
of descent of these
Figure 1-3 Canterbury Cathedral today, formerly Medieval Bakers, we
Christ Church
must consider this
"John" the son mentioned in the will of Thomas of Elham, which
is in this chapter. The next important information relating to this
time frame was collected by Benjamin Baker of Philadelphia. He
had done research on his Baker ancestors years ago. We found
6
two legal-size, typed pages of his findings at the library at East
Hampton, Long Island, New York. He passed away before he had
his findings published. He stated that Thomas had been a Prior at
Christchurch, Canterbury. This was clarified during our visit to
the archives at Canterbury Cathedral, the modern name for
Christchurch. There was no Thomas Baker as a Prior, but he had
worked for the priory at the fulling mill described later in this
chapter. Benjamin also never had the privilege of doing research
in England or meeting with Nigel Nicolson who is mentioned later
in this history.
7
On observation of this information one may make the
determination that there were two Richard Bakers. However,
these two listings are for the same Richard Baker. My correction
is fully-documented in our findings at the County Record Office in
Maidstone, County Kent, England by the Baker Coat Of Arms and
Pedigrees, which lists 10 generations of Bakers, from the Thomas
who purchased Sissinghurst Castle from Henry deBarham about
1490.11
We also have found from our research that the Bakers were
in the Cranbrook area even earlier. The Bakers were recorded in
this area as early as the period of the reign of King John, 1199-
1216.12 The land holdings of the Bakers at this early date were
only small tracts. It was not until about 1490 that Thomas Baker,
born about 1410, purchased Sissinghurst, as confirmed by Nigel
Nicolson.13
8
It does, however, continue with the proper entries for Sir John's
children:
Sir Richard m-1st Catharine Tirrell
m-2nd Mary Gifford
John m- Catharine Scott daug. of Sir Reginald Scott
Elizabeth m- Sir Thomas Scott brot. of Reginald of
Scott's Hall
Cicely m- Lord Thomas Dorset of Knole
Mary m- George Tufton of The Manor Of Hothfield
14. Parker, Michael St. John, Britain's Kings & Queens, Pitkin Pictorial Ltd.
1988, p.15. ISBN 0 85372 450 4
9
the country was plagued with uprisings, particularly in Wales and
the northlands. Although these battles were all won, the
turbulence continued long after. Henry was beset by financial
difficulties. No one regretted the end of his reign in 1413.15
Henry VI, born in 1421, one year before his father's death,
found England under control of Regents during his childhood.
Although they were at first successful, the ambition of the nobility
ran out of control as time went on. Henry, being a weak
individual, suffered periods of nervous collapse. His pre-
occupations were scholarship, music, architecture, and the
worship of God. He founded Eton and King's College, Cambridge.
Joan of Arc, in 1429, rallied the demoralized French and in 1435
Henry lost all his father's gains in France. At home, the War of
Roses raged between Richard, Duke of York, and the Royal
Lancastrian party. Henry was more a victim than actor in all this
turmoil. Mad, imprisoned, deposed, and then restored to the
throne, we find his reign running 1422-1461 and then again
1470-71. He was murdered in the Tower of London in 1471.17
10
was once more secure, but not untroubled - he died suddenly in
1483. We therefore find his reign running from 1461-70 and
restored during 1471-1483. He had, because of all the turmoil
during his reign, nominated his brother Richard of Glouchester as
Protector of the Realm in the event of his early death. Edward
could not have foreseen that his brother would seize the throne
for himself. His own son, Edward V, together with his younger
brother, Richard, Duke of York, were seized during the coup of
Richard III and taken to the Tower of London. There is no
undisputed evidence that the two princes were murdered on the
orders of Richard. Bones found in 1674 were supposed to be their
remains. However, it is now more likely that the remains found in
the 1980's are, in fact, the evidence of their murders.18
11
years. Henry VII was not a figure to attract popular attention, but
he gave peace and security to England for twenty-four years.20
The events that have taken place during the history of the
monarchs of England have given us some background on what
had been transpiring during the movement from medieval time to
the rule of the Tudors.
12
last ten months and Richard and John were to be remunerated
with "xxij marcs of lawful money of Inglan to be paid in
instalments, viij marcs when the work began, viij 1marcs "when it
is halfe yframed," vi marcs more when "the mille is redy for to fulle
clooth as hit oweth for to do." {sic} 22
We can but surmise what the offense was for which the
workmen were so severely handled. Were they contravening the
rules of the craft by working half the night, or did they suffer
vicariously as servants of the Priory, at a time when the fulling
trade in the city was at very low ebb? Certainly the mere fact of
being in monastic employment was sometimes, in itself, a crime.
22 Ibid p. 202-203
the scribe) was taxed for expenses of the marriage of Henry III's
sister in 1235. This John also owned, besides the main manor,
the lesser estates of Copton and Stone, also in the Cranbrook
parish, which remained linked with Sissinghurst, like minor
satellites, until the early nineteenth century. The manor house
was moated like its near neighbor, Bettenham, and three arms of
the moat are still visible, two still filled with water and one a
14
raised grass walk. The fourth was probably filled when the 16th.
century manor was built. This manor house, of which only a
coping of an outside well remains, was, no doubt, a typical
medieval house similar to Ightham Mote near Seven Oaks, a
mixture of stone and timber, with a chapel and a great central
hall around which the life of the manor revolved.24
In the year 1305, July 1st. to July 4th., King Edward I was hosted
at the great house at Milkhouse, the name of the village just
outside the manor. The King's hosts were, more than likely, the
deBarhams, a prominent family in Kent related to the Barhams of
Teston, near Maidstone, who at that time owned the manor of
Sissinghurst. Richard deBarham held the manor of Sissinghurst
the finest house in the area by Knights Service to the Westgate at
Canterbury.25
24. Nicolson, Nigel SISSINGHURST CASTLE The National Trust 1964 p. 4 & 5
25. Ibid p. 6
15
Could it have been Thomas Baker's imprisonment at the
dungeon in Westgate at Canterbury because of his service to the
Priory, which consummated in deBaraham's purchase of the
manor at Milkhouse/Sissinghurst? The property had been held by
the deSaxinhurst family for about a century from 1150 to 1250
and the deBarhams for more than two hundred years?
26. Nicolson, Nigel SISSINGHURST CASTLE The National Trust 1964 p.6
16
Figure 1-7 The Nave, Saint Dunstan's Church, Cranbrook
17
Middilton's wife, Benett Atkocke, household goods, silver, jewels,
etc."
This rather puts to rest some of the recorded facts that the
Bakers were upstarts that somehow acquired the wealth to
purchase the manor of Sissinghurst. We are looking at a period in
time when women had no position in society, yet Benedict is
showing her position and making the decision regarding the
division of her assets which include silver and jewels. Please
remember that her husband died within seven years of the
purchase of Sissinghurst and she died only seven years later. We
also have presented earlier in this chapter the fact that the Bakers
were acknowledged as being a family of distinction when Edward
III granted the heraldic coat of arms to John Baker.
18
The wills of Thomas and Richard tell us as much about the
two men as of their circumstances. They were devout men. They
cared deeply for their families. They were careful with their money
and possessions and they would not spoil their children by over-
indulging them. The sons had to make their own way and at a
mature age share their inheritance equally. Neither will mentions
Sissinghurst specifically. Richard's does, however, mention
properties at Burwash in Sussex, at Cranbrook, and at
Staplehurst. Again we see evidence that the family had acquired a
substantial degree of wealth at this early date. His eldest son,
John, was but sixteen years of age and was not to inherit the
property until twenty-four years of age. His father "does leave onto
my sone John 10 pounds yearly to fynde hym at scole as well as
the recompense of the landes in Stapelhurst by my fader assigned
to hym as of my bequest to fynde him to his lerning in Court." He
may have had his early education at Cranbrook school for
Richard's will also contains a bequest to another John Baker,
"scolemaster in Cranbrook".30 This "John" is probably his Uncle
John, grandson of Thomas and Benidick. We will leave this for
you to research.
30. Baker, Rev. F.V. NOTES ON THE LIFE OF SIR JOHN BAKER OF
SISSINGHURST, KENT Arch.Cant. Vol.XXXVIII 1926 p. 5
19
2
THE BAKERS OF
SISSINGHURST
Richard Baker died in 1504 leaving Sissinghurst to his
eldest son, John, who was but sixteen years old. The property was
to be managed by his executors until John reached the age of
twenty-four. At this time, in 1509, Henry VIII came to the throne.
You will remember that John's father's will had a bequest to find
him to his "Learnings in Court". Historians have picked up on this
bequest with the analogy that he "was bred for the law". On June
29, 1506, when John was eighteen years of age, we do find him at
the Inner Temple in London, where a chamber was assigned to
him under the Library. The Temple was the seat of training for
those in the judicial system at that time. Students of law were
housed there during their period of learning. So were those sitting
on the Bench. Inadequacies of the Common Law were referred to
the King's Council, which referred them to the Chancellor, who
was the King's first minister. The Chancellor was popular with the
great landowners because he protected them from "uses" and
"trusts" so they were able to avoid feudal dues and burdens. He
also stood well with the merchants as he enforced simple
contracts and made them assignable, but also granted specific
performance of contracts when damages were not adequate as a
remedy. The Chancellor was the enemy of fraud and breach of
confidence. This is a brief explanation of the order of law at this
time and will help us understand the tremendous power in the
hands of John Baker as his life began to unfold.
31.Baker, Rev. F.V. Notes on the Life of Sir John Baker of Sissinghurst,
Kent , Arch. Cant. Vol. xxxviii (1926) p.6
21
John Baker's name appeared in the Commission of Peace
for Kent on July 8, 1515. He was twenty-seven years of age and a
rising barrister. The appointment certainly showed that he was a
man of recognized ability and influence. His first public
appointment seems to have been that of Under-Sheriff of London
on May 12, 1520, a post which he held until 1526 when he was
appointed Recorder of London on November 17, 1526.34
You can now see that John Baker had gained the esteem of
King Henry VIII and the story goes on. In 1540 John Baker was
one of the commissioners to inquire into a heresy case at Calais,
France where one Adam Damplip had been preaching contrary to
the Statute of the Six Articles set forth in 1539.
23
of Chancellor of our Exchequer, by the attainder of
Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, for divers heresies
and for high treason now dead: and we make and
constitute John Baker our Chancellor of the Exchequer
for the term of life in the same manner and form as
Thomas Lovell, Knight, or any other lately holding the
same office", King Henry VIII.37
The King's Privy Council had two groups within its ranks:
the Protestants under the new Archbishop of Canterbury and the
Papists under the Bishop of Winchester. John Baker was listed by
John Fox in "The Acts and Monuments" under the Papists
probably because of the family's earlier Catholic faith. John Baker
may have been supportive of the papacy, but in political matters
supported the new Archbishopry of Canterbury.
24
In June 1544 a commission to sell Crown lands, leases, and
wardships was appointed consisting of the following members:
42. Parker, Michael St. John Britain's Kings & Queens Pitkin Pictorials
(1988) P.19-20
25
cases of record. When the Earl of Warwick raised a party in the
Council against the Duke of Somerset, who had retired to Windsor
with the young King in 1549, a splitting of the Privy Council
occurred. Sir John Baker remained out of the controversy and
retired to his new house at Sissinghurst. In Edward VI's diary it is
noted that the Marechal St. Andre, French Ambassador, was
received by Mr. Baker at his house at Cranbrook.43
26
The King's health was now failing. The Duke of
Northumberland induced King Edward, being weak with sickness,
to make a testament excluding his sisters Mary and Elizabeth
from the throne and bequeathing the Crown to Lady Jane Grey,
lately married to Northumberland's son. To this project Sir John
Baker, with other chancellors, was an unwilling assenter. On
June 12th. Sir John Baker, Sir Edward Montague, Chief Justice of
Common Pleas, and Justice Bromley, the Attorney and Solicitor
General, were ordered to appear at the Court at Greenwich. They
were commanded to draw up a Book of Articles regarding the
above which they refused to do. On June 14th. they were again
commanded to attend. After much hesitation Sir Edward said, for
his part, he would obey the King's command and so did Mr.
Bromley. The King said to Sir John Baker, "What say you? You
never said a word today!" Evidently Sir John Baker did not
distinctly refuse and he did sign the document that was drawn up
with the other counselors. This signing did proclaim Lady Jane
Grey as Queen, but after the departure of Northumberland, he
joined with the other counselors upon the death of Edward VI in
1533 in proclaiming Mary, the Duke's sister, Queen.46
27
Henry VIII. This was a great financial loss to Sir John. An earlier
letter from a non-supportive council member Wightman dated
May 10, 1549 stated:
48 Ibid p. 15
28
Bramber that year. Historians have determined it is a clerical
error in the name Thomas which was posted on the line
immediately above for another personage as there are no other
recorded facts for a Thomas Baker sitting for Bramber and John II
had held that seat in 1554 and was no doubt returned to it in
1555.49
Library, London
50. Parker, Michael St. John Britain's Kings & Queens p.21
29
Cranbrook with Baker and Sir Thomas Moyle presiding as justices
for Kent. John Fox states in "THE ACTS AND MONUMENTS" that
the Mr. Richard Fletcher, Vicar of Cranbrook during Elizabeth's
reign following Mary's , was the supplier of the recorded records of
those hearings in the George Inn. Fox states that this no doubt
accounts for the prominence given to the cases in which Sir John
Baker took a small part, but they are not such as to justify a
charge of such cruelty, or such title.51
30
of the monarchs and to retain his position. His capacity for
working and mixing with disparate elements present in the House
were all credits to his professional ability.53
31
Jone Reames, widow, and my nephew Stephen Reames. To Sir
William Petre, knight, Sir Martin Bowes, knight, and Thomas
Argall, gent., to each a ring of gold of the value of 40s. To my
oldest son Richard Baker all my household stuff at Sissinghurst,
and my blessing; "Above all things see thou serve God and thy
soverayne, apply thy learning, to be curtosse and gentill to any
bodye, be ayding and loving to thy naturall brother, John Baker,
and to thy sisters, avoid brybery, extortion, corruption and
dissimulation, and eschew idleness."
To his second son, John Baker, he gives 200 pounds ready money
and all household stuff in the city London.
55.
Baker, F.V. Arch.Cant. xxxviii NOTES ON THE LIFE OF SIR JOHN
BAKER OF SISSINGHURST, KENT p.25
32
coat armour, pennon of arms, IIII banners of Saints and herse of
wax, 7 dozen penselles, 10 dozen scutcheons, 12 torches, a
hearald of arms, a great dole and a great dinner. Poor men had
gowns, and their dinner. Also [which dates the funeral]; On 8 Jan,
died at Gravesend, Lancaster, the herald of arms, on coming
home from burying of Sir John Baker."56
In a quick
review of the
personal life of Sir
John Baker, our
illustrious
ancestor, we
remember his
first marriage to
Catherine
Sackville from
which no children
were born and
her death after
three short years
of marriage. He
then married
Elizabeth Barrett
who had already
been orphaned
and widowed with
a son. This
marriage was
fruitful and Sir
Figure 2-2 Sir John Baker c.(1488-1558) John and Lady
Nicolson, Nigel Sissinghurst Castle p. 17 Baker had two
sons and four
daughters, all of whom survived and raised families of their own.
A picture of the form of life at Sissinghurst in the second half of
the sixteenth century can now be recited: a formidable and
intensely busy father traveling back and forth to London by horse
33
or carriage through the deep clay of the roads of the Weald of
Kent; a large group of young people who attract to the great house
at Sissinghurst the sons and daughters of the Kent nobility; the
friendships that form around the huge fireplaces at Sissinghurst,
of which three survive in the long building that was there for at
least three generations of Bakers before them.
Sir John's younger son, also John, was the father of Sir
Richard Baker, author of the popular "Chronicles of the Kings of
England", which went into nine editions before 1696 and of
Thomas, the direct ancestor of Sir Joshua Reynolds. We shall
34
hear a great deal more of Sir Richard The Chronicler in the
chapters ahead, as this is our line of descent.
35
36
Figure 2-3 Pedigree of the Bakers - Nicolson, Nigel- Sissinghurst Castle p. 13
The next sixty years of this line can be passed over rapidly.
There are few personal records regarding these Bakers. The
births, marriages, and deaths are there, but tell us little. The
same lands and manors they inherit pass on dutifully from father
to son. Sissinghurst passed down through the generations until
the direct line of descent ends in 1661.
37
At this time the manor was held by another Sir John Baker
Bt (Baronet), the fourth John Baker to own the estate. When he
died in 1661 he left behind a widow and four daughters: Anne,
Figure 2-4 The Baker manors and properties in Kent and Sussex as amassed by
Sir John Baker and his family.
Nicolson, Nigel- Sissinghurst Castle p. 14
Elizabeth, Mary, and Catherine, but no son. The estate was
divided between the daughters, who each married a holder of
estates in other parts of the country. Sissinghurst was occupied
38
by his wife, Lady Baker, presumably with her second husband,
Sir Philip Howard, until her death in 1693 and then temporarily
by one or the other of her sons-in-law, their children, or tenants.58
39
Beagham, a line descendant of Sir John Baker. The property was
occupied by the Beaghams in the second quarter of the eighteenth
century, but its condition had deteriorated to a "park in ruins and
a house in ten times worse ruins" as stated by Horace Walpole in
1752.
40
In 1756 there was a 9,000 pound mortgage on Sissinghurst
Castle. Sissinghurst became a prison for reportedly up to 1,750
French prisoners. Much devastation of property took place before
the end of the war in 1763. The Beagham family still owned the
property and filed for damages to it.
41
Throughout the nineteenth century Sissinghurst was
regarded as the most important farm in the entire Weald Estates.
In 1855 George Neve was teneting the farm of both the Castle and
also Bettenham farms, a total of 767 acres. The Manns built Neve,
a large Victorian house in 1855, which sits to the right of the
approach to Sissinghurst Castle today. The property passed down
through the Corwallis line until they decided to sell it in 1903.
The property was held by Barton Chessman until 1926 when he
sold it to William Wilmshurst whose son and heir put it up for
sale in 1928. The sale catalog described the property with a
Victorian farmhouse and picturesque ruins on the grounds, with
a bailiff's house, six cottages, a brewing house easily converted
into a cottage, and stabling for twelve horses. For two years there
were no takers.60
42
bedroom of the Priest's House. She left the Castle and a large part
of the estate to her son Nigel, excepting the South Cottage which
was bequeathed to her husband Harold for his lifetime. He died
there in May 1968. Nigel transformed the South Wing of the
entrance range to his private quarters for his family and opened
negotiations with the National Trust to take over the Castle and
part of the estate in part-payment of the estate duty. The
negotiations were concluded in April 1967 and Sissinghurst now
belongs to the National Trust and is open to the public daily from
April until October. Nigel Nicolson still lives there and oversees
the property on the Trust's behalf.62
43
Mavis and I are grateful to Nigel for our visitation with him
on September 15, 1990 in his private quarters and his generosity
in allowing us to use his published works on the history of
Sissinghurst Castle which were used to supplement this history of
our ancestors. We had returned to England eleven months after
our visit in 1989 to tie up the few loose ends in the Baker history
that had not been found during that trip.
We went to the left of the castle and walked along the moat
looking back at the rest of the houses and gardens. I stopped to
take a picture through the trees of the twin, octagonal towers.
The rain was raw and nasty and we went back to the Gift Shop to
warm ourselves. On the way stood the Great Barn we had not
even noticed before. I took a picture with Mavis standing in front
of it.
The girls in the Gift Shop were all busy with their closing so
we looked at a few of the printed items and bid the girls ado and
told them we would see them the next day. We drove back to our
Kempton Manor lodging at Hothfield, but instead of going to
dinner we freshened up and took our newfound brochures and
literature to the bar area where we read them and ate bar food
that night. The staff was delighted that our search had been so
fruitful.
45
The next day dawned bright and beautiful. We again
headed our car south and arrived at Sissinghurst with the
weather a complete contrast to the evening before. We stopped to
retake the pictures taken in the rain the previous day. We went
straight to the Tudor arch and Mavis photographed me at Sir
John Baker's front door with the Baker coat of arms above it.
We were informed
that the left end of the
long Tudor House was a
stable in Sir John's day
and the right range was
the servants' quarters.
The stable is now a
library and the right
range is Nigel Nicolson's
private quarters, not
open to the public. We
viewed the long library
and wondered if Nigel
was in residence. The
staff did not know. We
went through the front
courtyard and entered
the octagonal, twin
towers. On one floor we
found the writing room
of Vita Sackville-West
with her writing desk
and furnishings. On
Figure 02-09: Lee at Sissinghurst Gate under the
Baker Coat of Arms another floor we found
prints on the wall of how
the castle looked at various periods of time and a scale model of
the grand, Elizabethan manor that had been built by Sir Richard
Baker, Sir John's son, who inherited Sissinghurst from his father.
We climbed to the top to the upper-level observation area for a
panoramic view of the garden, buildings, and surrounding area. I
took pictures of the full, 360-degree view. We returned to the
ground-level and toured the great gardens within the enclosed
46
grounds, still with moats on two sides with beautiful vistas
through doorways and arches of the garden walls. Mavis
photographed me resting on a bench and I captured her seated at
the door of the South Cottage. History tells us that Sissinghurst
was an estate enclosed within a wall that was seven miles in
circumference and there we were, centuries later, within the
smaller, walled and moat-surrounded grounds. Although the long
Tudor House and the Great Barn are all that remain of Sir John
Baker's buildings, we were treading on the same soil that our
ancestors walked upon since the year 1490, before Columbus
discovered America.
47
48
3
THE BAKERS OF LONDON
AND OXFORD
49
Thomas can be established from his will. Catherine died in later
years and he married Martha _________, a widow.64
Sir John Baker was at pains to also provide for his son
John II. When, in November, 1552, he purchased three manors in
Kent from Sir Edward North and others, he remaindered them to
John II. This is a very important to our history as Sir John does
not specifically list properties to John II in his will, but the
evidence is now established that he gave manors in Kent to this
son. He does, in his testament of 1558, give 200 pounds and his
household goods in London to John II and also exhorts Richard,
to whom he left Sissinghurst, "to be aiding and loving to thy
natural brother John." John II, despite being the son of such a
prominent personage as Sir John Baker, left no great mark at
court or politics. The most memorable recording is that he was
the father of a son, Richard, who authored the well-known
"CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS OF ENGLAND". That he was no
spendthrift appears from the provisions in his will. He directed in
this document that his second wife, Martha Baker, was to have all
the plate and jewels which she had received "as executrix to her
late husband" and all movables at Frittenden, Kent, and that
Thomas Baker should receive the reversion of lands at Bodium,
Sussex.65
64 Ibid p. 369
1558
p. 370Guildhall Library, London
50
John II died between the making of his will on October 14,
1604 and the proving of the will on April 14, 1606. His will
directed son Richard to pay his younger son Thomas 3,000
pounds with which to buy land and also the reversion of the lands
at Bodium. It is more than likely that this was done because he
had already given to son Richard the three manors in Kent, which
he had received from his father, Sir John Baker, and probably
also the manor at Highgate. Much of his legacy passed to his two
sons, Richard and Thomas, and had originated from his
inheritance from Sir John Baker. Recorded history makes much
of Sir John's passing Sissinghurst to his son Richard and maybe
not treating John II as well. In-depth research puts this to rest as
John II was also given a great amount of property. Another reason
history relates more to events that occur at Sissinghurst and the
lineage of son Richard, who inherited Sissinghurst, is that little
was known in England's history about John II's family, except
that he fathered Sir Richard The Chronicler as is evident if you
refer to the pedigree of the Bakers as found in Chapter Two of this
history.
52
considerable estates, through suretyship, were very much
impaired.68
53
Baker, of Sissinghurst, baronet, son of Sir Henry Baker, first
baronet". In 1642 he issued "Motives for Prayer upon the seven
curious plates treating of the creation of the world dedicated to
the "wife of Sir John Baker". A translation of Malvezzi's
"Discourses Upon Cornelius Tacitus" was executed by Baker in
1642 under the direction of a bookseller named Whittaker.69
54
our visit there brought forth great exaltation. Here, we now had
found the children of Sir Richard and Margaret. The children of
their two sons, Thomas and Arthur, are an important part in the
future chapters regarding the Baker family in America.
Sir Richard had among his many writings his own life story. It fell
into the hands of son-in-law Smith, who is credited with having
burned his father-in-law's autobiography thinking he was
destroying Sir Richard's life, as well. Historians now call it "an
autobiography of those days which we now should highly prize".
What a loss this was to not have the life story of such a noted
author and son of such an important family in the history of
England.72
Sir John Baker had not only willed manors in Kent to John
II, his father, but had also left a legacy to grandson Richard. We
can only assume the sons of Sir Richard left London during their
father's hardship and established themselves on property he had
passed on to them before his holdings in Oxfordshire were seized
by the Crown. Arthur presumably went to the area of his uncle's
inheritance at Bodium. We know of three of Arthur's children. He
had sons, John and Joseph, and a daughter, Margaret, which we
shall also hear more about later as John and Joseph will
eventually go to the American Colony. Sir Richard's son, Thomas,
went to Baker's Mead, the religious manor at Pluckley, which was
related to in an earlier chapter as being willed to John II by Sir
John Baker. Both sons, Arthur and Thomas, were then living at
fine estates, both of which originated from great-grandfather Sir
John Baker's former properties. This Pluckley manor is about
55
three miles from the family of Mary Baker Tufton, who resided at
the manor of Hothfield. Mary was the sister of their grandfather,
John II. The next chapter will relate to the life and family of Sir
Richard The Chronicler's son Thomas.
56
57
4
THE BAKERS AT HOTHFIELD
58
from Hothfield. Our first archives visit in England created great
excitement since the information we found agreed with East
Hampton library records.74
59
He said the Vicar lived there and could give us all the information
on the church.
60
We then drove the three miles to Ashford and located the
Church of Saint Mary where Alice Dayton, the future wife of
Thomas Baker, the emigrant, had been baptized on May 20, 1619.
This was a large city church, not open, but the sign in front
informed us there would be services the next day at 10 A.M. We
decided we would be there and leave after the sermon to get back
to St. Margaret's service at 11 A.M.
64
Baker and Elizabeth and their children gathered before the great
fireplace at the manor of Sissinghurst generations before.
65
A "History of Pluckley-Surrenden in the Hundred of
Calehill" supplied us with more information on the manor, today
called Baker's Mead. The early history of Pluckley relates back to
the Domesday Book of 1086. More recent records support the fact
that much of the land surrounding Pluckley was acquired by the
family Dering. The Baker association in this area follows through
in facts found in this document quoted here.
66
property at the time of his father's (Sir Richard Baker's) loss of
much of his estates.
76Baker, Rev. F.V. Baker, NOTES ON THE LIFE OF SIR JOHN BAKER OF
SISSINGHURST, KENT Arch. Cant Vol. XXXVIII p. 22-23
67
If this animosity was still prevailing in this area of County
Kent, it may have been much more comfortable to worship in the
family church at Hothfield, three miles away, as it was situated
within the boundaries of the manor of Hothfield, where Mary
Baker and Lord Tufton resided just adjacent to the church. There
is also an indication that life may not have been too comfortable
in Pluckley during this time. When the son, Thomas, baptized on
October 11th., chose to leave England and come to America he
changed the name Baker to Backer. This could have been because
he wanted to leave behind the stigma of the association with the
events that had occurred in the Protestant actions in England,
but more particularly in County Kent, where he had grown up.
68
69
5
COMING OUT OF ENGLAND
70
Roger Conant withdrew from Plymouth and established the
Massachusetts Bay Colony at Salem. In 1629 a charter was
drawn up between the two colonies. Under the governorship of
John Winthrop the colony expanded and many arrivals from
England added to the population.78
p. 15-778
71
In the year 1630 we find the Gillett immigration. This family
preceded the immigration of the progenitor of the family Baker,
who came to the New World in 1639. I, therefore, in keeping with
the chronological order of this text, shall deal with the early
arrival of this family.
72
All documents indicated that the Gilletts resided, for the
most part, in Connecticut, after a short stay in Dorchester,
Massachusetts. The Bakers first settled at New Haven and
Milford, so we decided a visit to New Haven and Milford was in
order.
73
Rev. William Gillett dated 1641 was proved in the Archdeaconry
Court at Taunton, April 16, 1641. From this instrument we find
him naming his sons William, Thomas, Nathan, and Jeremiah
and daughters Habiah (Abiah) and Mary and his brother Richard.
He went on to say "to all my children in England I give two silver
spoons apiece" and this phrase probably meant that he had other
children, unmentioned, who were not in England in 1641 and to
whom he had presumably given their portions when they left
home. Concerning his son Nathan he said, "The land which my
son Nathan made over to me by letter of Attorney, my son
William, the next reversioner of said land, shall surrender his
estate (therein," etc. This is the only mention of Nathan and
implies that he was one of the children who was not in England
when the will was made and that he had made the land over to
his father by letter of attorney after he had left England.83
83 Ibid p. 208
75
"It is granted to Jonathan Gillett to fence in half acre of
ground about his house, leaving sufficient highway" (17 April
1635).
"In consideration whereof the foresayd p'tyes do p'mise to
fetch
all the Cowes from Jonathan Gilletts house to mr
Wooolcotts ..
and to drive them forth in the morning an hower after sun
rising.
(17 April 1635)
"Among those who are to have meadow land in the marsh
by Goodman Greenways" Jellets, 2 acres." (27 June 1636)[sic]86
87 Ibid p. 210
76
Admitted Windsor Church 16 Jan. 1665/6 d. Windsor 26
June 1711
m. about 1658 PRISCILLA KELSEY, sister of Mary above, b.
1632
Nine children.
3. MARY (Twin) b. at Dorchester 1635/6
m. at Windsor 15 July 1658 to Peter Brown of Windsor
b.1632 he
d. at Windsor 9 March 1692. Mary Gillett Brown evidently
survived
him. Fourteen children.
4. ANNA or HANNA b. at Windsor 29 Dec. 1639 and
specifically noted in church record as Jonathan Gillet's "first born
at Windsor. m. at Windsor 29 Oct. 1663 Samuel Filley
b. at Windsor 24 Sept. 1643 eldest son of William and
Margaret Filley. He d. there 4 Jan 1711. She d. at Windsor
18 Nov 1711. Eleven children.
5. JOSEPH bapt. at Windsor 25 July 1641. Removed to
Simsbury and to Deerfield in 1673. A soldier in King
Philip's War and one of Captain Thomas Lothrop's
company who was killed by the Indians at Bloody Brook,
18 Sept. 1675. He had m. Elizabeth Hawkes at Windsor on
24 Nov. 1664. She the daug. John Hawkes of Haddam b.10 Jan
1646 They had nine children, She m(2) 16 Dec. 1680
Nathaniel Dickinson. She d. before 1682.
6. SAMUEL, bapt. at Windsor 22 Jan 1642/3
7. JOHN b. at Windsor 5 Oct. 1644 He m. at Windsor 8
July 1669 Mary daug. Thomas and Mary Barber, she bapt.
at Windsor 12 Oct. 1651 They had six children. John
and Mary and her parents removed to Simsbury and John d.
there in 1682. She m(2) at Windsor 20 June 1683 Capt.
George Norton of Suffield, Conn. She d. there 31 Dec.
1725. 8. ABIGAIL bapt. at
Windsor 28 June 1646; d. there 1648 or 1649. 9. JEREMIAH
b. at Windsor 12 Feb. 1647/8 d. there 1 March 1692/3
m. at Windsor 15 Oct. 1685 Deborah Bartlett daug. Benjamin and
Deborah (Barnard) Bartlett, b. at Windsor 3 April (Aug) 1666
she d. there 29 Sept. 1753. Had 3 children. She m(2) at Windsor
after Jeremiah's death 23 April 1694 Samuel Adams of Windsor.
77
10.JOSIAH bapt. at Windsor 1 July 1650, removed to
Colchester, Conn. in 1702 and d. there 29 Oct. 1736. m. at
Windsor 30 June 1676 JOANNA TAINTOR, daug.
Michael and Elizabeth (Rose) Taintor of Branford, Conn.
She b. at Branford 29 April 1657 and d. at Colchester
23 Jan. 1735/6. Eleven children. 88
78
Abraham 1796
Abner 1708
Abiah
Mary 1697
Ephriam 1698
Jeremiah 1701
Jonathan 1703
Abraham 1705
Rachel 1707
Hannah 1710
Agnes 1715
Eliphal, Jr. 1719 on March 22
89 Latter Day Saints Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah: All the
information on Jeremiah Gillett and his descendants, in the
preceding pages was supplied by Cousin Dean McCulley, a
descendant of Isaac Baker, for which we offer our sincere THANKS,
Dean.
81
We will conclude the lineage of Gillett at this point. In a
future chapter two Baker sons will marry daughters of Alexander.
Alexander will marry as his second wife, at Rubicon, a wife of one
of our family and add a stepdaughter to his family.
If you will return to the first paragraphs of this chapter you will
find all the problems going on in England. These things plus the
lure of the New World made it attractive to follow the rush of
emigrants heading for America. A group of Puritan Separatists,
many from County Kent in southeast England, set out to
establish the New Haven Colony. Among the group was Thomas
Baker of Hothfield, who shall be our focus in the next chapter.
82
Figure 05-02: Gillett Coat Of Arms
Explanation of terms:
ErmineWhite
Bend A diagonal band which crosses the shield about a
third
or less in width than the shield.
Sable Black
ErasedEdges torn in a jagged line.
Argent Silver.
Rampant Head in profile.
Dexter Left hand side as one looks atthe shield.
ProperRepresented in its natural color.
ColorsLion (Gold), Axe (Silver), Helmet (Light Blue),
Fish (Silver with red mouths), Shield (Silver-
with black figures), Scroll (Silver and Gold).
83
84
6
THE DAYS AT MILFORD
85
Two names on the document of interest to this history are
John Bishop and Thomas Cook. The others I do not list.
" (church members) shall be called free burgesses and that only
they shall choose among them selves magistrates and officers to
have power of transacting all public civil affayres of this
plantation, of making and repealing the laws, dividing
inheritances, deciding differences that shall arise, and doing all
things and business of like manner. It is therefore ordered by all
the said free planters that all those that hereafter should be
received as planters into this plantation should also submit to the
said fundamental agreement and testify the same subscribing
their names under the names of the aforesaid planters as
followeth:94
The list of names followed. However, I only list the few that
continue on in association with our history: Richard Osborne,
James Clarke, Tymothy Forde, Christopher Todd, Thomas
86
Osborne, Mark Pierce, James and Henry Bishop, Thomas
Wheeler, John Davenport, and Ralph Dayghton, our future gran-
dame's father. Ibid
96 Ibid p. 92
97 Ibid p.89
87
The fact that Thomas Baker was thus enrolled as a free
planter of Milford shows not only that on November 29, 1639 he
was at Milford, but also that he was then a member of a church,
qualified to take part in the communion service, and had
contributed to the purchase of that land and the expense of
settling the plantation. A meetinghouse was built in 1641. It had
special seats for guards and a place near them for their muskets.
The men sat apart from the women. The following is an extract
from the town records of February 7, 1643: "By the Brethren and
inhabitants of Milford provide a foot way to the Meeting House
and it shall be maintained with convenient stiles from the west
end. The stiles are to be maintained by Mr. Nicholas Camp at the
west end and by Brother Thomas Baker at the meeting house for
the outside stiles. The inner stiles shall be maintained by each
family placing their own stile in the most convenient place. The
passage over Little Dreadful Swamp on John Fletcher's Lot shall
be by a long log hewed on the upper side".98
88
The baptismal records are as follows:
89
Figure 06-02: Lot #, Name and Land Owned By Each Planter at
Milford 1646
p. 12 Press Tuttle, Morehouse and Taylor Co.
90
Church Records indicate on 11 1645 Thomas Baker was
excommunicated from the Milford Church (no reason stated) and
received again on January 22, 1647. The baptismal records begin
in 1640 and on page five we find Hannah Baker, daughter of
Thomas, baptized June 30, 1650. It is rather odd that no
marriage records were kept until long after 1700. So, there is no
evidence of Thomas and Alyce being married here; thus our
previous statement that the marriage was probably in New Haven.
In September 1650 they were dismissed by the Milford Church to
Easthampton.
91
Dutch at New Amsterdam had explored the Connecticut River and
established a trading post at Hartford. The very first English
settlements in the area had been made by colonists from the
Massachusetts Bay Colony at Wethersfield (1634) and at Windsor
and Hartford (1635). These colonists were unhappy with the form
of government in vogue in the Bay Colony. Please refer to "The
Coming Out Of England Chapter" where you will find your Gillett
background as part of this group of colonists. In 1637 a war was
waged against the Pequot Indians by the settlers which practically
exterminated the tribe. In 1639 the towns of Wethersfield,
Windsor, and Hartford drew up a democratic constitution for the
Colony which remained in force until the granting of a royal
charter by Charles II in 1662.
This document and similar land grants caused many
problems for future generations of our family. We will relate to
these feudal claims in the lands west of the Hudson River in the
1800's as our family moves to that area.
While all this was going on, The New Haven Colony, which
our ancestors that carry the name Baker and Dayton were a part
of, drew up a constitution which was based entirely on the
Scriptures. A feature of this constitution was the requirement that
each settler should sign his name to the compact. These colonists
were struggling with establishing a means to govern themselves in
a land without any formal form of government.
92
The Church records also state they were dismissed in September
1650, so it appears that it was near that time.
93
Thomas Baker b-Abt 1410
m-Benedict Middilton b-Abt 1445
Richard Baker b-Abt 1445
m-Joan _____ b-Abt 1445
Sir John Baker b-1488
m-1st-Catherine Sackville
m-2nd-Elizabeth Dyneley Barrett
John Baker II b-1531
m-Catherine Scott
Sir Richard Baker b-1568
m-Margaret Manwaring
Thomas Baker b-1590
m-Thomasin ____ b-Abt 1590
Thomas Baker b-1618 (This is the emigrant to America in
1639)
94
95
7
EAST HAMPTON, L. I.
96
There is recorded a receipt from Edward Hopkins to "Robert
Bond-inhabitant of East Hampton for f34. 4s. 8d. being the
amount of monies paid fore the purchase of the Lands", and a
certificate of the delivering to said Bond the writings of the said
purchase, dated 16 April 1651. On a blank leaf of one of the old
Books of Records are seen these words, "Robert Bond delivered
upon the Govr. for the purchase of our Lands, for the towns use
the sum of f1. 3s. 10d. Robert Bond for his expenses, going to the
Mayne land in the Town's service the sum on f1. 3s. 6d." It
appears the purchase was made by these two Governors in trust
& in behalf of the Original Settlers of the Town.{sic} 104
The town was laid out around the pond, probably out of
necessity for water for the people and their animals. On the west
side at the north end was Thomas Baker. The lot was 12 rods
97
wide and 1/2 mile deep. Across the street were the Ralph
Daytons, Alyce's parents. Today the Episcopal Church stands on
part of that property. To the south of Thomas Baker you would
have found the Osborns. During Mavis' and my four-day search
at East Hampton we stayed at the Maidstone Arms, which is the
Osborn house, today converted to an Inn. We had breakfast every
morning in the enclosed front porch overlooking the Village Pond
and the Old South Cemetery with the tombstone of Thomas Baker
just across the road.
The first house of Thomas and Alyce was small, as were all
the homes of the first settlers. They were made of logs or rough
boards and had thatched roofs. We found no evidence of when
Thomas replaced the small house, but feel it was soon, because
before the church was built, Sabbath services were held at their
house and they were paid 18 pence each Sunday for the room. In
his private life he was a farmer like the other farmers of East
Hampton in his day. He paid more attention to horses, cattle,
sheep, and goats than to raising grain. Thomas Baker was East
Hampton's first Inn Keeper and ran the Ordinary. In English this
means a house at which meals are available at a fixed price and
where ales and beverages are available. The establishment of a
tavern, inn, ordinary, or victualling house, as it was variously
called, was an important event in the history of New England.
The tavern was a recognized institution of Colonial Life. Its
important character was recognized and great care was exercised
in its regulation. Only persons of good character were appointed
innkeepers.
98
export. The shipping of such was probably an easy task for him
as his son Nathaniel's father-in-law was in whaling and had the
connections from his earlier days at New Amsterdam.
"You being chosen by the Court for the careful and comfortable
carrying on of the affairs of this Town, do here swear by the name
of the Great & Everlasting God, that you will faithfully, and with-
out respect of persons, execute all such laws and orders as are or
shall be made & established by this Court, according to God,
according to the trust committed to you during this year for which
you are chosen & until new ones be chosen, if you remain among
us, so help you God."106
The three men were to meet the first second day of every
month for the tryall of any case according to an Order and to
consider of those things that may concern the publick good of the
place & whosoever of these Three men do not attend the day at 8
o'clock in the morning shall be liable to pay 5s." John Mulford,
Robert Bond & Thomas Baker chosen by this Court for the
execution of those Orders, complied with their trust for this year.
Ralph Dayton, Constable and Benjamin Price, Recorder." Done at
a General Court holden October 7, 1651 {sic} 107
99
a Townsman and each year thereafter, until 1662. Southampton
and Southold had been established before East Hampton.
Southampton had put itself under the Jurisdiction of Connecticut
in 1644 and Southold did under New Haven in 1648. East
Hampton was a Plantation or Commonwealth as it is styled in the
Record that was Independent of any other Government from its
first settlement in 1650 until 1657. The magistrates frequently
asked advice in different cases "of the neighbors Towns of
Southampton and Southold" and sometimes of "the Gentlemen at
Hartford".108
It was added and decreed October 1652 that "if any man
be aggrieved with any thing that is done by the men that are in
100
authority, that he shall have liberty to make his appeal to the next
General Court, or when the freemen are assembled together for
their public occasions."109
101
To return to recorded facts on the plantation known as
East Hampton:
102
Book A., p 18 E.H.R. contains the lands of Thomas Baker
as follows:
103
ourselves, and successors to be one town or corporation, and do
for ourselves and our successors and such as shall be adjoined to
us at any time hereafter, enter into combination and
confederation together to maintain and preserve the purity of the
Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ which we now possess as also
the discipline of the church which according to the truth of said
Gospel, is now practiced among us, as also in our civil affairs to
be guided and governed by such laws and orders as shall be made
according to God, and which, by the vote of the major part, shall
be in force among us. Furthermore, we do engage ourselves by
this combination to stand to their orders and laws, that either are
or shall be made, not swerving therefrom."113
114 Ibid p. 5
104
prepare for war. The first step was to provide a military code.
Connecticut had adopted "The Body Of Laws" drawn up by Roger
Ludlow in 1650. On 5 April 1653, East Hampton's freemen, in
General Court assembled, ordered "yt the order in body of Lawes
about Militarie afaiers shal stond in force with us". On 15 April
the General Court ordered "yt there shal be a watch and a ward
for the watch, that 2 shall watch every night and for ward one is
to watch every day".
On 26 April the General Court ordered that "noe Indian
shall come to the Towne unless it be upon especial occasion and
none to come armed because the Dutch hath hired Indians
against the English".
May 9th. it was ordered "yt noe man shall goe forth of the
towne to work or stay in other towne or place without acquainting
two of the three men at least and have liberty from them, upon
penalty of 40s for every days absence.{sic}115
105
The East Hampton Army under Lt. Talmadge and Ensign
Thomas Baker were ready with their troops. A fleet had gathered
at Boston and a movement against the Dutch was planned.
Before the fleet sailed from Boston, Stuyvesant was obliged to
surrender New Amsterdam to Nicolls. So East Hampton's Army
under Talmadge and Baker was not called to take a ship to New
Amsterdam to settle the differences with the Dutch.116
116 Ibid p. 8
106
Governor Nicolls, on the defeat of the Dutch, changed the
name of the province and its chief town to New York, in Honor of
the Duke of York who had intrusted him with the duty of putting
down the Dutch. Nicolls won over the friendship of the Dutch
population by the liberality and fairness of his government.
Thomas Baker was chosen and sent to represent East Hampton at
the meeting called by Governor Nicolls regarding the territory of
Long Island. The history books say Nicolls secured the transfer of
the favor the Iroquois along the Hudson had shown towards the
Dutch to the English and this is probably true. However, there
was another Englishman that had already established that
relationship with the Indians for the Dutch and he was John
Baker, son of the Arthur of Bodium, therefore a nephew of
Thomas. We will address this John Baker's activities in a future
chapter.
107
"Dec. 21, 1664. The inhabitants of this Town-
understanding that we are off from Connecticut, and the
magistrates not willing to act furthur on that account, that we
may not be without laws & Government, it is agreeded
the former laws shall stand in force till we have further order from
York. It is agreed that the Constable of the Town shall be secured
by the Town for not gathering the Rates."120
108
rather than the ancient church trouble. The Governor wrote a
letter to Justice Of The Peace John Topping of Southold, telling
him to notify Mr. James to present to him, Mr. Topping, any
claims he has of wrong doing by Mr. Baker, and when he received
it he was to present both Mr. Baker and himself the Governor
with a transcript of his claims, and then he would make a
determination on the claims. Nothing more was heard from Mr.
James and Thomas Baker was appointed to the post. He held the
position for ten years and as such Justice sat in the Court of
Assizes in New York, , Southampton and Southold. (Woods L.I.
History p.159)121
I trust, from the history this far, you have discovered that
Thomas Baker was a leading citizen of East Hampton, but also of
the whole Colony of New York and played a very important part in
its development. He represented the area at meetings held with
the Governors to openly express the objection to the paying of
taxes to the Crown without representation.
109
determent of His Majesties revenue and ruin to our merchants.
To prevent which the aforesaid act of Assembly imposing 10
percent upon all goods as should be imported from any colony
where such goods are not produced, passed, which was intended
chiefly to hinder their carrying their oyle (meaning Whale Oil) to
Boston and bringing goods from thence into this Government. 122
Such was the grievance of the English Government as to what the
peoples of Eastern Long Island were doing.
110
Samuel Baker" by Judge Frank Baker, Chicago 1914.
This family
removed 1st to Branford, Conn., and later to Steuben
County.
3. NATHANIEL b-12-22-1655 at East Hampton OUR
GRANDSIRE
4. Abagail b- at E. Hampton m. ___ Tuthill 124
111
Figure 07-02: Tombstone of Thomas Baker, Old Cemetery,
East Hampton
112
113
8
AMAGANSETT BY THE SEA
Upon the death of Thomas, Alice went to live with her son
Nathaniel at Amagansett. There, seven years later, she died on
February 4, 1708 at the age of 88 years. Due to the inclement
weather she was buried on land across the road from Nathaniel's
home. This was done with the intent that mother would be moved
to be beside Thomas in the spring, at the old burial grounds by
the pond in East Hampton. This never happened. So they lie some
four miles apart. Her gravestone, the oldest in the burying
grounds, stands at the head of thirteen Baker family markers.
114
village for generations, but Mr. James soon sold both his tracts to
Abraham Schellinger. Such a large conveyance plainly shows that
the place at the time had a large unowned, as well as a large
unoccupied territory.126
115
progenitor. One day we held in our hands the Bible printed in
London in 1599.128 This was the Bible that Thomas Baker carried
with him when he came to America.
Nathaniel was given the Bible on the death of his father and
made the following memorandum in his own handwriting:
116
Nathaniel Backer decest February the 28th, 1738-9 in
the 84 year of age.
Abigall ye daughter of Thomas Backer was born to
him ye first June 1658.
117
My brother Thomas Backer was bornd the 26 day of
July 1650.
This is an account when my father and mother came
out of Ingland
before they were married. They came out of Ingland
in year 1639.
My father and mother was married the 20 day June
1643.
My father Thomas Backer dyed the 30 day April
1700, which was in
the eighty second year of his age. Mother Backer
dyed the 4 day
of February 1708-9 in the eighty sixth year of her
age.
My wife Katherine dyed the 19 day May 1722 in the
sixty sixt year
of her age.
I was married to my second wife which was Sarre
Post August 26 in
yeare 1724.
My second wife Sarah died October the ninth in the
yeare 1727 in
the sixty second yeare of her age. {sic} 129
129 THE BREECHES BIBLE 1599 by Barker- London p. Front Record Pages.
118
What a thrilling day it was to find this Bible and to hold it
in our hands. We now had in our hands the complete families of
Thomas and Nathaniel recorded in their own handwriting!
119
{sic} This sentence is very ambiguous, but they probably
understood it all right.132
120
Nathaniel died on February 27, 1739 and was buried on the
grounds he had set aside as a burial ground on his property when
his mother died in 1708. He was buried beside his mother and his
two wives. His gravestone has the following inscription:
HERE
LIES THE BODY OF
NATHANIEL BAKER
THE SON OF MISTER
THOMAS BAKER
WHO DYED FEBRUA
ry 27 AND IN
THE 84TH YEAR OF
HIS AGE-1738-9
135 ABSTRACT OF WILLS, NEW YORK, Vol. 3 p. 269 - Original Bk. 13 p.263
122
In the Name Of God, Amen. I Daniel Baker of East
Hampton, in Suffolk County, being sick. I leave to my wife Abigail
the use of 1/3 of all my lands for life; also 1/3 of all household
goods, and 2 cows and a horse and a silver spoon, and 10 sheep.
I leave my son Daniel my house and lot and all my lands and
meadows at Accobonack and Nepeage; and 3 pieces of land
between the land called Ephriam's Ground, and the land of my
brother Jonathan Baker, and all my rights of commonage; also a
parcel of land that lately belonged to Ephriam Edwards. Also he
is to pay my son Abraham 10 pounds when he is 21 years old. I
also leave him all my wainage and hand tools. I leave to my son
Henry 100 acres of land in Elizabeth Town joining to the 100
acres I have given to my son Nathaniel. I leave my 3 daughters
2/3 of all household goods. All the rest of my estate to be sold. I
make my friend Eleazer Miller and my brother Thomas Osborne
executors. Witness Samuel Mulford, Jr., Matthias Burnel and
Henry Conklin.137 Will proven August 26, 1740.
123
open the door and a casket was washed into the house. The next
morning she begged him not to go whaling that day for fear
something would happen. He replied he thought he would go that
day, but then go no more. The church records state: "Jan. 10th,
1753 Died Jacob Shellix (Schellinger), Daniel Baker, and Jacob
negro man of Shellix, were all three drown in the surf".138 This
relates to some of the dangers and tragedies associated with the
whaling industry, which the Schellinger and Baker families were
involved in. This was the major industry at East Hampton at that
time.
Here lieth
Jonathan Baker
Died March 4 1747
in ye 69 year
Of His Age
124
History tells us that two of Jacob's aunts, daughters of
Daniel, moved to Elizabeth Town, New Jersey and we would find
Jacob there also. All three will be at Westfield, East Jersey, in a
future chapter. They were there because of another John Baker.
This John was a grandson of Sir Richard `The Chronicler' by his
son Arthur, who lived at Bodium, in County Sussex, England.
This John also came to America, but settled at New Amsterdam
and gained favor with the Dutch when they controlled that part of
the American Colony. His brother Joseph also came with him and
we will learn more about them as this history continues in the
next chapter.
125
126
9
STATEN ISLAND AND NEW
AMSTERDAM
127
England and some came to New Amsterdam, at the mouth of the
Hudson River, together with the French Huguenots.141
128
popular side of politics, being opposed to Governor Stuyvesant, for
which he was heavily fined and banished for seven years.143
143 Ibid p. 50
129
Before we deal with Cornelia, we will relate to his eldest son
Jacob as he became involved with the Baker family also after his
marriage. Jacob was born at Antwerp, Holland, about 1640, and
came to America as an infant. His boyhood days were spent
among exciting scenes, by which he was educated in the love of
liberty and the hatred of oppression. He accompanied his father to
Holland and back. During his residence at New Haven he was
reprimanded by Governor Newman, as related in the "Blue Laws"
of Connecticut, for kissing and taking other liberties with Miss
Sarah Tuttle. He married, in 1662, Hannah, daughter of George
Hubbard, of Guilford, Connecticut. Her sister Abigail, in 1657,
had become the wife of Humphrey Spinning. He and Spinning
attached themselves to the band of pilgrims who, in 1665,
emigrated from New Haven to Elizabeth Town. He had been
familiar, doubtless, with this particular locality from his
childhood, by reason of his residence on Staten Island. His
knowledge of the Dutch language , and possibly of the Indian
tongue also, made him a valuable acquisition to the new colony of
Achter Koll.146
130
he traded in leather and served several years as constable. He
resided on High-Fore Street in the south end of town. His
daughter, Abigail, married her second husband, Chief Justice
Samuel Sewall, while Joanna became the wife of Rev. Jonathan
Dickinson. His demise took place at Boston in December, 1706.
His widow survived him by nearly eleven years.147
147 Ibid p. 83
131
The Dutch that came from Amsterdam to the New World
were people and families of great wealth and position. Jacobus
Schellinger of Amsterdam, Holland was born about 1626. He
came to New Amsterdam about 1652 and was married, as stated
above, in 1653. He lived at New Amsterdam and on Staten Island
for twelve years. On March 13, 1653, when the Dutch Burgers
were preparing a defense against the English Colonies, he was
assessed 200 gilders. The money was used to construct an
earthen work topped with a palisade, which ran right along the
northerly side of the present Wall Street and ran from the East
River to the site of the today's Trinity Church. It may be that the
name "Wall" Street came from this line of defense built by the
Dutch.150
151 Ibid p. 52
132
We know the family was still at New Amsterdam September
26, 1662 as Cornelia's brother, Abraham, was baptized at the
Dutch Reform Church on that date.152
152 Ibid p. 52
133
2. Thomas Baker worked for Christ Church (Canterbury
Cathedral).
3. Sir John Baker was Chancellor of England and a
member of Privy Council under King Henry VIII.
4. Sir Richard Baker The Chronicler was his Grandson.
5. Thomas Baker of Hothfield, the Chronicler's grandson,
was the iimmigrant to American in 1637.
135
Such were the original petitioners. Two of them only, Bailey
and Watson, became patentees and only one a settler for about
ten years. The other patentees were Captain John Baker and
John Ogden. John Baker, although an Englishman, was residing
in New Amsterdam. He, as mentioned, had learned the Dutch
language and had a good relationship with the Dutch because of
his communicative skills with the Indians. It is fair to presume
that the original petitioners had employed him in their
negotiations with the Dutch for the patent and he became
interested in the project. The court records show that Captain
Baker resided in a house on the east side of Broad Street
(Broadway now), a short distance below Wall Street. After the
conquest of New Amsterdam by the English in 1665, Governor
Nicolls appointed Captain John Baker chief military officer at
Albany. He continued to command there until May 14, 1670 after
which time he became a permanent resident of Elizabeth Town.155
136
137
10
THE ELIZABETH TOWN
PIONEERS
Before I start with the settlement, we should look at the
early history of this area. The Jersey shore was still green and
unblemished when the first white man arrived. His white-sailed
vessels had visited the New Jersey coast as early as 1497 with the
voyages of the first Englishman, John Cabot. Twenty-seven years
later Verrazano, the Italian navigator, while exploring the coast for
France, entered New York Bay in the winter of 1524. We now have
a bridge in his honor across that harbor. On Sunday, September
6, 1609, nearly one-hundred years later, Henry Hudson anchored
his ship Half Moon off Sandy Hook. An exploration party under
John Coleman entered New York Bay and "went in two leagues
and saw an open sea and returned" (Juet's Narrative). It is quite
evident he did not go into the interior. Tradition states that
Coleman was slain the same day by the arrow of a Sanhican
Indian. Up until 1650 it was deemed not safe to venture as far
into the wilderness as the western shores of the Achter Kol
(Newark Bay).156
138
Creek, west to a creek called Man-kack-kewachky (possibly the
north branch of the Raritan), from Raritan Point, Ompoge (now
Perth Amboy), north to Pechiesse (thought to be the Passaic), up
to its head and then to the creek Man-kack-kewachky. The
Indians who sold the land were Mattano and Appamankaoff, for
themselves and on behalf of Memmewan, Warritschew
(Warischeu), Enckleen and Nechoak. The Indians who signed the
contract were Mattano, Warischeu, and Appamanskaock. Van
Werckhoven never took up his claim and the land reverted to the
Indian owners. The purpose of the proposed colony in this section
was "to serve as a bulwark to the Dutch nation against the
savages on the Raritan and Minisink".157
139
Island, where Chief Sagamores of the Indians lived and a tract of
land was purchased for which the following deed was given:
141
the End and purpose as aforessaid." Signed: Richard Nicolls
[sic}160
142
county because of the incoming white settlers. It is possible that
this purchase is representative of the general policy of dealing
with the Indians. They did not understand the language of the
whites. They were honest themselves and thought the whites even
more so in their bargaining. Purchases were at best one-sided
bargains. The Indian who helped Baker purchase this tract was
Hans. Another well-documented purchase is the "Walking
Purchase in Bucks County Pennsylvania" which was also of this
character.163
143
Baker, John Ogden, John Bayly, and Luke Watson to take Care
and Charge of ye said lands and premises. That people be carried
there with all convenient speed for setting of plantacons thereon
and that none have liberty So To Do without the Consent and
Approbation of said Captain John Baker, John Ogden, John Bayly
and Luke Watson. I do likewise promise and Grant that all
persons so Inhabiting and planting on the lands shall have Equal
freedom Immunities and privileges with any of his Majesties
Colonys of America. And that Captain John Baker and his
associates have liberty to purchase of the Natives (or others who
have properties thereon) as far as Snake Hill to the end and
pupose afore said. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and seal this first Day of December In the sixteenth Year of
the Reign of our Soveraign Lord Charles The Second By the Grace
of God King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland Defender of
the faith & etc. at fort James In New York on the Island of
Manhatans. Signed RICHARD NICOLLS."{sic}164
144
adopted was in accordance with the one that prevailed at the time
in New England, the object being for mutual defense to guard
against any vicious attacks by the Indians. The settlers the first
three years were mainly of the one class, wholly New Englanders,
principally from Long Island and Connecticut.166
Captain John Baker was not listed among the early settlers.
He was a resident of Manhattan. The house he occupied was on
the east side of Broadway a short distance below Wall Street.
After Governor Nicolls took command of the city, and after having
the association with Baker on various dealings, appointed him, on
September 25, 1665, Chief Military Officer at Albany. For this
reason he is not listed among the early settlers of Elizabethtown.
He continued in his duties at Albany until May 14, 1670, from
which time he became a permanent resident of this town. His
house lot was of ordinary size, bounded on the south, east, and
west by the highways and on the north by Luke Watson. He was a
leading man in the community and ever among the foremost in
resisting the proprietary assumptions that were to come. He
obtained, on March 14, 1675, a warrant for the survey of 1200
acres, for "himself and his Wife, and eight other Persons" of his
family. He was appointed Coroner March 28, 1683 and Judge of
Small Causes.167
145
along with Thomas (1) Baker at East Hampton. He was in 1641 at
Stamford, Conn.. In May of 1642, he and his brother Richard,
also of Stamford, entered into a contract with the then Dutch
Governor William Kieft, Gilbert op Dyck, and Thomas Willett of
New Amsterdam, church wardens, to build a stone church in the
fort. The contract was for a building 72 by 50 feet, for the sum of
2500 gilders, to be paid in beaver, cash, or merchandise, one-
hundred gilders to be added if the work proved satisfactory, and
they were to be allowed the use of company boat for carrying of
stones a month or six weeks if necessary. The work was duly and
satisfactorily completed.
John Ogden, the first resident along with his five grown
sons, John, Jonathan, David, Joseph, and Benjamin erected a
dwelling on the town plot. He erected a mill immediately west of
the Broad Street stone bridge, with a dam across the creek just
above it, hence, it was frequently called Mill Creek, or Mill River.
Three of his sons, John, Jonathan, and David, took the oath of
allegiance in February 1665-66 and were numbered among the
original associates.
146
Other associates who were on the grounds during the first
year of the settlement were Joakin Andris, or Andrews, whose
father, William, had come to New Haven previous to 1643
(probably with the Daytons and Thomas Baker), a Francis Barber,
origin unknown, who later moved to Staten Island and Robert
Blackwell who married a stepdaughter of Captain John Manning,
to whom New York was surrendered in 1672 to the Dutch. He
became owner of an island in the East River then known as
Manning's Island, which now bears the name Blackwell Island.
Another associate of the new colony was Robert Bond the
Townsman of the early days at East Hampton with Thomas Baker
and his former brother-in-law, John Ogden. Robert also became
interested in the settlement at Newark which he represented in
the Legislature in 1672. However, he maintained his residence in
Elizabethtown and died there in April 1677. Another of the first
settlers of New Haven was John Brakett who was there in 1639,
probably another of the group with the Daytons and Thomas
Baker. Colonial records say he was often employed in laying out
lands and was probably induced by his friends to accompany
them to assist them in their surveys. He, however, in 1670 sold
his property to Samuel Hopkins and returned with his son, John
Jr., to New Haven. Nathaniel Bunnell (Bonnel) from New Haven
had a house and 120 acres lying south of the South Branch of the
Elizabethtown Creek.
147
Caleb Corwith was a mariner of roving disposition, son of
David Corwith of Southold. In 1668-9 he associated himself with
John Ogden Sr., Jacob Melyen, William Johnson, and others in a
whaling enterprise. He sold his house lot and 20 acres to William
Piles in 1670-1 and moved to Southampton where he was still
living in 1683. Other names we shall pass over are Stephen Crane
from Connecticut, John Dickinson from Southold, and Joseph
Frazee, origin not known, but a descendent from this family has
written about the history of New Jersey.
148
account of teaching my son Samuel the mistery of a cooper, tho
not performed according to bargain-L4.00.00."
James was also a cooper and came there about ten years
later than his brother John. He had purchased on September 4,
1676 from William Looker, then of Jamaica, L.I., his house,
garden, orchard, and house lot. Under Governor Carteret a little
later in this chapter you will find his warrant for 120 acres in
1677. This warrant was granted as he had a survey for 108 acres
of upland, bounded by Richard Clark, James Emot, and the
Westbrook, and also 12 acres of "meadow in the great meadows".
Descendants of this family later moved to Ulster County, New
York along with the Baker family, from which we descend, and
intermarry. It was the finding of Louise Haynes Flood at Kingston,
New York in 1984 that joined the Bakers of the western United
States to the family from which my ancestors departed in the mid-
1800's.]
150
northward as far as the northernmost branch of the said bay or
river of Delaware, which is 41 degrees-40 minutes of latitude, and
crosetseth over thence in a straight line to Hudson's river in 41
degrees latitude: which said tract of land is hereafter to be called
by the name or names of New Caesare or New Jersey."169
151
females and a French gentleman, Robert Vauquellin, a surveyor
by profession, his wife, and Captain James Bollen.170
152
was then urged by Hopkins to proceed to the subjugation of the
Achter Kull. Hopkins had been a member of the popular party and
doubtless welcomed the advent of the Dutch forces, judging that a
change of government would put an end to the vexatious
exactions to which he and his neighbors had been subjected. It
seemed like a special providence for their relief. The time set for
their submission by Berry and his council was just expiring and
the people were ready for another contest. The government party
would receive the support of Governor Lovelace of New York and
thus would have been able to enforce the proprietary exactions to
the utmost. Berry and Lovelace, however, were deprived of all
power to harm them. Therefore, the sturdy pioneers of the town,
three days after the surrender of New York on August 2, 1672,
deputized John Baker, Jacob Melyen, and John Ogden to proceed
to New York for the purpose of entreating with the Admiral and
associate council of war for the surrender of the town to the Lord
States of the United Netherlands and his Serene Highness, the
Prince of Orange, requesting that no audience be granted to their
late Governor, Captain John Berry. In this petition they were
joined by the towns of Newark, Woodbridge, Piscataway,
Middletown, and Shrewsbury. In answer to the petition it was
ordered that all inhabitanta of these towns: "should be granted
the same priveledges and freedom as accorded native born
subjects and Dutch born; also the petitioners and their heirs to
unmolested enjoy and possess their lawfully purchased and paid
for lands, which shall afterwards be confirmed to them by the
governor in due form; the petitioners being further granted and
accorded freedom of conscience as the same is permitted in the
Netherlands." The township of Bergen had already been provided
for. Thus, the whole of East Jersey passed under the rule of the
Dutch.171
153
appointed John Ogden to be schout and Samuel Hopkins
secretary of the six towns. A commission was appointed to
administer the oath of allegiance to the inhabitants who made
their return on September 11, 1672. They rated Elizabethtown at
eighty men, seventy-six of whom had taken the oath, the
remainder being absent.{sic}172 The listing follows on pages 56, 57,
58, and 59. Most names are familiar from the areas of New Haven,
Milford, East Hampton, and other areas of Long Island. However, I
chose not to list them since many have been related to in earlier
chapters.
173 Ibid p. 59
154
As an illustration of Dutch rule, a proclamation was issued
applicable to every town in New Netherland, November 15, 1673,
appointing as a universal day of fast, humiliation, and
thanksgiving, the first Wednesday in the ensuing month of
December. All labor, hunting, fishing, gaming, excessive drinking,
and retailing of liquors was strictly prohibited.174
174 Ibid p. 59
155
and had a holy aversion to the House of Stuart, looking upon
them as invaders of the vested rights of the people and as imperial
despots. They had enjoyed the largest liberty of government,
which had been constituted according to their own conceptions of
truth and right and, therefore, did not want government from a
far country to preside over their town meetings or meddle with
their affairs.
156
April 8-Symon Rows 180 22-William Cramer
180
May 3-Robt.Vauquellin & wife 300 -Nathaniel Tuthill
90
June 30-Charles Tucker 140 -Peter Moss and wife
180
-Robert Bond 360 27-George Ross and wife
120
-Joseph Bond 160 -Humphry Spinnings
180
-Jacob Mellins 300 -George Morris 90
Sept. 12-Robert White,wife and -Roger Lambert
120
daughter 180 -Stephen Crane 120
Oct. 6-Leonard Headley & wife 120 -William Hill 60
-John Parker 90 28-William Johnson 240
22-Nicholas Carter 360 -John Little right self
23-William Pardon & wife 200 and Stephen Salsbury
180
Nov. 5-John Woodruff, wife and -George Peck
120
three servants 450 -William Oliver 180
1676 -Samuel Marsh, Senr 180
Jan. 21-Luke Watson 400 -Samuel Marsh, Junr
180
March 8-Henry Lyon rights and -John Pope
100
purchase 360 -John Carter 100
14-William Letts 180 -David Oliver 60
-Charles Tucker (a 2d Apr. 8-William Pills 320
warrant) 180 -Benjamin Price, Senr 270
-Benjamin Parkis 80 -Benjamin Price, Junr
90
-Henry Norris,self and 10-Stephen Osborne
180
John Wilson carpenter 210 -Nathaniel Bonnel
180
-Daniel DeHaert,right of 11-Joseph Sears 180
Richard Painter 120 14-Jonas Wood 300
157
-Wm.Pardon,right of -Thomas Moore 180
Wm. Meaker 120 25-Jeffery Jones 180
-Isaac Whitehead,Snr 180 27-David Ogden
120
-Samuel Moore,right of May 2-Hur Tompson
120
John Wilson,the Less 90 9-Jeremiah Peck
180
-Capt. Thomas Young 240 -Joseph Fraize
120
-Capt. John Baker, wife -John Winons 120
and 8 other Baker's 1200 -Barnaby Wines
240
-Sir Geo.& Philip Carteret -Richard Michell 120
and 18 servants 2700 30-Math. Hetfield 100
-Philip Carteret right of 31-Joseph Osborne 100
Abraham Shotwell 150 -Moses Tompson
180
-Philip Carteret,right of -Joseph Meaker 120
Peter Wolverson 480 Jun 12-Benjamin Meaker
120
-Philip Carteret, right of 14-Benjamin Waide 144
Dennis White 120 -John Ogden, Jnr 150
-Benjamin Wade 120 -Isaac Whitehead, Jnr
120
20-Richard Beach 90 -Jonathan Ogden
120
-Robert Moss and wife 180 Sep 12-Aaron Tomson,right of
his
father, Thomas 120
-Aaron Thomas,right self 60
-John Lambird 100
Oct 27-Joseph Ogdon 90
Nov 23-John Simkins 80
Dec 27-Samuel Trotter,right of
his father William 90
1677
Feb 1-Margaret Baker, right of
Peter Wolverson 200
158
Jul 11-James Haynes and wife 120
1678
Oct 26-Mrs.Hann Hopkins, wife
of Samuel Hopkins 120
29-John Ogden, Snr. 800 177
Before I move on, I think we should look at the list above of the
original, warranted property owners which has some interesting
facts and raises some intriguing questions. Robert Vauquellin and
his wife were passengers on the ship Philip that brought Governor
Carteret to the new province he had inherited from the Duke of
York. He was, no doubt, the grandson of Jean Vauquelin de las
Fresnaye, lietenant-general of the bailiwick of Caen, France and
chief justice of that country. Some histories have him recorded as
VanQuellin, as if he were a Dutchman, instead of French. Just
another error among the scores of others we have encountered.
He was a member of Carteret's council and strictly adhered
faithfully to the governor's party and interests. He was appointed
by Berkley and Carteret surveyor-general of their new domaine in
America. The surveys of the above properties and others made
between 1675 and 1681 bear his signature, generally, "Ro-
Vauquellin" or "La Prairie". Though he is listed among the eighty
associates, he had scarcely any interest in common with the
sturdy Puritans, and this not proving congenial, in 1678 he
removed to Woodbridge. Three years later he was succeeded as
surveyor-general by John Reid and his name ceased to appear in
the records.
159
can, today, name the greater part of the recipients. We need to
remember that Captain John Baker is a full cousin of Thomas of
Milford and East Hampton. They were. without doubt, in
communication with each other, since Thomas went to New York
to sit on the General Court of New York and also due to his
appointment to the West Yorkshire Riding, which covers
Westchester County. Captain John then knew who his second
cousins were. We know that Nathaniel's two daughters, Joanna
and Mary, each moved to Elizabethtown and were, no doubt, the
recipients of land from Captain John. We also know from the will
of Daniel, son of Nathaniel, earlier in this history, that he gave to
his sons, Nathaniel and Henry, one-hundred acres each in
Elizabethtown. You will discover in the next chapter that Thomas'
grandson, Thomas, by first, son Thomas, received one-hundred
acres in Westfield. In the same chapter you will discover that
Nathaniel's grandson, Jacob, also receieved one-hundred acres in
Westfield. His brother, Joseph, could have been another and he
sold his tract to someone else, as he was located in Bergen, north
of all the problems of land titles going on at Elizabethtown. We
cannot confirm that Captain John's sister, Margaret, ever came to
America with them, as we never find any reference to her in
history. This, however undocumented, has pretty well decided
who received his land grants from his 1200 acre reservation. We
also will define in the next chapter where Captain John's lands
were and that Jacob and his sons, Jonathan and William,
eventually end up as titled owners of Captain John's property.
178 Ibid p. 63
179 Ibid p. 63
161
regulations were passed for branding and marking cattle. They
required making fences and keeping them in repair and also for
providing a pound for stray animals.180
180 Ibid p. 64
181 Ibid p. 64
182 Ibid p. 65
162
grown weary of the conflict and had transferred their interests to
others and moved. The larger portion, however, remained and
manfully maintained the principles which they so dearly loved.
These troubles also had their use. They served to strengthen and
develop character, fostered an intelligent love for freedom,
independence, well-regulated self-rule, constitutional principles,
and popular rights. These factors prepared them to lay the
foundations of the town, the state, and the church. Their children,
who grew to adulthood under these conditions, would be ready to
take on the burdens of their elders as they cease from their care
and toil. One by one the elders were dropping into their graves.
Among them were Seely, Andris, Dickinson, Pope, Simkins,
Trotter, Goodman Tomson, and Bond. In the year 1681 "Good Old
John Ogden" one of the founders of the town, who's child was the
first, white child born in the territory, the accepted leader of the
people, the pillar of the church, the last to bow down to Carteret,
laid down and died. He left behind the impress of his political and
religious principles not only upon his children, but also upon the
community that he had so largely aided in founding.183
183 Ibid p. 65
163
unassuming men, attached to a sect that had suffered from the
intolerance of the crown.184
184 Ibid p. 67
164
higher up on the river reached by boats where fresh meadows
overflowed in winter, and these lands were gradually being settled
upon."
William Penn visited the land that year and said he had
never seen such in his life. Rudyard also spoke of the large store
of clams, which were esteemed as being much better than oysters,
and said that an industrious man may have a plentiful supply of
all things necessary to life. No less extravagant in his praise of his
new home was the surveyor-general, who said it was a brave
country, the ground very fruitful and inclined to raise English
grass like clover, etc.. In short, the land was four times better
than he had expected.185
186 Ibid p. 68
165
company was commanded by Benjamin Parkis (captain), George
Ross (lieutenant), and John Woodruff (ensign). This militia law
was a source of trouble to the Quaker Proprietors as it gave the
military officers the power to inflict punishment on those that did
not comply with its requirements. The Quakers, in accordance
with their conscientious scruples, could not bear arms or
contribute to support of military companies. The law against
Sabbath breaking also conflicted with their religious prejudices,
lest it might prove a burden to some who might find it their duty
not only to testify against the Jewish superstitions, but also
against some others on that point.187
Governor Lawrie's first duty was to lay out the new city of
Perth which the proprietors had decided was to be the new capital
of the province. The population of the area was expanded by the
importation of Scottish laborers. Most were of the poorer classes,
but many were people of sterling worth. They were employed in
and about Perth, but some settled at Elizabeth Town.188
187 Ibid p. 69
188 Ibid p. 69
166
possession of the old families and held by the old Indian Purchase
that had been made by Captain John Baker. The newcomers
were obliged to buy these lands to obtain a freehold in the area.189
190 Ibid p. 70
191 Ibid p. 70
167
interested in securing the best lands for themselves than
promoting the interests of the proprietors. The Indian titles had
not been surrendered, the rents were slow in coming in, and the
prospect of regular dividends was not encouraging.192
In the year 1703 the City of New York had a Census taken
of all residents.[This precedes any National Census, as the first
was in 1790. It is difficult for us to imagine today that it only took
12 pages to enumerate all inhabitants.] The Census was divided
into The East Ward, The South Ward, The North Ward, The West
Ward, and The Dock Ward. The amazing entry is that Captain
Baker is shown still maintaining his residency in New York at this
time. He was a resident of The East Ward. The Census shows but
five people over the age of sixty. The Census has the following
headings: Males from 16 to 60, Females, Male Children, Female
Children, Male Negro, Female Negro, Male Negro children, Female
Negro Children and all above 60. Captain Baker's entry is first in
Males 16 to 60, and one Female Negro child. We know he also had
his residency in Elizabeth Town and no doubt due to his class
status was still maintaining his city residency, but it was only
cared for by a Negro female not yet 16 years of age. On reporting
she probably made the declarations, as he was probably at
Elizabeth Town. The total Census shows 700 family heads, in
1703.194
192 Ibid p. 70
193 Ibid p. 70
168
In 1705 Captain John Baker, the last of the three original
founders of the Colony, died. We do not know his exact age, but it
should have been about eighty years. His cousin, Thomas, was
eighty-two at his death in 1700 at East Hampton. These two,
emigrant cousins were the firstborn male children of their grand-
father, Sir Richard The Chronicler, being sons of Thomas of
Hothfield and Arthur of Bodiam.
169
170
11
THE BAKERS OF ELIZABETH
TOWN AND WESTFIELD
172
and was also a probable benefactor of Captain John Baker's
efforts.
On the map of Westfield above you will see the Tannery identified
as Nathaniel's. This was true at the time of the War. However, let
us try to explain what went on in Jacob's life. Henry and
Nathaniel were tradesmen and Jacob's father had been a
carpenter. He chose not to follow that profession and decided to
be a tanner of leather, which he was for his entire life.
173
by other information we found. He married later, but possibly his
wife did not like being a helpmate in the tannery and Jacob
evidently deserted the project and left his wife and child with the
property. We encountered, in our searching, that Nathaniel
bought the tannery from "the widow of Jacob Baker".196 We were
elated having found Jacob and now it appeared he had
died! Time marched on. We discovered he had not died and the
entry in the G&B was a desertion and the recorder had called his
wife a "widow".
174
was never found. We discovered he did return with his wife and
new family to Elizabeth Town, to the area where two of his aunts
Joanna Ogden and Mary Woodruff lived. He became the owner of
the earlier property of Captain John Baker who had died in 1705,
probably buying it from his estate. He established himself back in
the tannery business by building a tannery south of his residence
and farmland on Oyster Creek. He fathered several more children
at this location and established a relationship with his first born
son, David, from his Westfield marriage or relationship. David
probably assisted his father in the tanning business. Trees and
the bark from trees are an essential to tan leather. They
purchased a neighboring wooded property for that supply.
From this will, we can now establish the children of JACOB as:
178
David, Sarah, Jonathan, William, Phebe, Ester, and Mary.
JONATHAN was 16 years old at the time and he and his younger
brother, William, will inherit the home farm when of legal age. Is
Jacob again a widower, with the youngest daughter possibly
about eight years of age? Or, was it just assumed his wife would
retain title until the children become of age? He also never
mentioned the tannery, but this could be it was considered part of
the property. I feel she was still alive and will relate to why I make
this assumption, later in this chapter. We now have some
understanding why his son, David, was excluded from his estate
beyond his mentioned legacies. We know that he was from a first
marriage or relationship that was not successful. Thus, he is only
a half-brother to his other children and not the son of his present
wife.
180
Negroes planned to burn the city and murder the population,
aroused the thoughtful people against the evil business of slavery.
In New York 154 Negroes were committed to prison. Fourteen
were burned at the stake and eighteen were hanged. It is evident
this fear and punishment spread also to Elizabeth Town as a
record of burning of two Negroes was recorded in the Freeholders
Book Of Records, Essex County, June 4, 1741. This enmity
between the Negroes and the whites continued during the
Revolutionary War. It was probably capitalized on by the British.
On Sunday, June 20, 1779 it was discovered in Elizabeth Town
that the Negroes planned to rise up against the inhabitants,
murder them, and burn the town. After the War the movement
against slavery gained momentum and people hastily set the
Negroes and Indians free.200
182
1748 the Legislature passed a stringent act against this gambling
practice and thereby the mania was subdued.203 Is it not sad that
today, over 250 years later, that the act of 1748 is not still in
effect, as the lottery today is leaching MILLIONS of dollars each
day from the general public of this the same area in New Jersey.
Who the David Baker above mentioned was, I never researched.
He was probably the son of Henry. He was not the son of JACOB,
as he was born in 1749.
183
that the first person that either distributes or takes out stamped
paper shall be hung thereon without judge or jury."205
184
and Trenton. War was declared, Washington was chosen
commander-in-chief and the people everywhere flew to arms.207
The winter of 1776-77 was the most trying for the cause of
liberty. Washington had lost at White Plains, Fort Washington was
taken November 16th., Fort Lee was evacuated on the 18th., and
the retreat across New Jersey began with the British army close
upon the rear guard. Washington moved from Hackensack to
Newark. He found Newark deserted. When his army left one end of
town the British came in the other. Thence he moved to Elizabeth
Town. The town had summarily evacuated. Westfield now saw the
185
effects of war for the first time. Long lines of refugees passed
through the town on their way to the safety back of the
mountains. For days the processions continued, everyone leaving
behind their homes to the raping of the enemy. The British
reported twenty tons of musket balls together with great
quantities of stores left behind at Elizabeth Town.210
186
Washington's army had just left in tattered garb. There were no
more than 3,500. The cause for liberty looked hopeless to the
inhabitants of Westfield; but they were loyal to their staunch
patriots in arms. Those were the darkest days of the conflict.
Ashbel Green said at this time, "The whole population could have
been bought for eighteen pence a head."212
187
Peter Ryno 1777100166 David Meeker 177757160
Ephriam Ryno 177779102 Benj. Williams 177723530
Gershom Frazer Jr 177785130 Joseph Mills 177765140
Samuel Jacques 17775119 7 John Crane 177644120
Peter Tremly 1777181510 John Ross 177720156
Esek Ryno 177757110 Nathaniel Baker 1777197176
Michael Nestor 17801090 John Hawkins 17774238
William Person 17766190 Rachel Clark 17802500
Steph Ball(Rahway)177720100 Samuel Meeker 177741170
Abigail Stewart 17773610 Ephriam Scudder 177741170
Moses Jaques 1777217150 Hannah Hinds 1777820
Stites Woodruff 17776700 John William 1776/7580
Nehemiah Hand 1777301211 Jeremiah Garthwait'7677190
Jonas Frazer 177741139 David Mills 177773100
Corbet Scudder 1777 1062146 Thomas Marsh 17771231810
Jacod Noe 17802833 Ezekiel Ross 177715190
To.Fitz Randolf 177711609 David Ross 1777 73166
Elizabeth Frazer 17774008 John Meeker 1777791211
Matthias Sayre 17836696 James Lambert 17776983
Joseph Hinds 17776606 Frazee Morris 177748910
David Ross Jr 17776200 John DeCamp 1777260128
Sarah Stewart 17771120 John Hallet 17774137
Benjamin Connet 178044100 George Ross 17772000
Elias Mills 17778660 Rich.Whitehead 177754166
Benjamile Sayre 17772460 Samuel Robertson 1777 12060
Daniel Robertson 1777123129 David Miller Esq 177717429
Joseph Stanbury 1777189126 Moses Ross 1777168157
Daniel Connet 177714786 Charles Clark Jr 1777801110
John Ross Jr 177712206 John Ludlum 17773316
Philemon Elmar 177710600 Edward Marsh 177724550
Hannah Clark 17771556 Samuel Downer 1777130103
Benjamin Crane 17775380 Gardner Connit 1777107133
Geo.Michael Deeds 178125100 James McMananas 1777731310
William Lee 17773546 George Ryno 177786193
Jonathan Woodruff 177724163 Jeremia Pangburn 1777 18965
Jesse Clark 1777252135 James Winans 177711365
John Ryno 177734181 Moses Frazer 177715400
David Dunham 1776110 David Clark 177715594
Jacob Crane 1776149166 Moses Marsh 1777270104
188
Susannah Little 1777701510 Widow Anna Marsh 1777 1469
James Keys 17771900 Susannah Jones 1777412
Ephriam Marsh 1777106178 Charles Clark 1777224154
Daniel Pierson 17764800 Matthias Ludlum 1777228102
Edward Harris 17775047 Henry DeMoney Sr 177777180
William Marsh 17776950 Caleb Potter14190
Susannah Elstone 17778106 Henry DeMoney 17776526
Patient Miller 177714110 213
189
These statements of the times that preceded the war and of
the devastation of the area of Westfield and Elizabeth Town were
taken from "The History of Union County". Many more
explanations of the battles and incidents in the area may be found
in this volume, but I will only describe one more which deals with
our family.
190
one of the Revolutionary War soldiers buried there. The date of his
death is listed as 1844 and his birth, by his tombstone, is 1764.
Beside him lies Keziah Clark, his first wife, and he married
second, her sister, Charity Clark. They were both the daughters of
Jessie Clark, Esq.. This rather disproved the fact that he was our
grand- sire. His will is also on file in Trenton, for the information
of those that may descend from this family.
Master Roll of The Levies Raised in the 1st Regiment of the Militia
on New Jersey, Essex County and Township of Elizabeth-
Commanded by Colonel Samuel Poter, Esq. together with their
names and description- May 2, 1778
192
same road a short distance you will find Timothy Woodruff - 1743,
later to Enos Woodruff. Remembering Nathaniel's daughter Mary
is the wife of Timothy Woodruff, Sr. and that Timothy Woodruff
was one of the executors of Jacob's will reveals to us that
members of the family were living as close neighbors. The map
also locates the 10 acres of woodland mentioned in Jacob's will
that he owned with his son, David. This reduced photocopy does
not reach quite far enough east to display this tract. The title was
still in David's name in 1775.
195
Rev. Caldwell obeyed this command, but the soldier presented his
musket, shot him, and he instantly expired without a groan.
196
197
12
THE NEIGHBORS AT NEWARK
198
here and opposed their landing until full compensation should be
made to them.219
199
and soon after they all came: Perro and his kindred, with the
Sagamores that were able to travel; Oraton, being very old, but
approved of Perro's acting. At this meeting with the Indian
Proprietors we did agree and bargain with the said Indians for
a tract of their said lands on the West side of the Passaic river
to a place called the Cove, by the said governor's order and
allowance, and upon information thereof he seemed glad of it;
and I with some others solicited the governor to pay for the
purchase to the Indians, which he refused, and would not
disburse any thing unless I would reimburse him again and a
bill of sale was made, wherein the purchase of the said land
will appear, and I can and do testify that the said Indians
were duly paid for it according to the bill whereas we became
debtors to the Indians, and not to the governor, as I judge, and
Perro affirmed that he had not sold this land to any before this
time."{sic}220
"parcel of land lying and being on the west side of the Kill Van
Coll, beginning at the mouth of a certain creek named
Waweayack, (Bound Creek), upon the bay side; and from
thence running up the said creek to the head of the cove, and
from thence westward to the foot of the (Newark) Mountain,
called by the Indians Watchung; thence running along the said
foot of the mountain, until it meets by an east line with a small
river coming from the hills into Passaic River, named
Jantucuck, (3rd river,) from thence running down Passaic
river, and Arthur Kull Bay, till it meets with the mouth of
Waweayack, as above said."{sic}221
200
These limits formed the original township of Newark, and
contain the present township of Newark and the townships of
Springfield, Livingston, Orange, Bloomfield, and Caldwell. The
price of the purchase was L130 (pounds) New England currency,
12 Indian blankets, and 12 Indian guns. It must have been
satisfactory to every townsman to know that every foot of land
lying within the bounds was honestly and openly purchased from
its original proprietors. However unjustly the aborigines may have
been dealt with elsewhere, no act of this group can be pointed to
with the slightest reproach by the most jealous advocate of Indian
rights.222
[
My response to this statement is: "Yes, the meets and bounds
were clearly defined, but the price paid for the purchase, vast as
the territory was and is, was still not a fair bargain for the
Indians." This earlier historian was trying to establish that their
purchase was much more fair than Captain John Baker's
purchases.
201
to any other military or civil office." But all others admitted to be
planters, were allowed to inherit and to enjoy all other privileges,
save from those above excepted. Disregarding the rights of the
English proprietors of New Jersey, (meaning the Carteret's), and
apparently with a resolution of disclaiming all fealty towards
them, and of depending on their Indian grants, they resolved: "to
be ruled by such officers as the town should annually chose from
among themselves, and to be governed by the same laws as they
had, in the places from whence they came."223 [I'd say a pretty
strong headed group of Englishmen, wouldn't you?]
202
`2nd. We shall with Care and Diligence provide for the
maintenance of the purity of Religion professed in the
Congregational Churches. Whereunto subscribed the Inhabitants
from Branford:
227Ibid p. 176
204
We also can assume that many of these families were people that
had made the voyage with Thomas Baker and the Daytons to
Milford and New Haven in 1639. We know that Nathaniel Wheeler
along with Thomas baker was one of the founders of Milford,
Connecticut. However, the real thrilling result of this particular
information was finding the family TOMPKINS, which you will find
in a chapter to follow, becoming part of our family tree. We also
know that, shortly thereafter, the Hinds (Haynes) family moved
from Elizabeth Town to this settlement and joined these people at
Newark.
205
daughter of Micah Tompkins as a gift to the wife of the Indian
chieftain, was the turning point in the transaction.229
In a future chapter you will discover that a daughter of this
family became the wife of Stephen Baker, from whom we of this
line, all descend.
206
207
13
THE NEIGHBORS AT RAHWAY
231 Ibid, p. 9
208
feature of settlement, but also a natural boundary line separating
lots, settlements, and counties.232
232 Ibid, p. 9
233 Ibid, p. 9
234 Ibid, p. 9
209
he constructed the first bridge in the area over "Mill Brook", the
name given to the south branch of the river, at approximately the
same place as the present day Hazelwood Avenue bridge.235
With the growth of the mills and roads, it would appear that
steady progress was being made in clearing and cultivating the
land. This progressive area attracted more and more settlers, so
235 Ibid, p. 10
236 Ibid, p. 10
237 Ibid, p. 10
210
that, in 1687, a second division of common lands was necessitated.
John Conger, Jonathan Bishop, and eight other citizens were
appointed to make the new divisions, as the land had not been
altered since the first division was made by the original associates.
238
By the late 1600's the Rahway area was well on its way to
becoming a thriving and important part of the New Jersey Colony.
Like any growing settlement, the Rahway area found it needed
leaders to guide its progress. Capt. John Bishop was the first
president of the town court, serving from 1688 to 1700. The first
constable was Robert Wright who served four years (1689-93), after
which he was succeeded by Noah Bishop.239
The first legal suit in the Rahway area was initiated in 1693.
Charges were brought against John Conger and Noah Bishop, who
had been engaged to protect the timber on the common lands. It
was their assignment to prosecute anyone in Rahway or adjacent
places who illegally cut the trees. They made a mistake one
afternoon, however, when they discovered and removed timber from
land they thought was public. As it turned out, the land was not
public nor was the wood. The suit was brought against them by
Thomas Thorp for removing some of his dressed timbers. Thorp
won the suit and the town agents had to pay the fees.
238 Ibid, p. 11
239 Ibid, p. 10 - 11
211
their own house of worship. In 1742 a Quaker group left the
Friends in Woodbridge and had a meeting hall constructed by 1757.
240
240 Ibid, p. 11
241 Ibid, p. 11
212
captured Princeton on the morning of January 3, 1777. He then
moved his troops to Pluckamin where they stopped for two or three
days. The British had been routed and they pulled their troops in
the area all together at New Brunswick, to provide a concentration
of their forces and to guard their large supply of stores at that place.
On Monday the 6th. Washington removed his weary troops to
Morristown to give his troops some rest and to watch his panic
stricken foe.
If Spank Town had never had the name before it was entitled
to it from this time certainly on account of the SPANKING rate at
which Maxwell came down from the Short Hills with his militia and
punished the rear of the retreating enemy. The field report of this
affair is taken from a letter dated at Philadelphia, January 16,
1777.
214
John Bishop, Sr. was a carpenter by trade. Like his many
associates, he held several prominent offices in the Woodbridge, but
is not mentioned in the records in any way to throw light on his
character. He had first settled in Newbury, Massachusetts and it
was there he married on October, 1647, Rebecca, widow of Samuel
Scullard, daughter of Richard Kent, by whom he had eight children,
all born before he arrived at Woodbridge. He died in October,
1684.244
215
meetings held by the Friends in this area were among the earliest
established in New Jersey.
The Friends organized the first school in the area. It was built
in 1785 on the same lot as the meetinghouse. It was a one storey
structure, twenty feet by thirty feet in size and fronted on the road.
216
The Quaker congregation continued to grow and in 1804
another meetinghouse was built on Irving Street at the head of
Poplar. Isaac Vail, a descendant of John Vail, was instrumental in
the building of this hall. A new schoolhouse was erected on a lot
just south of the meetinghouse. The school stood there until 1835
when a railroad came through necessitating the removal of the
building. The meetinghouse itself was sold and razed fifty-eight
years later.
217
218
14
WHO IS JONATHAN BAKER?
The search for Jonathan has been exhausting. Our forefathers named
many sons Jonathan. To run the ancestry and descent for each has taken
countless days of reading and searching at many locations. Hedges, the great
historian from East Hampton, has recorded that his father, Jacob, appears to
have left Long Island and was in New Jersey by 1746. He says no more than
that as he closes the facts on grandsire Jacob. As stated earlier in this volume,
we have Jacob as a Tanner at Elizabeth Town and have presented his will and
his death in 1774. In collaboration with a cousin, Dean McCulley, who
descends from the line of Isaac, we now have information supplied that tends to
provide some light on the movement of the family. Dean went to The Later Day
Saints Archives in Salt Lake, a source I had never used, and the following
information helps to fill a gap. It also fits in well with the Orrin Baker history
which stated that his grandsire moved from Fishkill to Delaware County.
B2093 Jonathan Baker for a Pension regarding the Act of June 7th,
1832.
Matthew Hulcottt, Esq. Hulcottsville, NY
State of New York
Ulster County
On this 14th Day of May 1834 personally appeared before Henry
Wynkoff one of the Lawyers of the County Courts of said County, Jonathan
Baker a Resident of the Town of Shandaken in the County of Ulster and State
219
of New York aged 82 years and being first Duly Sworn according to Law Oath
and his Oath make the following Declaration in and to obtain the benefits
commanded by the Act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832. That he entered
the Service of the United States and served as herein after stated:
Shortly after receiving the news of the affair he again volunteered his
Service for the term of three months under one Captain Newel and immediately
marched for New Haven where the Company was Stationed to guard the place
220
and Continued there until the expiration of the three months for which he
volunteered. During all which time this Declarant was in the Service of the
United States and said Company under the Command of the aforesaid Captain
Newel. This Declarant further says that he does not now recollect that the
Company to which he belonged ever joined any Regiment or boarded with any
During this tour of Service, neither can he at this time tell what Colonel had the
Command of the Station at this time, as he does not now Recollect of ever
Seeing the Colonel during this period of three months the company was divided
into _______ and was quartered in private homes, and Newel was the Orderly
Sergeant at this time. In both the before mentioned tours of Service this
Declarant was a private Soldier.
221
the 8 months Service as before set forth the declaiment performed in person, but
in addition to the Service performed personally by him he had a substitute for
the term of 7 months. But for the 8 months personal Service he Claims a
Pension.
222
Said Judge further certifies that it appears to him that there is no Clergy man
residing in the Immediate vicinity of this applicant and that in consequences of
bodily infirmity he is unable to attend court to make the foregoing statements
and Declarations and the said Judge further CERTIFIES that Moses Winslow
and Barnabas Rider are Residents of the town of Shandaken in Said County of
Ulster and are Creditable persons and that their Statements are entitled to
Credit.
HENRY WYNKOFF one of the Judges of the
County Courts of the County of Ulster
223
without the Declaration which I did not receive. Will you have the goodness to
forward the Declaration to him in order that he may compare it with the record
in his office.
Respectfully Your Humble Servant
Matthew Holcott
On examination of the books of this office it appears that in June 1776 Two
Battalions were ordered to be raised by enlistment to join the Continental Army
in the Northern department, and to be holden in service until the first day of
December. That one of the said Battalions was under the command of Samuel
Mott as Colonel, William Worthington as Lieutenant Colonel and Iolus
Summer as Major- That the other of said Battalions was commanded by Henry
224
Swift Colonel, Iasiah Stair Lieutenant Colonel, Stillworthy Waters Major, That
Thaddeus Lacey was Captain of a Company in Col. Swift's battalion- That on
the 5th day of May 1777 Ebeneaser Lacy rendered on account for the amount
paid his company by the late Captain Thaddeus Lacey for procurement & first
month wages the $695.00 which sum was charged to the United States-
No pay rolls of said service in this office.
Certified by-Rogertt Huntington
Comptroller of Public Accounts
POWER OF ATTORNEY
For ascertaining whether any increase or arrears of Pension are due the Widow
or heirs of Revolutionary Pensioners, etc.*__
225
Government and State Officers MY rights in all and in any manner of claim for
increase of Pension or Land, that may be due me as HEIR of Jonathan Baker
who died leaving the same undrawn, as in right of law HE and I may be
entitled.
In WITNESS WHEREOF, She has on this 15th day of September 1852
hereunto signed her name and affixed the seal.
Her
RACHEL X CANNIFF (SEAL)
Witness: Matthew Griffin Mark
DeWitt Griffin
Signed , sealed, acknowledged, and sworn to before me; and I further certify,
that SHE has always by the community been known as the DAUGHTER of
JONATHAN BAKER
Dated on this 15th day of September 1852.
HIRAM COOKE J.P.
226
The word Thomas Smith stricken and that of Hiram Cook written by County.
signed Matthew Griffin. (It probably means that a former Justice of The Peace
had preassigned some documents that were never used, it however could have
cast some doubt in Washington as to the validity of this claim ?)
It appears that Rachel may have heard something negative about her
appointment of Power of Attorney with Mr. Hassler as the next document is
dated October 12th, 1852 we find the following:
227
exclusive benefit, the certificate which may be issued for said claim, which
certificate I wish made payable at the New York City, N.Y. Agency;to appoint
one or more substitutes under him for the purpose herein expressed,and to do all
things that I might or could do were I personally present. Hereby ratifying and
confirming all that my said Attorney Agent shall lawfully do in the premises.
Her
Rachel X Canniff
His Mark Her
Abraham X Baker Mercy X Kelly
Mark Mark
SWORN to, Subscribed and Acknowledged before me the day and year
above written, and I hereby certify that I believe the said Rachel Canniff,
Abraham Baker & Mercy Kelly to be directly interested in said claim as set
forth, and to be the identical party's therein alleged.
Witness:
Matthew Griffin E.I. Osterhoudt Justice of the Peace
It Is Hereby Certified, that satisfactory evidence has been exhibited before me,
Clerk of Court of Delaware County that Rachel Canniff, Abraham Baker and
Mercy Kelly the party who has sworn to, and acknowledged the foregoing
Declaration and Power of Attorney is the Identical Children of Jonathan Baker
reputed soldier aforesaid, I further certify that E.I. Osterhoudt Esq. before
whom the preceding affidavit and Power of Attorney were made and
acknowledged, was, at the time of so doing. a Justice of the Peace, in and for the
said County, and that the signature purporting to be his, I believe to be genuine.
In Testimony Whereof. I have hereunto set my hand
and affixed the seal of Office the 15th day of
228
October 1852
Signed: Wm McCloughrey, Clerk
The Words Washington City DC deleted
and New York City N.Y. added above
duly executed and added by:
William Griffin
Know all men by these present, That I Rachel Canniff of the County of
Delaware and the State of New York do hereby Constitute and appoint H.H.
Bostwick, of Auburn, N.Y. my true and lawful attorney, irrevocable, for me and
in my behalf to prosecute my claim for whatever Pension Benefits I may be
entitled to, as one of the children of Jonathan Baker, deceased, on account of his
military services in the Revolutionary War. And to receive such certificate as
may be issued, and to appoint one or more attorneys under him for the purposes
aforesaid, hereby revoking any power of attorney which may have been
heretofore given, and confirming all things that my attorney, the said H.H.
Bostwick, may lawfully do in the premises.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 6th day of
November A.D. 1854
Witness:
John BeadleHer
229
Orin BakerRachel X Canniff
Mark
Acknowledged before me the day and year last above written. And I certify that
I am not interested or concerned in the prosecution or result of this case. And
that I am satisfied that the said Rachel Canniff is one of the children of the said
Jonathan Baker, deceased.
Signed: John Beadle, Justice of the Peace
230
success with other claims as Auburn is a great distance from Shandaken. Why
there are three years from his appointment until he takes action is strange.
Mr. Bostwick's letter produceds results as, fifteen days later, the
Secretary of State's office in Boston produced the following.
COMMONWEALTH Of MASSACHUSETTS
Secretary's Office
August 29th, 1857
I HEREBY CERTIFY, That from an examination of the
Books and Documents relating to Military Service in the
War of the Revolution, which remains in the Department,
it appears that the name of Jonathan Baker is born on pay roll of Capt. Samuel
Clark's Comp. Col. Powell's Regt. Berkshire County from July 22nd to Aug.
26, 1779. 1 Month 12 days, travel included as private, service at New Haven.
Also on pay roll of Capt. Abraham Andrews Comp. Col. Ephriam How's Regt.
from July 27 to Oct. 30, 1780. 3 Months, 7 days as private from Middlesex
County.
Also on pay roll of Capt. John Reed's Comp. Col. Samuel McCobb's Regt.
raised for the defense of the Eastern part of Massachusetts from Sept 14 to Dec
1, 1781, 2 Months 18 days as private. Capt. Reed of Falmouth, now in Maine.
Also enlisted in Capt. Joseph Bates Comp. Lt. Col. John Brook's Regt. April 2,
1781 for duration of War, as private.
Also on "List of Final Settlement"
in Lt. Col. Commandant of John Brooks
Regt. as follows viz:
NO. 10276 Jany 1, 1782 $54.55
NO. 10752 Jany 1, 1784 $80.00
231
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal
of the Commonwealth, the date above written,
FRANCIS H._____ Secretary of the Commonwealth
This document does verify the statement that he enlisted from Lanesbourgh in
Berkshire County. It also displays how many of the Revolutionary War soldiers
enlisted for short terms of service. Many went home and planted the crops and
then enlisted until harvest time. It appears he probably volunteered for the
duration at the end, but as the war was far south by that time, he no doubt saw
no service, but may have been paid as a volunteer.
232
PENSION OFFICE
Sept. 8, 1857
Sir,
The Certificate of the Secretary of State of Massachusetts, filed by you
as evidence for the pension case of Jonathan Baker, deceased, of New York,
under the Act of War, describes service of Jonathan Baker in 1779 under Capt.
Samuel Clark's of one month and twelve days in duration. The service
described by the claimant as having been performed by him in 1779, he alleges
to have been of three months duration under Capt. Newell and stated ____
______ orderly sergeant.
(The last paragraph is not readable but appears to say that the service
described by the Secy. of State does not agree with Jonathan's statements when
82 years old and further evaluation is needed.)
I Am Most Respectfully
Your _____ Servant
George C. Whiting
Commissioner
H.H. Bostwick, Esq.
Auburn, N. York
COMMONWEALTH of MASSACHUSETTS
Secretary's Office, Boston
Sept. 14th 1857
233
Department it appears that the Roll of Capt. Ebenezer Newell's Comp. for the
year 1779 is not found in this office.
Some of the soldiers who served with Jonathan Baker in Capt. Samuel Clark's
Company in 1779 served also in Capt. Ebenezer Newell's Company in 1777.
Jacob Werd served in both Companies in 1777 and 1779.
This letter is not disclaiming Jonathan's statements, but just states the
records are not in this office, yet they go on to state that there were soldiers that
served in both units.
234
The next letter on file:
Auburn, NY Dec. 15th 1858
The last letter in the file is evidently written in his own hand as Mr. DeMott has
evidently retired, deceased or-
235
Your early attention to the case will be esteemed a favor.
Yours truly,
H.H. Bostwick 247
This seems to be the end of the claim process. The government has now
stalled since the 14th. day of May 1834, a period ternty-five years, three months,
and seventeen days since Rachel informed the government that a pension was
due the children of Jonathan Baker, the Revolutionary War private. The whole
basis for the denial of this pension was probably the confusion over the
statement made by our great-grandsire, who was born in 1752 or 1757, as to his
service record in his deposition taken when he was eighty-two or seventy-seven
years old. One must remember that enlistment, draft, or discharge records were
not as well-organized as they are in our day and many records were simply not
available. However, the statement that he was on the Pay Rolls and had a Final
Settlement, written on the Letterhead of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
and dated August 29, 1857, should have satisfied the Commissioner of
Pensions. Why it did not is just another question in my genealogical research.
But, to get back to the vexing question of who was Jonathan Baker,
I had made the assumption when searching for our Jonathan that he was born
about 1760. After sixteen years of research and the study of every Jonathan
Baker known, I have no doubt that he is our grandsire. No other Jonathan fits
the known facts and all other Jonathans have listed children that are not our line.
Yet, there are perplexing questions about him.
We know he is the son of Jacob. He spent his youth and early manhood
in Elizabeth Town, East Jersey, living beside his relatives the Ogdens and the
Woodruffs as well as the Haines (Haynes) next door, whom he again had as
236
neighbors at Shandaken, New York. He was a minor in his father, Jacob's, will
in 1774 as were all of Jacob's children, excepting his first born son, David. This
also supports Jonathan's enlistment in Elizabeth Town at age of twenty-one
years in May of 1778, making his birth 1757 or 1756 depending on his birth
month. Jonathan, in his own declaration, stated he was born in Fredricktown,
Dutchess County, New York which substantiates my assumption that Jacob did
leave the Westfield-Elizabeth Town area after his son David was born in 1749.
Jacob's will and the map of Elizabeth Town confirms the family did return to
Elizabeth Town. Jacob died between the making of his will the 29th. of January,
1774 and the 1st. of March, 1774. The church records at Elizabeth Town verify
his death and burial as February 13, 1774. Elizabeth Town was very much a
devastated, deserted area during the year 1776 and 1777. After Jacob's death,
his wife, Deborah Jean Baker, evidently returned to the safety of Massachusetts
or Dutchess County with her family, rather than follow the population of
Elizabeth Town which sought shelter from the British soldiers in the mountains
west of the coastal plains.
237
His duty here was much different than his duty in Massachusetts and
Connecticut in 1776. There they had only marched from one location to another
with no contact with the enemy. In Jersey they found the enemy everywhere.
He probably had second thoughts about his enlistment and thought about his
mother and young sisters back north. He possibly joined the ranks of the
deserters and returned to his mother and family. The microfilm records in
Trenton do not list him among the deserters, but do list many who deserted
because of hunger, fear, lack of pay, etc.. If he did desert, he had engaged in a
punishable act if the Colonies won the cause.
From the earlier depositions we know he again enlisted for a short tour
of duty in reaction to the plundering of New Haven in 1779. Daughter Rachel's
deposition of the 17th. of September, 1852, states that Jonathan married her
mother Sarah in 1779. This statement, however, is in error. Sarah was the only
mother she may have remembered, but Jonathan's first wife was a Margaret.
whom he may have married in 1779, and had two children, Stephen, born in
1782, and herself, born in 1785. Margaret, evidently died and Jonathan had two
children. In 1790 he returned to Elizabeth Town and, as I found recorded in the
old Essex County archives, sold his one-half interest in his father Jacob's
property to Elisha Bond, whom you will find as his co-owner on the Map of
Elizabeth Town, earlier in this volume. You will remember Jonathan and his
brother William, both minors in Jacob's will, had inherited the property on
reaching twenty-one years of age. William had evidently sold his half to Mr.
Bond earlie and now Jonathan was disposing of his half, as he now had interests
in New York. Even though Margaret was dead, he signed off on the title to Mr.
Bond, as Jonathan and Margaret Baker. Probably Mr. Bond wanted to ensure
clear title to the property and requested Margaret be mentioned in the purchase.
Jonathan had probably brought his two, small children with him to visit his
aunts, the Ogdens and the Woodruffs, who lived adjacent to his property.
While he was down visiting old neighbors and relatives, as well as selling his
238
interest in Jacob's former property, he met Sarah Jarvis of Rahway and they
married.
239
The church I visited, however, was the second building of this
congregation; the first building was on the grounds of the Rahway Cemetery,
near the graves of Gitty Baker and husband, Job Clark, as explained on page 2
of the book I had purchased.
Jonathan, Sarah, and two small children, Stephen and Rachel, return to
his property, probably in Dutchess County, as their next two children, Isaac and
Abraham, both list their place of birth on later census records as Dutchess
County. This also confirms the reason for the eight- year period when no
children were born to Jonathan. Jonathan's children are listed to add credence to
these assumptions.
Rachel made the statement that her mother, Sarah, died in 1827.
However, we now know Sarah was her stepmother, as is confirmed above.
From the depositions in this chapter and later information, which you will read
about in future chapters, the family spent part of their earlier lives living in
western Massachusetts, Dutchess County, New York, and at Fishkill. We
cannot, however, assume that the village of Fishkill today was where they
resided since, in Colonial times, the area defined as Fishkill was a vast area that
240
reached from Westchester County to Hyde Park. We can declare that Jonathan
was born at Fredrickstown, but spent most of his youth at his father Jacob's
property at Elizabeth Town until his mother fled the area in 1776. We know
from Rachel's deposition that the family lived for eight years at Fishkill, or at
least, Dutchess County, as several children list their places of birth as Dutchess
County on later census records, before the move to Middletown Township of
Delaware County, New York.
241
property where they lived. The family history of Orrin L. Baker states that the
family from whom he descends, which is Stephen Sr. above, moved to
Shandaken Township in April of 1826, to the site of the "Old Baker Farm" of
today. This is also the family from which I descend. In Jonathan's deposition he
stated that he moved to Shandaken in the spring of 1829. I believe he moved at
the same time as son Stephen and his family moved, as per Orrin L. Baker's
history. Son Isaac, had moved to Green County, which is verified by his
children's declaration as being born in that county. Son Abraham, however,
stays at Middletown and will still be found there with his family as late as a
New York State census of 1855. Rachel stated in a deposition that her mother,
Sarah, died on the 8th. of October in 1827, which is only eighteen months after
moving to Shandaken Township. Where shall we bury Sarah? We have two
infant, unnamed daughters buried back at Margaretville, but we now live here.
There are no graveyards in this remote area.
Jonathan and his two daughters Rachel and Mercy, along with Stephen
and Sallary. evaluate the situation. There are others of our neighbors also here
along the Dry Brook stream, and we now have a new community here.
Possibly we should consider a burial grounds down along the Dry Brook. A
spot was picked out along the trail that ran along the Dry Brook, at a serene spot
along the stream with trees along its bank. It was a quite, restfull location, with
the sound of rushing water as it raced on down the mountain towards
Middletown, from whence we came. Here Sarah Jarvis Baker was buried in
1827. And her burial became the beginning of a new burial grounds.
Her death left Jonathan living alone at age 70. His two daughters,
Rachel and Mercy, have both married and are living on the same mountain.
Isaac, his son in Broom County, decideds that to come and join his brother
242
Stephen and his family on the Baker property and provide a home for his aged
father. We therefore find Isaac on the 1830 census at Shandaken, with his wife
three children and his father, Jonathan, listed as a male in his 70's, in his
household.
Isaac's brother, Stephen, died in April of 1834. The family records only
state that he was buried down on the lower end of what is now identified as the
Woods Cemetery. He was buried down on the Dry Brook burial grounds near
his step mother Sarah J..
Sally carried on with the operation of the farm, along with Isaac.
Stephen's son, Stephen T., married a neighbor's daughter, Delight Crook, and
their first son, Nelson, was born in 1834. He is my great-grandfather. They are
either living on the same farm or an adjacent piece of property. Jonathan died in
June 1842, as recorded in his daughter Rachel's deposition in regard to his War
Pension benefits. He was buried down by his wife Sarah J. and close by is the
grave of son, Stephen Sr..
In 1998 I, along with cousins Robert Vredenburgh and his son Joe, from
Binghamton, New York, placed a stone with Stephen's information at one of the
bluestone field markers in the lower end of the Woods Cemetery. We could not
confirm which bluestone marked his grave, but selected the one that was
separated from three other blue stone markers. At that time we did not have any
recollection of who else might be buried there. It was not until Sunday
243
afternoon, on April 3, 2000, as I was working on the final editing of this
chapter, that I came to the revelation of whom the other blue stone markers
were for.
Sarah Jarvis Baker, second wife of Jonathan, who died on the 8th. of
October, 1827, was the first bluestone marker in the Woods Cemetery, down
along the Dry Brook stream.
Stephen Baker, Sr., died in April of 1834 and is buried to the left of
Sarah leaving room for Jonathan beside Sarah.
244
Jonathan died in June of 1842 and is buried beside Sarah J. down by the
Dry Brook beside his wife and near his son.
Little Juliaetta died on June 2, 1860 and was buried beside her great- grand-
mother, Sarah. Thus, the fourth Baker burial down in the burial grounds, along
the Dry Brook stream was now identified. However, after Sally made the
request and to be buried up on the mountain top, overlooking her own property,
Orrin and Eunice removed little Juliaetta's body from the grave in the Woods
Cemetery and buried her beside her grandmother. This now makes the family
records correct; little Juliaetta was buried beside her grandmother. Orrin and
Eunice determined they would also be buried at this new location on their
deaths. Such was the beginning of the Baker Cemetery on the old Baker farm.
In another chapter we will list the people who now rest from their labors in this
private cemetery on the top of the mountain on the old Baker farm, at the head
of Old Baker Road, with an address of Arkville, New York.
The new grave markers for Stephen, Sally, and Juliaetta were all paid
for by funds from the Baker Reunion now in its 94th. year in the year 2000.
The grave markers for Jonathan and Sarah Jarvis Baker were paid for by
my family: Mavis and myself, Lee C. Baker, and our three sons, David,
Michael, and Brent. All have been to a Baker family reunion and walked on the
hallowed ground of our Shandaken connection. The graves of Jonathan and
Sarah Jarvis Baker and Stephen Sr. are now all identified in the Woods
Cemetery down on the Dry Brook stream, in Shandaken Township and Sally T.
Baker and little Juliaetta's graves are up on the mountain top.
245
We can now say, not "Who is Jonathan Baker?", but this is our
grandsire born in 1757 and deceased in June of 1842 at 85 years of age. Two
infant daughters were probably buried down on a hill overlooking the present
village of Margaretville, Delaware County, New York, the site they moved to in
the late 1790's. He was the son of Jacob Baker, 1706-1774. Jonathan had two
wives. Margaret, who gave him two children, Stephen and Rachel, and Sarah
J., who gave him six children, three sons, Abraham, Isaac, and Joshua, and three
daughters, Mercy and two others, who died as infants.
There were many unanswered questions, which I can now clarify at this
time. There are more bluestone grave markers down in the Woods Cemetery,
which can now also be identified. It is evident that Sarah J. Baker had kept a
record of her family for us as had Sally T. Baker. Their personal records were
never located, however, the wife of Ozias Baker, whom you shall hear more
about in a future chapter, did transpose the facts from their parchments, which
she probably felt would not survive for future generations. I will not reproduce
her total recordings in this chapter, but only deal with the family members who
are buried in this same burial ground, called today, The Woods Cemetery. Her
records make it possible to identify the balance of the graves in this cemetery
that were marked with bluestone slabs. These graves with old, bluestone
markers and also new engraved stones are:
Jonathan, born 1757 - died June 1842
Sarah J., Abt. 1760 - 8 Oct. 1827
son Stephen Sr., 1782 - 15 April 1834
246
The children of Stephen Sr. and Sally Tompkins Baker, still with only
blue stone markers are:
Juliaetta, 25 May 1857 - 2 June 1860 (However this small child was
moved to the Old Baker Farm Cemetery after the death of her grand mother
Sally, on June 30, 1860, and now has an engraved marker.)
This now accounts for all the Baker burials with bluestone grave
markers at the lower end of the Woods Cemetery, in Dry Brook Hollow.
These statements are all substantiated by the pertinent facts that have
been gathered over the past sixteen years. Recorded information by family
members were not plentiful at this location. Many people that moved to remote
areas without schools never learned to read and write. This is evident by many
legal documents only being signed by an "X", identified as their Mark. We are
grateful to both Sarah Jarvis Baker and Sally Tompkins Baker who did record
the births and deaths of their children. We also need to include Nora Graham
Baker, wife of Ozias, who transcribed this information, which has survived to
this day, and can be found in the files of Donald Odell and his wife Phyllis, who
own and live on the old Baker farm. Phyllis is Nora's granddaughter.
247
brackets. The early years of New Jersey census were all lost, so that source was
no help. Our family research in the 1810 and 1820 census for New York
produced no information. The probable reason why our family did not show up
on any records for those years was because they chose not to be enumerated.
The rich land barons in this area were claiming title to the land, with circuit
riders collecting their rent. Our ancestors avoided the census hoping they could
avoid paying rent. A future chapter will relate to the Anti-Rent War with which
our family was involved in more than a small way.
248
249
15
THE JONATHAN I. BAKER
CONFUSION
To the reader of this chapter, please be informed that this
person is not our line of descent. He was related and just one of
the many, many Jonathans that had to be researched. However,
with his location and birth all being parallel, he was considered as
our Jonathan for a period of time.
250
God) do make and publish this my Last Will and Testament, in
the manner following, that is to say-
First it is my Will, and I do order, that all my just debts be paid as
soon as may be after my decease- ITEM, I give and bequeath unto
the persons hereafter named the following specific legacies, to be
paid to them respectfully within one year after my decease, or if
any of them should be minors at the time their legacies may
become due and payable,the same shall be paid to their legal
guardian or guardians appointed by the Court. viz- To my
grandson Jonathan I. Baker, son of my son Jesse C. Baker
deceased, I give and bequeath Five Hundred Dollars- To David
Baker also the son of my son Jesse C. Baker, deceased, a certain
note (for One Thousand Dollars) which I hold against Ezra
Fairchild, together with all the interest that may be due thereon,
charging my Grandson David Baker with Five Hundred Dollars,
which I order my Executors to deduct from his share of the
residue of my estate hereafter bequeathed to him-To my
granddaughter Margaret Cory, I give and bequeath Fifty Dollars-
Should any of my above named grand children die, without lawful
issue, and before they receive their above legacy, or legacies, the
same shall be paid to their surviving brother or brothers, sister or
sisters,in equal proportions-I give and bequeath to my daughter
Harriet, wife of John Squire, Fifty Dollars and her receipt for the
same to my Executors, or either of them shall be a full discharge
for her legacy-I give and bequeath to the Presbyterian Church of
Westfield Fifty Dollars, to be paid to the Trusties of said Church
for the use thereof-I order and direct my Executors hereinafter
named, to sell all my estate, both real and personal, at their
discretion, and in such time and manner as they may judge most
conducive to the interest of my estate, but within three years after
my decease; and I do hereby authorize and empower my
Executors, the actor or actors, or survivor of them, to give good
and sufficient conveyances in law, to the purchaser or purchasers
of the same; and the proceeds of such sales, together with my
personal estate after paying as above directed I order and direct
my Executors to divide into five equal shares or parts, and pay the
same hereafter directed, viz-To my daughter Charity wife of
William Cory and her heirs one equal fifth part-To the children of
my late son Jesse C. Baker, deceased, and their heirs, one equal
251
fifth part, to be divided equally among them-To my daughter
Mary, wife of Ezra Drake, and her heirs one equal fifth part-To the
children of my daughter Gitty, wife of Job Clark, a certain House
and Lot situated in Rahway, which I purchased of their father, the
said Job Clark, charging the children of the said Gitty with the
sum of Two Thousand Dollars, without any interest thereon until
my decease-My said daughter Gitty to have the use of the said
House and Lot during her life. I also give to the children of Gitty
an equal fifth part of the proceeds of the sale of the whole of my
estate, deducting from their share the Two Thousand Dollars
aforesaid-To the children of my daughter Harriet wife of John
Squire, I also give and bequeath the remaining equal fifth part-
And should any of my grand children, to whom I have herein
given or bequeathed any share of the residue of my estate, die,
before the same is paid to them or their guardian or guardians,
and without lawful issue, the share or shares of them,or such of
them so dying, shall be paid to their surviving brother or brothers,
sister or sisters equally-And further it is my will that my daughter
Gitty,( wife of Job Clark) and Harriet, wife of John Squire, shall
receive during their lives the interest of the several shares of my
estate, to which their children may be entitled, in the division of
my estate as aforesaid-And before my Executors shall pay to any
of the children of my said Gitty and Harriet or their guardian or
guardians, as the case may be, their respective share or shares of
my estate, or any part thereof, the said children, each and every
one of them, their guardian or guardians, shall secure to the full
satisfaction of their respective mothers, the interest of the several
shares which they may receive of my estate during the life time of
the said daughters Gitty and Harriet- And on the neglect or
refusal of any of the said children of my said daughters Gitty and
Harriet, their guardian or guardians, so to secure the interest as
aforesaid to their respective mothers, for two years after my
decease, the share or shares of the one or more so neglecting to
pay the interest afore said shall be paid to his, her or their
mother-The children of my daughter Gitty shall receive the same
equally-and also the children of my daughter Harriet, shall
likewise receive the same equally, males and females alike-Item-
All bonds, notes, book accounts or other evidence of debt which I
hold against any of my children or their husbands, or against any
252
of my grand children, whether outlawed or not, shall be charged
to them respectively; but no interest shall be reckoned on them
prior to my decease; and the amount of such claims against my
children or their husbands or my grand children shall fall into my
estate, and be divided amongst my children and grand children as
heretofore ordered and directed. Neither shall any interest be
allowed to any of my children or their husbands prior to my
decease, for any amount they or any of them, may have against
my estate_ Item- I hereby nominate and appoint my trusty friend
Dennis Coles and my son-in-law Ezra Drake, Executors of this my
Last Will and Testament. In testimony whereof, I here unto set
my hand and seal, this tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty Three.
Jonathan I. Baker (Seal)
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the
said Jonathan I. Baker, to be His Last Will
and Testament in the presence of us:
In the 13th line of this will, the words
"for One Thousand Dollars" shall be interlined.
Sign, sealed, published and declared the same
to be the Last Will & Testament.
William Abell
James Coles
Susan Coles
It is very evident from his will that he was a man that was
very sharp mentally at age 85. His signatures on the will and first
codicil are clear and in good form. The will and codicil were
dictated to a scribe as it is not in his own hand. Upon the read
back to him, you will see in the statement of the witnesses that he
wanted the particular note that is a legacy to grandson David to
be specified as being for "One Thousand Dollars" and in the first
Codicil he wanted it specified that Gideon Ross, Esq. was only to
act if his first nominees could not act. May we all be as sharp
when we reach 85 years of age. However, the signature six
months later is a shaking signature, evidence that his health had
changed. He died in March about six weeks later at the age of 86
years.
Life had not been kind to Gitty who was born on November
5, 1795.
255
She had married Job Clark who was five years her senior. Her
first daughter, Elizabeth, was born October 15, 1815 before her
twentieth birthday. Mary B. was born on May 5, 1821 and died
when seven years old on Oct. 2, 1828. Rachel A. was born August
24, 1823. Caroline was born June 16, 1828. Mary S. was born
March 27, 1831. She died before her grandfather on January 16,
1844 and Kezia was born April 23, 1834. It appears that the girls
were not the marrying kind as all are buried beside their parents
on a family plot with a sizable, pyramidal monument on which are
memorialized the entire family, each having a small flat
headstone. It may also have been that the girls, Elizabeth, who
lived to be over 75 years, Rachel, who lived for 72 years, and
Keziah, who lived for 57 years, may have requested that they be
buried on the family plot, even though they may have married.
The only reason I say this is that a Rachel A. Clark deposited
$100 with the Rahway Cemetery Assoc. on Sept. 6, 1902 for
perpetual care of Lot 56. It doesn't appear the family was
destitute from the monument.
I do not list this inventory as it is not our direct line. However, for
any reader of this history that may descend from Jonathan I.
Baker and is interested in this matter, it may be found in the
State Library archives in Trenton, New Jersey. It totaled
$17,863.54.
256
This document tells much. Jonathan I. Baker was a
prominent man in the community. He was acting as a personal
banker loaning money to many people, not just his own family. It
also displays that he was a good record keeper. I wondered as I
entered this information on April 18, 1992, just after having paid
our Income Tax, what might have been the burden on the people
back in those days that required a fair number of them to borrow
money on April 1st. ? It is also interesting to note that two small
advances were made in late February only days before his death.
257
Such is the information for Jonathan I. Baker, son of Henry
and Phebe Baker, grandson of Daniel Baker of East Hampton,
Long Island. All are part of the descendants of Thomas Baker, but
not our direct line. However, I include the information in this text
as someone in this line may use our history as a reference source
and my efforts to locate our Jonathan will help them solve the
same dilemma which I encountered.
258
259
16
THE RETREAT TO THE
CATSKILLS
261
of existence with so worthy a record, as that of the Friends,
socially, morally and spiritually." 248
Of particular interest to us in his statement, is that he mentioned
two families, the Bakers and also the Briggs, which will soon
become part of our family, at Middletown, where we had found
Jonathan in the 1800 Census.
At exactly what date which families made the move was not
possible to put together. We can confirm by future census records
that some of the neighbors that had lived at Elizabeth Town,
Newark, Rahway, and the Woodbridge areas of Jersey were also to
be associated in the same area in the Catskill Mountains west of
Kingston. Some of the families include Gilletts, Bishops, Haynes,
Todds, Tomkins, and Lambs. It was likely that the Jersey people
started the journey at Bishop's Dock and took a river vessel up
the Hudson. They may have stopped to join others at Fishkill, or
they may have lived there for a time before the inland journey to
Middletown Township. We never will know.
249 Indorsed Land Papers, New York Public Library, Vol. 40 p.126
262
March 28, 1708, with Lord John Lovelace. England was engaged
with Queen Ann's War, the American phase of the Spanish
Succession, and Lovelace was involved in attempting to drive the
French from American soil. With all these problems, and Lovelace
becoming very ill on the crossing to New York ( he died shortly
thereafter) gloom fell over New Yorkers who feared the French
would conquer the territory. Hardenbergh had formed a company
of patentees to overshadow the fact that his patent would be not
limited to only 2000 acres.
263
family will purchase the old Baker farm in the Catskills from this
Laussat family line.
268
269
17
LIFE IN THE CATSKILLS
We could not establish exactly where Jonathan and Sarah
settled at Middletown, as all we had was the census record. We
can only assume it would have been in the valley along the East
Branch of the Delaware River. The census of 1800 tells us they
resided near Joshua Tompkins, as his family is on line 1288, and
Jonathan's family is on line 1289. Here, he and Sarah with their
four sons and three daughters started a new life.
270
where his in-laws lived, just northeast of Middletown, and had
two sons, George born in 1819, and son Dennison born in 1822.
271
found on his tomb stone later in this paragraph. It appears he
may have been the first of the family to move to Shandaken
Township as this is his location on this census.254 We can only
assume that the young couple upon marrying needed to establish
a home and most of the desirable lands at Middletown were
already occupied. People were becoming squatters on the
mountains east of there, which were all claimed by the large land-
owners of the patroon system. They had few assets, but could live
on the land until the Hardenbergh circuit rider found them. At
that time they would have to sign a lease. It was possible for
them, by hard work, to provide a home for themselves and a
growing family. The rest of the family may have helped them build
a log house and a lean-to for a few animals. Game was plentiful
for meat. Wild pigeons and fish were also easy to add to the table.
Bears roamed the area and provided meat and their skins
provided blankets and moccasins. Buttons could be whittled from
the trees that were cut down for fuel and to clear the land for
garden and crops. The young couple may have tired of the
struggle and after a few years decided to move east out of the
mountains, where more people were living. We found no
additional information on this family until I found the listing of
the removals, before the flooding of the Ashokan Reservoir, when
the Esopus was dammed. The inscription on his tombstone in a
cemetery on a hill west of the village of Woodstock gave us the
following information: Joshua Baker, Oct. 18, 1798 - April 13,
1879.255 There is no indication of a grave for his wife so we are left
with a question mark as to their lives after they evidently leave the
Shandaken area.
272
establish. I also believe that Jonathan, Sarah, Rachel, and Mercy
also moved at that time, even though Orrin L. does not mention
them in his short history. He also probably knew nothing about
Jonathan, other than the information that he was his grandsire.
Jonathan had died fifteen years before Orrin L. was born.
The basis for the assumption that Jonathan and Sarah also
made the move in 1826 is that both daughters, Rachel and Mercy,
became the wives of sons of neighbors the Canniffs and the
Kellys, living in the area. We never attempted to establish the
children for these two daughters. The most information we have
for them is their involvement in the pension benefit request for
Jonathan's Revolutionary War service, covered in a former
chapter.
Stephen and Sallery had moved to the area with Jane, an infant
three months old. On August 16, 1828 the family is increased
when their eleventh child, Lorza, is born. But again, death claims
one of the family, as son Elias, now nineteen years of age, died on
November 13, 1828. He was buried down in the Woods Cemetery
where they had buried Sarah the year before.
Stephen and Sally's family was again blessed with the birth
of daughter Emmaline on October 8, 1831. However, the grim
reaper again visited the family, as we find the death of Lorza on
February 19, 1832. Another grave was added to the Woods
Cemetery down by the Dry Brook. Life rushed on. Trees were
removed and stone fences were built as they prepared the soil so
they could plant more crops. Food was provided by gardening and
hunting and fishing.
275
farmers. New York City had discovered the fine butter that came
from the area. A few cows became a source of more from the land
than just a little wheat to carry down to Griffin's Corner and have
ground into flour and the vegetables for their own tables. This,
however, was before the advent of cream separators. A new
project, which was the women's work, was to pour the milk, after
the cows were milked, into large flat bowls and cool the milk until
the cream rose to the surface. They then carefully skimmed the
cream from the top and churned the cream into butter. After the
cream had been removed the skim milk was probably used in the
home or fed to any calves they may have had, or to the pigs, if
they were fortunate enough to have a few hogs. In order to have
the butter shipped to New York or other towns they had to have
containers. This is where the men were involved. They whittled
and shaped small tubs called firkins in which the butter was
placed. These firkins were placed in the cooling tank, which was
part of the spring fed water in the home, until they had enough to
make the journey to a collection place, which was probably at
Andes, which was one of the market villages. Andes became
known for butter probably because of Moses Earl, a prominent
farmer, who had a butter maid of considerable renown, which you
will read more about in the next chapter. After the cream had
been skimmed from the milk, the women had to wash and purify
the bowls for the next day's process. This they accomplished by
hanging the bowls on the outside, south wall of the home, where
the sun heated the metal containers and completely dried them
and eliminated the possibility of a bacterial build up, which would
have caused their milk to sour and not make sweet butter. The
spring, which provided the cooler in the house, also provided
water for the oxen and cattle just below the house on the next
terrace. Don has redirected this same spring water which today
supplies water for a fish pond in front of their new home.
276
Life and hard work continued on the mountainside for the
Baker families. Orrin, son of Stephen, Sr. and Sally Tompkins
Baker, took as his bride, Eunice Rider, daughter of Barnabas and
Sarah Rider, who had moved from Connecticut prior to 1830.
Eunice had an older brother named Luzerne. Orrin and Eunice's
first child, Sarah Ann, is born on February 18, 1852, followed by
seven more children: Lucinda in 1855, Juliaetta in 1857, Orrin L.
in 1859, Luzerne in 1861, Ida in 1864, Ozias in 1866, and Louise
in 1870. More information on this family and their offspring can
be found in the descendant chart at the end of this book.
279
was in the uncertain continuance of life. The whole face of
the country told the sad story."257
Drybrook
April the tenth 1887
280
and bin out ders awhile seting on a log awhiteling he says tell you
if he gets beter he is (the next page is missing). {sic}
Also:
Orin Age 36
Eunice Age 30
Sarah Age 3
Lusindey Age 1/12
Sally (Mother) Age 71
Emaline (Sister) Age 22258
258 New York State Census, 1855, District #2, Shandaken Twp.
281
Orrin and Eunice have two children and provide a home for
mother, Sally Tompkins Baker. Stephen and Delight have had
letters from Isaac and Ira, now in Wisconsin, and a decision is
made join them. Stephen and Delight had stayed on to assist
mother Sally with the family when Ira and Isaac had gone west, at
the time of the Anti-Rent War trials. Records at the courthouse in
Kingston revealed that Stephen had served as a witness to land
purchases on November 8, 1852, when Orrin purchased the Rider
property. Stephen and Delight felt comfortable to leave the young
family and his mother and sister now that the lands were secured
in the family name and ask mother, Sally, Orrin, and Eunice how
they felt about them leaving. Sally, Orrin, and Eunice gave them
theier blessings and they departed for Neosho, Wisconsin to join
the part of the family that departed in the fall of 1845, as you will
read about in the next chapter. To confirm their departure, which
happened immediately after the census of 1855, I had to review
the obituary of son, Nelson, my great-grandfather, in "The Kiester
Courier" of January, 1912, which supplied me with the
information on their leaving Shandaken and arriving in
Wisconsin. Did they go overland, by wagon, or did they use the
Erie Canal and the Great Lakes water route? We never will know.
284
285
18
ANTI-RENT WAR 1839-1845
286
ornamentation made from bits of tin or feathers. They also wore
vests of bright, calico material whenever they were out on
meetings or activities.
288
attempt forceably to rescue and put at large to go withersoever
they would the said Zera Preston and the other persons
hereinbefore named from the said Jail of the said County where
they were confined and detained upon the criminal charge
aforesaid to the evil example of all others in the like case made
and provided and against the peace of the people of the State of
New York and their dignaty. J.A. Hughston, Dist. Attorney {sic}
260
These are the authorities first legal action against the "Indians".
The summer of 1845 was hot and dry. Grasses and crops
failed to grow. It was at this time that an event happened which
brought a fatal explosion beside the Dingle Hill Road. Moses Earle
of Andes had refused to pay the $32 of yearly rent on his farm.
Delaware County was obliged to sell off enough of his cattle to
raise the back rent money. The sale was scheduled for July 29th.
The "Calico Indians" were there with guns tucked under their
gowns. It was made plain that if any bid was received and an
animal declared sold, they would shoot the animal and kill it. The
animal would be paid for by a fund that the "Indians" had formed
by a tax of two cents per acre on a tenant member's land. Not one
bid was received and the sheriff rescheduled the sale for August
7th. If the landlords were expecting an easy victory they were mis-
judging the Anti-Rent cause. A day or two before the sale Moses
Earle had killed two of his sheep to feed the multitude of "Calico
Indians" he anticipated would come. Mrs. Earle and their butter
maid, Perttena Davis, had made fresh bread and potatoes and
had been prepared to add to the mutton on sale day. A large
group of "Indians" were given their noon meal and they formed a
large circle between the barn and the road. Their leader was
young Warren Scudder of Roxbury. He was an arresting figure in
black and full mask and brandished a bright sword as he aligned
his men. Moses Earl brought out a flask of whiskey and each man
struggled to take a swallow from under his mask, and passed the
flask on down the line. The "Indians" calmed their nerves with the
289
shot of whiskey and stood their sentry, waiting for the sale to
begin.
The "Indians" and the crowd that had come to witness the
sale all quickly dispersed and headed for their homes scattered
througout the area. Sheriff Steel died from his wound and the
word traveled the valleys. In their homes, the "Indians" wondered
what would happen now.
291
Mounted militia rounded up all the "Calico Indians" they
could lay their hands on, even those who were in no way
connected to the Moses Earle incident. The old popular slogan of
"Down with the Rent" was replaced with "Law and Order". The
grand jury sat in Delhi and called hoards of witnesses. Many were
former "Calico Indians" who had been sworn to secrecy. They were
now willing to testify that their jailed comrades and other
neighbors had taken the Anti-Rent oath and had purchased calico
or paid dues to the Anti-Rent organization. However, many
claimed they had not done so.
292
The first witness to be called was the lecture man, Jonathan C.
Allaben. There are 3 pages of his testimony.
On Page 2 he states:
The next two witnesses called were John Whitson and Edward
Smith of Middletown. Both men name and implicate about a
dozen men, and Jehu Burr admited he was at the Earl Sale and
helped Sheriff Moore to drive up the cattle.263
293
good many in disguise-went to Patawas & saw several in disguise
at Harvey Keaters. Isaac Baker, Hoze Jenkins-(thinks John
Tiffany & Orrin Baker-went with him-their object was to recue the
prisioners at Delhi. Some said they ought to burn Delhi instead,
understood they were going to Shacksville from Keaters-Met Doct.
Street between his house and Keaters-Street told Wit we must
hury up for they were taken off the Indians-& they must be
rescued-Street Said he had been to Keaters-Wit carried a gun as
far as the turnpike & an indian took it by the name of George
Platt-Hozea Jenkins came & notified Wit. Said they must all turn-
out-Wit did not take his mask or dress, with him, Thoms Dury
told wit. of Earls Sale-Stephen Baker asked wit for a horse-started
to go to Earls-got within 1 1/2 to 2 miles of them and met Alfred
Nox with a drove of sheep who told me what had happened about
2 o clock in the afternoon-only one went over with me-that was
Fred Forguson-I rode Alton's horse and did not go disguised; nor
did Forguson. I think Martin Dorie rode my horse was disguised-I
stopped at Sloots-returned home-I did not carry any arms nor did
Furguson-Soon after I met the drover I met five or six others-We
were leading our horses when we heard the news-when the
sheriffs force came after me I run and hid in the woods because I
thought I was guilty but because I could not leave home well at
that time."264
It was not until page 17 of the report which covered the testimony
of the P.M. of August 25th. made by David P. Boughton he
implicated many of the Dry Brook residents.
David P. Boughton:
294
"I reside in Dry Brook, Shandaken. Am a man of a family I was
not at Earles either day. Robert Utter told me 12 or 14 went past
his house to attend the sale of the Dry Brook-
Hiram Graham - Chief Bullet Hawk
Richard Clark
Thomas Dreury
Ira Baker
Stephen T. Baker
Elnathan Close
John Crook
Henry Cook
John Tiffany
Orrin Baker
William Kelley
David Hinkley
James Hays (Haynes)
Cornelius Tompkins
George Platt
I did belong to it-Warren W. Scudder administered the oath-He
swore me at Fuller's tavern in the evening-of the 15th March-by
the uplifted hand He swor David Hinkkley at the same time-I
came out in disguise that night Graham furnished me with it. He
gave me a sword-
I got to Fullers at 4 or 5 o.clock-names Hiram Graham & all
above named."265
295
Scudder after he swore me said now you are indian.
After supper ordered a march for Roses Brook-60 started-Indians
started-started 8 saturday night-We went to Nathaniel Higbie's
and there we staid till morning-
His son was at home-He saw many of us with bare faces-
We marched next morning to John Gemmel's-We took breakfast &
dinner both- He reported that there was no danger in marching to
Bloomville-Said he had got a good place to stop at, that it was one
Thomas where he calculated to go- We turned to march towards
Bloomville & got most to the bridge & Forman came running after
us & said we had better not go into Bloomville in the night as
there might be a posse there-& that we had better wheel about &
go back to his house. We went back there his folks-were up
shortly after we got back there, we all went in- We slept there till
morning-We roused at day break on monday morning-The old
man & family were up. Scudder & Forman went out the door
together & were gone some time-They then told me they had sent
a spy down to Delhi to see how strong we were. Nicholas Blish
was the spy. came on horse back-It was thomas horse.I went
straight to Scudder-& told him I start for home-Bay horse, good
horse.
At 2 or 3 we formed a line Abel gould of Middletown brought a
load of provisions-He said we will march for home there were 250
to 300 indians there at Forman's/Blish reported there were 400 or
500.
Welcomed-One large tribe came about 10 A.M. they calculated
that they could raise 100 in Schoharrie-they thought they would
raise about 100 in Kortright-A large man there twice in the course
of the day called Thomas a red faced man-He said he was glad to
see so many soldiers. I saw Doct. Forman there. He said he hoped
we would come down to Delhi & do our duty & take the prisoners
out- Abner Thomas' Jr. when we passed up said he was in hopes
they would raise force enough in Schoharrie
so that we would hear of it before we got home and come back
and take the prisoners out-The company was staid at Fullers were
4 had their bundles with tham & all had guns-We made no stop
from Hull's till we got to Nicholas Blishes We met Elder James
Mead-He asked what luck we had I told him we could not raise
strength enough to go to Delhi. Mead said well I am sorry-& we
296
went on-We saw his son Jacob-We went from Blishes to
Vandermaks store-he treated us-his clerk did-Thomas Kelley-I
saw Allaben 3rd day after I got home-I saw him at Asa Griffin's
Store-Asa or David Decker were there-Allaben asked me who went
with me over to Bloomville-I told him-He asked me what was the
reason the rest of the natives of Dry Brook did not go with us, I
told him I did not know-Allaben said he did not want any cowards
who were afraid to go.that they must give up their dress & we will
put in new ones-I have heard Allben preach down on rent 3 times
twice at Asa Griffin's Store once in Dry Brook. At Dry Brook-
Allaben said he would not encourage them to wear their dress but
if they did wear them to be careful not to be caught persons at
Dry Brook meeting
Herman Landon
Hiram Graham
John Atkins
Orrin Baker
John Tiffany
Friend P. Ferguson
Stephen T. Baker
Thomas Deurey
This meeting was last spring-since I was over at Bloomville-the
three men
Henry Crook
John Tiffany
Stephen T. Baker
All armed and disguised
Armed with rifles"266
297
Noah E. Bouton- residing in Ulster Co. testifies-
Reputed IndiansHiram Graham Chief
Henry Crook
John Crook
Thomas Dury 2nd Chief
Martin Dury
George Platt
Cornelious Tompkins
William Kelly
John Aitkins
Peter Kettle (Kittle)
John Parsal
"my brother in law, Joseph Todd, said that he had seen a
shirt which was cut with a bullet & he thought by the direction it
must be lodged in his left shoulder-Todd lives in Green Co. about
3 mile back from Horace Ellis-he not say how he came to see the
bosom of the shirt-thinks the wounded man lives in Lexington
three or three half miles from Mat. Griffins-have never heard J.C.
Allaben address meetings Last spring James Hayes came and
borrowed my gun & said he wanted to go a rabbiting, rabit
hunting-he was gone some days I suppose that they had been
over to Delhi About the time Hayes must have returned I saw five
or six Indians came along there-Orrin Baker can probably tell who
those Indians were & who others were."267
298
about a year ago. i cant read nor write. The dress was at my
brother Edmonds & mask & I went & got it in the evening. got a
dress of my brother Eli. I paid nothing for the dress understood it
came from the funds of the Soc. first appeared General training
day last fall, went down to Col. Dimmicks bridge-Hiram Graham,
Thomas Deury, John Crook amd Henry Crook. The horns started
us out.
The next time we were out was at Dan Squires'-
Graham's tribe
John Crook
Henry Crook
Thomas Deury
Hiram Grahamchief
Ira BakerWilliam Kelly
Stepehn BakerDavid Hinkley
Elnathan CloseJames Hayes
John TiffanyGeorge Platt
Orrin Baker
Nicholas Blish told us Corbin was tarred and feathered &
we could go home.
I went down to Shandaken in disguise last spring, below
Smith, along last March.
went along with Hiram Graham
Ths Deuryrifle
John Crook
Ira Baker
Stephen T. Baker
Elnathan Close (espontoon-spear with hook) James Hayes
gun
I carried a tomahawk, might have been 5 or 6 guns, more
or less. Horns blowed at Deurys and I went up there & he
pursuaded me to go & I put the disguise & I went they said the
posse from Kingston was turning up. went down below
Humphrey's went below Wispals 2, 3 or 4 miles, found a lot of
Indians at Brookstreets, 15 or 20, out of Townsend Hollow, Clark
Burns was chief up there, said he was there, chief of Brush Ridge
tribe. A few days after I heard the possee were in Beaver Dam,
299
heard horns blow, didn't go. Heard Thomas Deury out with
Indians reinstates Beadle."268
268 Ibid, p. 15
300
James Haynes: "lives in Dry Brook-Would not take the
oath-only promised I would be an indian-Graham furnished me
with disguise-the first time I came out was at Corners-Went up to
Keator's the same day-from there to Fullers-eat there-there were
some sworn in there-from Fuller's we came to Higby's and stais
there all night-on Sunday night we staid at Gemmel's-took supper
there-Came on in night to the Corners-or opposite-in a large white
house-went to the bridge when some one called us back-50 or 60
masked men staid there-Abel Gould bro't one load of provisions-
on our return we passed, no we met two waggons (James and
Simon Blish) with waggons containing baggage and food. Dont
know why we didn't come to Delhi-the head chief said we could'nt
come for the want of more force-said he meant to come and take
out of jail the prisoners-if he had force enough-Blishs tirned about
at Higby's-crossed over to Meeker's Hollow-staid there all night-
met a man;the chief asked to stay there all night-the (Explain the
Broomstick business as before sworn to)
Martin Duvry, Hiram Graham-these two told me they were at the
Earle Sale, and said the following were there,
Cornelius Tompkins
Stephen Baker
Ira Baker
William Kelly
John Persell
Peter F. Kettle
William Vandervort
John Crook
when we came to the corners the following persons came
David Bouton
Dennman Baker [no doubt meant Dennison]
Ira Baker
Haines Denton
John Crook
George Platt
Henry Crook
John Brown
Clark Brown
William Vandervort
Alfred Akerly
301
Hiram Graham
Graham requested me to go to the Earle Sale the first day"270
It is evident that Orrin had not been in the Court Room the
days prior to his testimony, and did not know that many of his
neighbors statements had placed him, on many occasions, with
the Indians.
271 Ibid, p 3
272 Ibid, p 4
273 Ibid, p 4
274 Ibid, p 4
302
near Noah Dimmick when Indians were taken at Shacksville-I
went to Harvey Keators from there to Fullers-thence N Hibbies
sunday went to Gemmels-from there to Furmans went as far as
Gemmels disguised-I had a rifle I was not out to the Earls Sale. I
was at home in the meadow with Nicholas Blish-John Craft-Birch
Hammond-Ezekiel Kelly-Luther Bellows."275
275 Ibid, p. 4
303
Schoharrie after forces Abel Gould had a team loaded with
provisions at Bloomville
Johnathan BallardPeter Tiffany
Nathan TravisDarius Jenkins
James HillJoseph Morse 276
277 Ibid, p 7a
304
down to Shandaken the first time I was out-to drive off the
surveyors-Had provisions on the road, at Mr. kelly's-there were 12
014 Indians in our company
Hiram Graham, Chief
Henry Crook
Alfred Akerly
Orin Baker
Stephen D. Baker
Ira T. Baker
John Tiffany
John W. Atkins
Nicholas Blish (not disguised)"278
278 Ibid, p. 8
279 Ibid, p. 10
305
Peter F. Kettle: "Sworn Lives in Shandaken Ulster Co. The day
that Steele was murdered I was mowing with John persall-was not
in Andes that day John Persall is reputed to be an indian also
John Crook and others already mentioned- I am an indian- have
been sworn J.C. Allabinn Swore in Wit, at Clovesville in the street
- above Vandemark Store Witness wanted to be an indian, wanted
to See what it was little, lives about 1/2 a mile from Eber Merwins
owns a gray mare about 9 years She was not fit to ride to Earls in
Andes that day as she had some shoes off was not out at Andes at
the time Steel and Parker was at Andes at Huntings Saw John
Pearceal Tuesday of last week at the Huntings Saw John Pearceal
Tuesday of last week at the Jarvis house between Dry Brook and
Beaverkill in the woods-
280 Ibid, p. 14
306
Cornelious Tompkins was at the Earle Sale"281
281 Ibid, p. 15
307
August 1845 had possessed occupied & enjoyed a certain lot or
farm of land situated in the town of Andes in the said County of
Delaware which said lot or farm of land possessed as aforesaid by
said Moses Earle, was subject to an annual rent thereon due from
and payable by him the said Moses Earl to one Charlotte D.
Verplanck- And the said Charlotte D. Verplanck by John Allen her
agent for the purpose of collecting the rent due thereon to wit the
sum of sixty-four Dollars." This statement goes on in repetitive
style to outline the reason and process for a sale to collect said
back date, which is all on file in the Delhi Court House for those
interested.
[ I will not list all the Attorney statement here, but it follows
identically with what you will find under the charges of the Evil
disposed persons, unknown, which follows.]
"and that they, the said Evil disposed persons to the Jurors
unknown, a certain gun of the value of ten Dollars then and there
loaded and charged with gun powder & one leaden bullet, which
they, the said persons to the Jurors unknown then and there had,
and held to against & upon said Osman N. Steele, then and there
felloniously wilfully & of their malice aforethough did shoot &
discharge and that they the said persons to the Jurors unknown,
with the leaden bullet aforesaid out of the gun aforesaid then and
there by force of the gun powder aforesaid, did discharge send
forth and shoot- [I skip some further explanations], did strike and
penetrate & wound, passing thence obliquely through the body of
said Osman N. Steele and making its exit from the body of the
said Osman N. Steele. [Skipping more explanation]
-for the space of six hours then next ensuing did languish &
languishing did live: and of which said mortal wound the said
Osman
N. Steele on the said seventh day of August One Thousand Eight
Hundren & forty five at said town of Andes in the said County of
Delaware, did die: and so the Jurors aforesaid upon their oath
aforesaid do Say that the said Evil disposed persons whose names
are to the Jurors unknown, him the said Osman N. Steele in the
manner & by the means aforesaid, felloniously wilfully and of
their malice aforethought did kill and murder, against the form of
the Statute in such case made & provided, and against the peace
of the People of the State of New York and their digntity" We now
have the "Indians" charged with murder !
The convicted men and all Anti-Renters had good reason for
feeling despair on September 25, 1845. Then the family Baker had
some worries. Many of the former "Indians" had broken their oath
of silence and many of Bakers had been named in their
testimonies. The elders of the family Baker all gathered together
after September 25th. and had some serious decisions to make.
Were they going to be imprisoned or fined because of the
testimonies at Delhi? They probably all met at mother Sally's log
cabin. She was a widow, 61 years old, with 4 children at home,
son Orrin 27, and three daughters Sarah, 22, Jane 19, and
Emaline 14 years old. In another house was son Stephen T. and
Delight with children, Nelson 12, Louise 9, Jane 6, another Orrin
L. 3 and a baby, Elizabeth Ann. Ira (38) was in another house
with his family. However, the Shandaken family had no records of
his members. I had only the 1840 census. There he was named
the head of house with a wife of 30 to 40 years and two daughters
15 to 20 years, and a young male under five years of age. It was
not until much later, when I found him on a Minnesota census in
1880, that I could name his family. Ira, by the 1840 census, was
too young to have two daughters 15 to 20 years of age, and then
in his home was this young boy under five years of age, and his
wife is in an age bracket ten years older than him. This tells us he
had married a widow with two teenaged daughters. Isaac, now 41
and his family, Dennison 23, Elias 15, Abram Charles 10, Mary 8,
and Stephen J., 2 years old. They had heard about the land
310
opening up by the government in the west, which was rich prairie
land, with few trees and no mountains. I think the conversation
went something like this. Isaac remarks that he had come back to
help care for his mother when his brother Stephen, Sr. had died.
Lyman had filled Stephen's shoes until his death four years ago,
and now Orrin at 27 was assisting his mother with the family.
"Our families are barely able to exist, even with all working
together. None of us know what the court may do to those of us
that have not been fined or imprisoned, from our actions in the
Anti-Rent War incidents."
317
318
19
UPPER MOHAWK VALLEY AND
FORT HERKIMER
As this was the very start of our search process, and being
beginners in the field, we searched for Bakers with no success.
We then tried Gilletts and had little success. The next name we
looked for was Godding and again we had no success. The next
family name searched was Bishop and this proved somewhat
informative. At least we thought so. We then turned to Woolever
and at last our efforts proved rewarding. Why we spent time on
the other names I cannot tell you. It was just that these other
families meant more to me as I was familiar with these names and
Woolever was actually not of my knowledge until we looked at my
grandmother's parents. The search continued, and the finding of a
History of Herkimer County proved highly informative.
319
This name is found written Wolleben and Wohleban in the
statement of the heads of Palatine families on the westside of the
Hudson River in 1710.284
285 Ibid.
286 Ibid.
320
then moved to Fort Herkimer with his family, in the fall of 1777,
after the Oriskany battle, where he remained until the close of the
war. My informant stated, his father once borrowed money from
General Herkimer to pay the rent to Brant. He goes on to say that
his father Peter had three sons who attained the age of manhood.
Nicholas, John and Henry. His daughters were, Elizabeth, wife of
Henry Shoemaker, Catherine the wife of Garret Van Slyke. Her
father was John Van Slyke, who was killed on Fink's Flats during
the war, Susan, the wife of Jacob Edick, Hannah, who married a
Mr. Furman, and Mary, now living who married a Mr. White and
Eva, the wife of Stanton Fox."287
287 Ibid.
322
General Howe had other ideas and was eager to capture
Philadelphia. He had gone south and defeated Washington at
Brandywine Creek and captured Philadelphia in September.
Washington was defeated in October in an attempt to drive Howe
out of Philadelphia at Germantown, but at least this had delayed
Howe so he could not go north and meet up with Burgoyne and
avoid his surrender.291
323
Figure 19-01: Stepping stone at Fort Herkimer Church.
324
Had son Peter II born C 1795
Peter II
Had family with daughter Mary Elizabeth born July 7,1831
who became wife of James Godding, my maternal GG
Grandfather.
325
The death of Mary Elizabeth Woolever Godding who passed
quietly away at Fountain, Colorado, February 14, at the age of 93
years, 7 months and 7 days, marked the passing of one of
Minnesota's oldest pioneers, and one who saw the making of the
village of Wells.
Mary Woolever was born at Arkport, Steuben County, New
York, July 7, 1831, where she lived until grown to woman-hood.
She married James Henry Godding, January 1, 1852, near
there, where they resided until the birth of their daughter, Flora,
who came to gladden their home on Christmas day.
Later they removed to Wisconsin, residing near Sheboygan,
where their eldest son, Johnny, was born, who remained with
them but seven short months.
While in Calumet County, Wisconsin, another son, Myron
L. Godding, who was formerly well known in Wells, was born.
They then moved to southern Minnesota, near Chatfield,
where their daughter, Ida, and son Charlie, were born, and all
endured the ever hardship of pioneer life.
The year 1865 found them removed still farther west in a
new country and settled on a homestead five miles west of where
Wells now is. Mr. Godding helped to haul some of the first lumber
for the town of Wells. At that date the country was new and
settlers few. Roads wound around in any direction to avoid
sloughs. Roads on section lines were hardly thought of and "good
roads' were unknown. The early pioneers endured privations that
those who now live here cannot imagine, much less comprehend.
The markets were far away and the little that the early settlers
had to have was not easy to acquire. About 1875 they removed
two miles east of Wells, where the youngest child, Jay was born,
making nine children who grew to manhood and womanhood not
far from the vicinity of Wells, the eldest daughter having married
in 1874.
They lived several places later, some of the time on and
near where Kiester now stands, but about 1901 built their home
in Wells, near the school house where it still stands at the end of
the street on the edge of what used to be "the old peat slough".
Here they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary January 1,
1902, all of their family being present but their son, William, who
had gone to his home of rest in 1898, and one son-in-law. Twenty
326
eight grandchildren with their parents and one great grandchild
met together, most of them from near Kiester, and it was winter
weather with no swift way of conveyance those days like they now
have and only moments instead of hours are spent going that
distance. In 1916 the home was sold to Lloyd Allen and is still
owned by the Allen's.
Grandpa Godding, who suffered much his last year, went to
his rest November 5, 1906, and "Grandma" went north to make
her home with her son , Charlie, at Clarissa, Minn.
While she lived there her eldest daughter Flora Salsbery
died April 6, 1909 and also laid to rest in Rose Hill Cemetery
where her brother and father rest.
In 1912, two daughters, Emma, who later married a Curl,
and Nellie, Mrs. Edward A. Conrad, of Kiester, moved to Rush,
Colo., where "Grandma" went to make her home after visiting her
relatives there.
About 1919 she removed to Fountain, Colo., where she
lived with her son Walter, until called to her heavenly home,
having contracted pneumonia from an epidemic of colds it was
thought, from which she was no longer strong enough to recover.
Until shortly before her death she was able to write letters
to her loved ones and was still able to knit until her last illness-
the mittens which gladdened the hearts of her children, great
grand children, and even her great-great grandchildren. Many
were the beautiful gifts she pieced for many of them, also after her
more active life was closed.
She was ever a loving mother and friend to all who knew
her, leading a beautiful Christian life of patience although a
sufferer from complicated diseases of age and was glad to go to
her heavenly home.
She was laid to rest Sunday, February 15, 1925, at
Colorado Springs in the shadow of Pike's Peak, and leaves seven
children, namely, Myron L. Godding of Rapid City, S.D., Ida Mae,
Mrs. H.H. Baker of Kiester, Minn., Charlie L. Godding, of Clarrisa,
Minn., Walter A. Godding, of Fountain, Colo., Mrs. Emma Curl, of
Hayden, Colo., Mrs. E.A. Conrad of Rush, Colo., and Jay L.
Godding of near Rapid City, S.D.
327
Also 35 Grandchildren, 55 great grandchildren and one
great, great grandchild.294
328
329
20
The Godding History
331
He also served about a psnight [not readable] as volunteer at the time
Genl. Sullivan's attempt to drive the enemy from Rhode Island & retreated
across New England. He never received any written discharge.
He served at N.Y. with Coln. Sergeant's Regt., Ensign Gotel Daryol
Brigade but cannot identify other Regts.
He knew Genl. Washington, Pectuam Lafayette Green and others
who's names he does not remember. He has no documentary evidence, but
he has the affidavit of Wm. Sweetland who was his Ensign in 1776.
He was born at Attleboro, aforesaid the 15 Sept. 1755 his age is
recorded there, & also in his Bible. Since the Revolution he lived at
Fitchwilliam, N.H. over twenty years, & for the last 22 years has lived at
Wallingford, Vermont. He is Known to the Rev. Frederick Page & Joseph
Randall Esq. & most of the residents of Wallingford.
295 Revolutionary War Pension Claim Mass. Godding, John # S.13160 p. 1 & 2
332
Date of application for Pension: July 21, 1832 His claim allowed.
Residence at date of application: Wallingford, Rutland County, VT.
Age at date of application: Born Sept. 15, 1755, at Attleboro,
Died in June 1847.
Remarks: Wife name not stated, died in Vt. prior to Sept. 10, 1834
Children's names not stated, residing in Greenwood, Steuben Co.NY
in 1834. 296
333
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so,
in what respect?
I CERTIFY that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with
the evidence in the case above mentioned.
(Signature) D. Brown
Examining Clerk297
297 Ibid, p. 4
298 Ibid, p. 5
334
After the war he returned to Attleboro and then moved to
Fitchwilliam, New Hampshire, where he confirmed he lived for twenty years
and then moved to Wallingford, Vermont. His deposition tells us where he
lived, but other things happened in his life. He was married and had a family.
The only positive information we have for this period of time is that he
married Betsy Bishop and had two sons, John, Jr., born on June 3, 1790, and
a second son, Levi, born about 1792. We can establish their birthplace as
Fitchwilliam, New Hampshire by his statement that he lived at this location
for 20 years after his discharge, which would place the family there until
1798.
335
John Godding, Sr. lost his dear wife, the former Betsy Bishop, who
died in 1833 at Wallingford, Rutland County, Vermont. She is no doubt
buried there. This information is confirmed on the Revolutionary War
deposition, where her death was recorded as being in Vermont prior to
September 10, 1834.299
John Godding, Sr. left Wallingford, Vermont per the Remarks area of
his pension claim. The examining person working on his claim stated, "He is
residing in Greenwood, Steuben County, New York in 1834, as are his
children."300
Son, John Godding, Jr., had evidently returned to the East Jersey area
for a period of time, as on April 19, 1820 he married Hulda Fulkerson at The
1st Reform Church, at Raritan, East Jersey.301
300 Ibid p. 3
336
This was a family from Scotland. The father of this family was Andrew
Oliphant. In Scotland the name was Olivard. Andrew fathered Andrew II,
who had a daughter, Betsy Oliphant, born at Raritan, on October 30, 1764.
She married in 1789, after the Revolutionary War, at the 1st Reform Church
in Raritan, Joseph Fulkerson, who was the son of a family of record at
Raritan under the earlier name of Volcherse. His parents were Philip and
Margaret Volcherse. Later, this family changed the name to Fulkerson. The
Church records at the 1st Reform Church, of Raritan, New Jersey show that
Joseph was baptized on April 20, 1755.302
Joseph Fulkerson enlisted in the Jersey Line in the fall of 1775 for one
year under Captain John Polhemus, in Colonel William Winds 1st Regiment
and was discharged by Winds at Ticonderoga in the fall of 1776. He enlisted
again at the same place in the spring of 1777 for three years under Captain
Andrew McMeyers, in Colonel Ogden's Regiment of the Jersey Line. He was
discharged by Lt. Col. Frances Barbber at Mendham Huts, near Morristown,
New Jersey, in January 1780. He was in the battles of Brandywine,
Monmouth, and Germantown. He was wounded in the battle of Germantown,
near Philadelphia, and Captain McMeyers was killed. He then served under
Captain William Angle in the same Regiment. He was first a private and then
a sergeant. After this he served as a sailor on an American privateer of
unknown name. This ship was captured by the British. He was a prisoner for
over a year on a British prison ship and suffered from hunger and cold. He
was released at the end of the Revolutionary War.303
302 Ibid.
337
The marriage of Betsy Oliphant and Joseph Volcherse (Fulkerson),
produced the following children, born at Raritan, New Jersey:
Hulda, April 17, 1801
Letitia, 1806 (Married a Johnson)
Margaret L.
Tobias
Sally Ann (Sally Ann Godding Hallack named after her)
Joseph
Jarred
John
Talmai
338
James Henry Godding(Born 29 July, 1830 at Reading)
John Theodore Godding(Born 11 March, 1832 at Greenwood-Steuben
Cty, NY)
Asa Robins Godding(Born 10 May, 1834 at Greenwood)
Margaret Albina Godding(Born 19 Nov., 1838 at Greenwood)
Emily Rosemond Godding(Born 27, Oct., 1842 Allegheny
County, NY)
John Godding, Sr., who had lived alone at Wallingford, Vermont after
Betsy's death in 1833, chose to join his son and family in Steuben County.
Per his Revolutionary War Remarks area, we find he was living with his
children in Steuben County, New York in 1834. Here he lived until his death
in June of 1847.304
You will see Hulda named several of her children with the same
names as her parents. The birth records of her children also inform us they
lived at several locations in Steuben County before heading west. My father
told me, when I was a child, that our family ancestors had made a brief stop
in Ohio on their move west. This did not fit with the Baker movement west,
as it was more than likely that the Bakers had made the move west from
Shandaken by way of the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes route. The Ohio
stopover was with the Goddings, my father's, mother's family, and was
probably only to await the next vessel that would take them from Lake Erie
to Lake Huron and on to Lake Michigan and their next home at Sheboygan,
339
Wisconsin. The move from Steuben County did not happen until sometime
during 1853 or the summer of 1854. We can determine this from their
childrens' births. Flora was born on Christmas Day in 1852 in Steuben
County and their next child, Johnnie, was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on
September 12, 1854.
If you look at a current map of the state New York you will not find
any placed named Reading. It may have been a township. Family records do,
however, list Reading for the children listed above. Greenwood is in the
southwestern corner of Steuben County not too far east of Allegheny County.
I will leave the Godding Family at this point in history and return to
them when we find them at Sheboygan, Wisconsin in a future chapter.
However, I must give credit to those of my relatives who, back 40 to 50 years
ago, compiled much of this history for us. I became the benefactor of many
pages of family history when in 1984, Mavis and I brought back to New
Jersey, a cousin from Minnesota, Carol Mayda Matteson, who was in the
throes of a devastating, divorce situation. She brought with her the work of
two of our elders, Grace Oliphant Timmons and Alma Godding Salsbery. I
bestow posthumous accolades on my two ancestors who became members of
the DAR years ago and to our dear cousin, who shared their information and
started me on this sixteen year assembly of these Chronicles.
340
1. John Godding - Born 1720 Wiltshire Cty., England by Littleton Parish
records.The emigrant coming through Boston. No ID on Spouse.
5. Ida May Godding- Born Nov. 22, 1860, near Chatfield, Minnesota
m. Henry Hudson Baker, Jan. 1, 1885 at Kiester, Minnesota
These are my grand parents.
341
342
21
RUBICON AND NEOSHO
WISCONSIN IN 1850's
343
Lucretia b. 23 Sept. 1852 at Rubicon
The Anti-Rent War testimonies show that Ira was still living
with the family on The Old Baker Farm. In Chapter 18, which
related to that testimony, Isaac and Ira indicated their desire to
leave Shandaken. Ira left with Isaac and family. He was a single
man 38 years of age. Shortly after he arrived in Wisconsin he
married Sarah and his first daughter, Deborah, was born in 1848.
Sarah was evidently the daughter of another family from the state
of New York as the census tells us she was born in there.
I list here the new family of Ira Baker. I did no research on Ira,
but was given the 1870 Dodge County, Minnesota census which
lists his family at Milton Township:
We also found that Isaac, spelled Isaak, and wife sold this
tract on August 13, 1853 to a John Hein.306 Denison also sold his
and started purchasing land in Section 29, near the lake, at the
location of the future village of Neosho. The Plat Book of 1873
displays 450 acres owned by D. Baker. Isaac does not appear on
345
this map, so we probably can assume he was living on one of
Denison's tracts.
Alma 1849
Ruby A. 1852
George 1854
Adelbert J. 1855
Sarah A. 1857
Hiram E. 1860
Stephen T. Baker 43
Delight 43
Nelson 21
Louisa 18
Jane 16
Orrin12
Elizabeth Ann 10
1852-1859
347
She will end up with other members of the family at Lyndon
Station, Wisconsin, as does here sister, Harriet, born in 1857-8.
A infant daughter, Alvira, died and a son, Elias E., born July 30,
1860, died January 15, 1862. Father and son were buried side by
side in Woodlawn Cemetery at Neosho.
His personal life record: Isaac Baker - Died Apr.16, 1872 - Aged
79 Yrs. 6 Ms. 7 Ds..
348
of Rubicon, born in New York State, to Alvira Gillet,
daughter of Alex Gillet and Lorena Gillett, married on 7 March
1858 in Rubicon. Religious ceremony performed by Timothy
Palmer of Lisbon, Wauk. Co.(Waukesha County). Certificate dated
March 7, 1858 and filed on April 13, 1858. #02643308
349
First-I give and bequeath to my Grand children, Grace and
Joyce Rector the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars each within
one year from the time of my demise.
Second-I give and bequeath to my son Adelbert Baker the
sum of fifty dollars.
Third-I give and bequeath to my daughter Ruby the sum of
One hundred dollars.
Fourth-I give and bequeath to my Grand children, Adelbert,
Frederick, Thomas, Alice and George, children of my son
George,
the sum of ten dollars each.
And lastly I give and bequeath to my wife Nancy, all the rest
of
my real estate and personal property of whatever nature or
kind soever, and appoint her sole executor of my estate without
bonds.
In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal the
15th
day of February 1897.
D. Baker (Legal Seal)310
350
wife, Eunice (obelisk just left of his stone)
After this long and costly debate over Denison's will, it was
finally ruled that the will be vacated. The cost of these hearings
had now cost the estate $2,207.98, yet it was not settled. It was
ruled that Nancy had had a part in the way the will was worded
and the distribution of his estate. However, Nancy appealled the
hearing's rulings and the case went on to Madison, the capital of
Wisconsin, where the Wisconsin Supreme Court heard the case
on February 21, 1899. The Supreme Court upheld the ruling of
the Dodge County Probate Court.
State of Wisconsin
Supreme Court
Clarence Kellog,
Clerk of the Supreme Court
of the State of Wisconsin313
312 Dodge Couty Probate Cour Records- Item 31 pgs. 549 -552
313 Transcript Dodge County Probate Court Item 33 pgs. 552 & 553
354
Missouri, and daughter, Ruby Rector, living in Minneapolis and
the children of son, George, were awarded the remaining assets of
the estate.
The real estate was assigned to the heirs at law in common and
undivided subject to the widows homestead right and right of
dower, to-wit:
The Exhibit of the real estate totaled 193 3/4 acres and (other
lands) not defined, which were all listed but I shall omit here.315
356
year. His aged wife survives him. John Johnstone and his
wife, of Kendall, Monroe County, were called here by the
death of Mrs. J.'s father, Mr. Gillette, also, Mrs. N. Baker,
Mrs. A. Baker, and Mrs. Stratton, of Whitehall,
Trempealeau
Co., children of the deceased. 317
ALEXANDER GILLETT
Died June 8, 1889
Aged 84 Yrs.
317 The Dodge County Citizen Vol. XXXII Beaven Day WI p.3 Col. 8
357
Abraham Baker, the sum of Fifty dollars. 4th I give, devise and
bequeath to my daughter Lucretia Johnstone, wife of John
Johnstone, the sum of Forty dollars. 5th And I further give,
devise and bequeath to my grand daughter, Alma Pickel, wife of
Mr. Pickel, the sum of One hundred dollars. 6th I give, devise and
bequeath to my grand daughter Lara Elmira Lawton, the sum of
Fifty dollars. 7th And to my grand daughter Roda Lawton I devise
and bequeath the sum of Fifty dollars. 8th And I further give,
devise and bequeath to the heirs of my son Ezra Gillett the sum of
Ten dollars each. The rest, residue, and remainder, if any, all my
property, both real and personal shall be equally divided between
my Three daughters Laura Baker and Alvira Baker and Lucretia
Johnstone or their heirs, share and share alike. 9th I hereby
nominate William Kendall of Neosho, Dodge Co as executor of this
my last Will and Testament and hereby authorize and empower
him the said William Kendall to compound, compromise and
settle any claims that may be for or against my estate. In witness
whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal,12th day of January,
1887. A. H. Gillett
The above instrument consisting on one sheet was signed,
published and declared by the said testator to be his last Will and
Testament in the presence of us who have signed our
names at his request as witness in his presence and in the
presence of each other.
Martin Leicher, Neosho, Dodge Co., Wis.
Nicholas Leicher, Neosho, Dodge Co., Wis.
John C. Marshall, Neosho, Dodge Co., Wis.318
358
Frank Williams & wife 500.00
Interest due 18.13
and a note w/ August Wagner 50.00
Interest due 1.00
another note indistinguishable 100.00
Interest due 2.50
His house and lots 2,3 & 4
Block 6 Village Neosho$ 600.00
Cash in hand Mrs. Gillett 170.00
Total $2945.14 319
359
State of Iowa
Winnebago County
I Abram Baker first being duly sworn do depose and say that I am
a resident of Faribault County-Minnesota,- am fifty seven years
old. I am son of Abigail Gillett who now resides in Dodge County,
Wis. I further say that my mother the said Abigail Gillett was
married the second time, her last husband being A. Gillett. At
time of this said second marriage of my mother I was living in the
same neighborhood in Wisconsin as my said mother lived and was
I that time a grown up young man was well acquainted with my
said mothers financial circumstances before and after the time of
her marriage to said Gillett, and know of my own personal
knowledge that she could not have had to exceed Fifty-Dollars
worth of property - at the time of her marriage. I further say that
my mother told me she had about - Fifty-Dollars at time of her
said second marriage.Abram Baker (signature)Subscribed, sworn
to before me by the said Abram Baker this 23rd day of October
1889. W.E.(Pil?????) Notary Public321
360
William Kendall had to counter this letter if he was to be
able to close the Estate of Alexander Gillett. As he pondered the
situation he decided one way might be to look at what assets
Abigail may have had at the time she left Isaac. On checking land
sales he found the sale of Isaac and Abigail's land to J. Hain in
1853, three years before her second marriage. He knew Mr. Hain
before he moved to Dakota. He wrote Mr. Hain, informed him of
the situation, and asked if he could shed any light on the matter,
or testify if needed. A letter came back.
361
So I have been to Mr. and Mrs. Arnold (name not clear) for
_____ Monday. Our snow all gone. Mercury has not reached zero
yet. Coughs and colds are very fashionable just now, Sandy got
home yesterday, all OK.Yours, J.P. Hain322
362
$159.63 cents Neosho Wisconsin 11 Dec'ber
Received from my Father
Alexander H. Gillett the sum
of One Hundred and Fifty Nine
Dollars and Sixty Three Cents
which amount is to be deducted
from my portion at the final
Settlement after my Fathers death.
Lucretia Johnstone323
363
It concludes on the last page-
The homestead valued at 600.00 and divided in equal
shares to
Mrs. Gillett, Laura Baker, Alvira Baker and Lucretia
Johnstone, and is in the possession of the widow and undivided.
The legacies in the will to Laura Baker, Alvira Baker and Lucretia
Johnstone were all paid by the deceased before his death, except
37 cents to Lucretia Johnstone.The residue of $1393.00 is to be
equally divided by the will between Laura Baker, Alvira Baker and
Lucretia Johnstone. 324
Abby Webb Baker Gillett wrote her will on April 20, 1981.
324 Final Probate County Court Dodge County re- A.H. Gillett estate
364
First: I give to Mrs. Nancy Baker of Neosho, Dodge County
Wisconsin one feather bed together with pillows, pillow
cases
sheets and other covering belonging to said bed, she the
said Nancy Baker to make her own selection from such beds as I
may
leave.
Second: I give to my son Abrahm Baker the sum of five
dollars.
Third: I give to Alma Pickle, daughter and only heir of my
deceased son Elias Baker the sum of five dollars.
Fourth: I give to my daughter Mary E. Stratton all of my
clothing
and my household goods that I have not otherwise disposed
of by this instrument.
Fifth: I give to my Grand Daughter, Florence Stratton the
feather bed that shall be left after Nancy Baker shall have made
her
selection.
Sixth: All the balance of my property either real or
personal,
I give jointly to my son Stephen J. Baker and my daughter
Mary E. Stratton to be divided equally between them.
Seventh: Should any of the legator's mentioned in this
instrument
die antecedent to me, then their legacy or legacies as the
case may be shall go to their lawful heirs.
Eighth: I do nominate and appoint J.K. Douglass of the
town of
Lebanon, Dodge County, Wisconsin to be the executor of
this my last will and testament.
her
Abby X Gillett (Seal)
mark
Signed, sealed, declared and published by the said Abby
Gillett
as and for her last will and testament in presence of us,
who, at her request and in her presence, and in the presence of
each other
365
have subscribed our names as witness hereto-
James H. Gooodwin
June N Goodwin
J. K. Douglass326
327 The Beaver Day Argus Vol. XXXII 25 August 1892 #44 p. 3 Col. 6
366
Neosho
With the next legal document the closing of the estate may begin:
368
Abby Gillett an inhabitant of, Neosho, of Dodge County, residing
at the village of Neosho on the 15th day of August A.D. 1892 at
said village died intestate, leaving estate to be administered; that
J. K. Douglas, the sole executor of said estate heretofore
appointed and qualified therein on October 18, 1892, resigned
said trust by resignation in writing, which resignation was
accepted by said court as of said date.
That the Petitioner is a son of said deceased, and prays that
administration of said estate not already administered, be granted
to
R. S. Cowie, Esq., of village of Whitehall, Trempealeau County,
Wisconsin.
It is ordered, that said application be heard at a special
term of said county on the Third Tuesday, being the 21st day of
May A.D. 1901.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:, that thereof be given to all
persons interested, by publication of such notice at least three
weeks successively, previous to the time in The JUNEAU
TELEPHONE, a weekly paper published in Juneau, in said
county.
369
The affairs of the Baker and Gillett families were a sequence
of tumultuous happenings beginning in 1857 and going on until
1901.
370
371
22
KILBOURN CITY AND LYNDON
STATION
This area along the Wisconsin River had been the home of
the Winnebago Indians for generations. The area had many Indian
mounds. These people did not have to roam from one area to
another as some of the Indian tribes that lived in more arid areas
did. The forests, streams, and wildlife in this location were
plentiful. There were bears, deer, sturgeon and other fish, as well
as the passenger pigeons so numerous in the early days they
blackened the sky when in flight. You may remember this was the
same story for our ancestors back in the Catskill mountains of
New York.]
They lived all summer on pork and flour. Even when other
food arrived it was of extremely poor quality. After a year they
were nearly starved and without shelter, clothing, or medical
supplies. There was no timber, hunting was poor, and there were
no fish in the river. The land could not be farmed. Smallpox broke
out and several hundred more died. Seeing only death and
disaster at Crow Creek, members of the nation began to trickle
southward to the Omaha Reservation in Nebraska. By 1863 1,200
Winnebagos were in the Omaha Reservation where living was
better, schools were available, and each family received 80 acres
to farm. In 1874 all the Winnebagos were moved again in
Nebraska, but about 500 promptly returned to Wisconsin and still
remain in the area. A Nebraskan reservation remains the tribal
lands today, with half the Winnebagos living on it. Most of the
remainder are in Wisconsin, with some scattered in Chicago,
South Dakota and Minnesota and other mid-western states.330
373
History records the winter of 1855-1856 as an unusually
severe one. Stephen, Delight, and family survived this, their first
midwestern winter, in some rather crude house they had hastily
put together on their arrival at Rubicon. Nelson had married
Laura Gillett and a daughter. Emma. had been born in 1857.
They decided to move on to the area they had heard about on
another river. There was a sizeable town there with many stores
and life surely would be more desirable there than in this little
village where Isaac and Denison and Elias lived. They probably
did not use the railroad to move since they had a team of horses
and a few possessions they had put together since arriving in
Wisconsin.
The timber industry farther north had created a new
industry for the area. They cut the timber, fastened the logs
together in rafts, and floated them down the river to the sawmills
along the Mississippi. Most of the scenic narrows on the river in
this area still carry the names these rafters gave to the river bends
and whirlpools. Riverboats plied the river. However, our family
members were farmers and this was the main reason some of
them made the move to this area that had all these other
possibilities.
374
On page 135 of the Census for Lyndon Station we found:
On page 136
Dwelling #1086 Family #972
Nelson Baker 26 yr Male A farmer Estate $220 b. NY
Laura " 22 yr Female b. NY
Emma " 2 yr Female b. Wisc.
375
However, a new crop was becoming an article of commerce.
There was an increased demand for hops for the breweries of the
state, especially since a hop louse was infesting the hopyards of
the East. A boom developed in 1860! Farmers in Sauk, Adams,
Columbia, and Juneau counties rallied to the new market. The
hop louse had not reached the midwest yet. Kilbourn City,
because of its site at the point where the four corners of these
counties meet, suddenly found itself a center market and shipping
point for the surrounding area. The soil conditions and climate
were excellent for the new crop. Prices for hops continued to rise
as this small area became the source of hops for the entire
brewing industry.
376
In the fall the men cut the hop vines at ground level and lay
the poles and arrange them for the convenience of the pickers,
who are all girls. There were also men who looked after the drying
of the hops in the hop houses, which they kept heated to a certain
temperature by means of big stoves. The hops were placed on a
wire racks some feet from the floor. This "curing" had to be done
by someone who understood the work, as the quality of the crop
would be poor due to inattention or mismanagement. Sulphur
was burned to hasten the curing and to whiten the hops. The
fumes passed out the queer, little ventilating shaft at the top,of
the building.
The next step was baling for which special presses were
required. They were operated by ox or horse power. Many farmers
owned presses to do their pressing. Those who did not employed
those who did. Sometimes the owners of large hop houses would
also do the curing of hops for the smaller owners. Today we call
this a custom farming service. A factory for the manufacture of
hop presses was built in Kilbourn, but operated for only a short
time.
During this season every hop grower's farm was the scene
of busy activities. Where, formerly he had undertaken the total
task of harvesting his produce alone, or maybe with one hired
hand, now he employed help in large numbers. The country, even
with help from the towns and villages, was unable to supply the
demand. Railroads ran special trains to bring in help. It was
estimated that in the 1867 harvest 15,000 pickers were required,
with 10,000 of them being imported. Trains originated in
377
Milwaukee and stopped and picked up workers at stations along
the route.
For three weeks the hum of busy life went on. Open-air
work amid the tonic fragrance of the hop flowers, communal spirit
engender by the large group of workers, and the charm of new
scenes and places robbed the labor of every element of drudgery
and converted it into a kind of annual frolic to which the
employed as well as the employers looked forward with real
pleasure. The hop harvest brought in both male and female
employees. In the evening, barns or other buildings were made
ready for a dances. The local fiddlers were in much demand.
These characteristic dances of hop-picking time gradually spread
to higher circles of society and the term hop dance, or "hop", was
applied to the amusement of dancing for a number of years. The
smooth glide waltz-step went out of use and the downright,
vigorous style of the "hop-step" became in fashion.
During the fall of the year the streets were lively with traffic,
especially about the time the hop-pickers arrived or departed. The
teams and vehicles temporarily congested the street and
neighborhood of the depot like the traffic of a busy city. Banks
thrived and local dealers in groceries, hardware, and household
supplies did a flourishing business.
The hop failure was one of the greatest blows the economic
life in Kilbourn and vicinity ever sustained and its effects lasted
for many years. Farmers, many of them having mortgaged their
farms to engage more extensively in hop production, now found
themselves loaded hopelessly with debt. Some surrendered their
379
farms to the mortgagees and hiried out as day-laborers; others,
with such credit as they could get, remained, only to abandon the
struggle later on. Those who succeeded in paying their debts after
receiving such a stunning blow were, ever afterward, cautious and
without enterprise in their activities.334
380
Stephen and Delight Baker and their family as well as
William Pilling and his wife, Louisa, their daughter and family left
Lyndon Station before the hop industry crashed. The departure
was probably in the spring of 1865, as we will find them at
Wasioja, in Dodge County, Minnesota on October 6, 1865, as I
shall relate to in the next chapter.
381
In searching for Wisconsin City on today's maps we had no
success. It is my assumption that in the transition of the name
change for Kilbourn City, it may, for a short period of time been
called Wisconsin City, before it was renamed Wisconsin Dells,
which is now the name of this popular vacation area on the
Wisconsin River.
382
The 1900 census records also lists the Pickle family:
383
384
23
SHEBOYGAN AND ON TO
MINNESOTA
Some time during the summer of 1853 or 1854 John
Godding Jr. and his wife, the former Hulda Eliza Fulkerson, and
their entire family decided to leave Steuben County and relocate
in Wisconsin. They had nine children, two of them married - Sally
Ann, who had married Samuel Ayres Hallack on January 12,
1846 and now had two children, Milo, born in 1848, and Cora,
born in 1850, and James Henry, who had married Mary Elizabeth
Woolever and had a daughter Flora Ellen, born Dec. 25, 1852.
The family of twelve probably started west with two teams of
horses and two covered wagons. After days on the trails, which by
the crow flies, would be over 120 miles, the crossed three rivers,
the Genesee, the Allegheny, and Conewango Creek. At the first
harbor they came to on Lake Erie they sold the horses and
wagons and got on a ship for the rest of the journey. They reached
the harbor at Ashtahula, Ohio. Here they disposed of the horses
and wagons, sorted out the personal goods they could take with
them and waited for the next ship going west to Lake Michigan.
This is a conjecture, as they left us no personal memoirs. This
also supports my father's statement to me when a child of 9 or 10
years of age that our family made a stop in Ohio on their way
west.
A ship finally arrived and the sale of the wagons and horses
made passage a possibility. Upon finally reaching the Straits of
Mackinac they decided to tell the captain they wanted to
disembark at the first harbor that he recommended where they
could procure land and start to farm. He informed them they
would be arriving at a port the Indians call Sheboygan in a day or
385
two. There they left ship and probably built a log cabin or two.
Mary Elizabeth was due to deliver a baby by fall and on
September 12, 1854 a new son Johnnie is added to James Henry
and Mary Elizabeth's family. The winter was severe and the infant
died the next spring on April 25, 1855 and was buried at
Sheboygan. The family decided to move inland and relocate to the
next county to the west, Calumet. Here fifteen months later
another son is born on July 22, 1856. They named him Myron
Lafayette Godding. The history of our ancestors has demonstrated
they all had a nomadic urge or were constantly looking for
something better than they had found thus far. Possibly it was the
glowing reports that were sent back by the first to move on to new
areas. A typical example follows:
386
settlers crowded to obtain and register their land office warrants
and to travel westward from the river to locate the lands which
were to become their homes. The government land surveyors had
just completed laying out the meridians and parallels describing
the parcels of land on which the settlements were to be made and
from the Brownsville office all the lands of Fillmore county had
been allotted. The iron stakes marking the section corners had
been placed and from them the location of every piece of land
could be accurately determined.339
339 Ibid, p. 2
387
The Territory of Minnesota opened a road, if you could call
it such, from Winona to Chatfield and farther west and the stage
line followed this road. The stage coach business did a flourishing
business for many years. Chatfield was the crossing point of two
stage routes: the stage route from Winona to Chatfield continuing
on west to the edge of civilization and a north-south route that
ran from Dubuque, Iowa, to St.Paul, Minnesota. Chatfield had a
large corral and stables for the horses and mules where the tired
teams were replaced by fresh animals.340 Traveling on the stage
was long and tiresome and most of the trip was made with the
team walking, contrary to the movies' depictions of life in the
west. As the driver approached town he would flourish and snap
his whip, the horses would come to new life, and the stage would
come rolling into town with great gusto. The driver would jump
down, the coach doors would be opened, and the passengers
would alight with great enthusiasm to be met by their friends.
The mail pouch would be hustled to the Post Office and there
other citizens would be waiting anxiously for letters from friends
back home. When the railroad came to Chatfield in 1878 there
was no further use for these stages, except one which was to
connect Chatfield with the Southern Minnesota Railroad in
Fountain. That stage ran until early 1900.341
"One can but imagine the quiet and solemnity of the great
forrest with its massive oaks and towering elms, its clusters of
birch trees and in fall its bright sugar maples and sumac adding
color to contrast with deep shades of almost impenetrable
vegetation. The only sounds were the ripples of the rivers or of the
springs that burst from the hillside, the signing of the birds in the
daytime, the croak of the frogs and the shriek of the owls at night.
340 Ibid, p. 9
388
But the white man wrought great changes in this primeval forest.
The first scars of the wilderness were made when paths were cut
so that man could enter these great woods and set the
government land marks, in the form of heavy iron posts, on the
section corners. From these, measurements were made and lines
projected marking the boundaries of the settler's homestead
lands. Then when his claim was staked, came the laborious work
of felling trees to make way for log cabins and clearing spots for
little potato patche and building enclosures for the family cow and
perhaps a shelter for two or three hens. There was a large
selection of logs for the building of cabins and the slashing were
accumulated into sizeable piles of wood for fuel. The first fences
were of split rails in zigzag fashion, as the setters' ancestors had
traditionally built fences in New England. The corners where the
rails crisscrossed were laid on large permanent rocks as they
zigzagged across the terrain, the property line being drawn
halfway between the rows of stones."342
342 Ibid, p. 11
389
We found no information regarding Ira at Rubicon or Neosho,
Wisconsin. However, he appeared in a Minnesota census of 1870
at Milton, probably a township in Dodge County, just northwest of
Fillmore county.
The 1870 & 1880 census records tell us Ira was probably
involved in the Hops Crash and may have made the move to
Minnesota at that time. His son and grandchildren did not move
390
to Fillmore county until the late 1870's, as son John was born in
1877 in Wisconsin.
They may have been on the stage or they may have been
following their ox or horse cart. Family records do not tell us. The
trail led them to a village called Mantorville, a village that was
named after the Mantor brothers who had settled there in 1853.
The county was establish on February 20, 1855 and named in
honor of Henry Dodge, governor of the Wisconsin Territory. At
that time Minnesota was part of that territory. As they
approached the village, nestled in a picturesque setting in a valley
along the north branch of the middle fork of the Zumbro River,
they could see the the construction of the courthouse just
beginning in 1865. It was not finished until 1871. The local
limestone in the area was being used. When mined, the stone
was very soft and easy to mold and work into buildings and
bridges. As it endured the elements the stone became harder with
each passing year. The courthouse today stands, with its 40"
thick native stone walls, as the oldest, working courthouse in
Minnesota. Mavis and I never go to Mantorville without having a
lunch or dinner in "The Hubbell House Restaurant", which was
built in 1856, from the local limestone quarries.344
392
Mavis and I visited the courthouse in 1993 to see what we
could find:
393
William Pilling M 40Saloon Keeper $500 b. England
Louisa F 38 Keep House b. New York
Pauline J. F 16 b. Wis.
George M 9 At School b. Wis.
Alice F 7 At School b. Wis.
Sophrona F 4 b. Minn.347
395
The Baker family at Wasioja in the 1900 Census:
396
The following sites are also maintained by Dodge County
Historical Society:
WASIOJA SEMINARY
The most prominent site in Wasioja was one of the leading
educational institutions in the state. Dedicated in 1860 by the
Free Will Baptist as Northwestern College, it had an enrollment of
300 students prior to the Civil War. It was from this school that
the students marched with their instructor, Clinton A. Cilley, to
answer the call for troops by President Lincoln.
WASIOJA SCHOOL
The early settlers of Wasioja showed an interest in
education of their children. In May 1856 a small school house was
constructed. Construction of the present two-story limestone
building was started in 1858. It was planned to serve a dual
purpose - the lower portion to be used as a one-room, upgraded
school room - the upper room as a town hall. In later years both
stories were used in the semi-graded school system.355
You may be assured that the Bakers and the Pillings were a
part of the planning of the school system. Stephen and Delight,
having grown up in the mountains of the Catskills at Shandaken
397
had never learned to write, as the land titles in this chapter are
only signed with their marks. The Pillings with small children
were also interested in education of their children.
398
Stephen N. Baker and Louisa M. Warren of the said County.
Witnessed: C.C. Warner & C.S. Culver.Signed: Robert Taylor357
399
Example:
Tyrannical, unjustly sever ingovernment; cruel.
Insurrection, a rising against the authority of a city or
state;
a rebelion, an attempt to overthrow a government.
Betrothed, contracted or engaged to be married.
Deductions, inferences drawn from assertions.
Logic, the art of thinking and reasoning justly.
The Reader served as a dictionary for any new word that you were
introduced to in this book. A Chapter on True Eloquence has five
quotations from Daniel Webster.
One I like:
True eloquence does not consist in speach. It can not be
brought from far. Labor and learning may toil for it, but toil they
will in vain. Words and phrases may be marshaled in every way,
but they can not compas it. It must exist in the man, in the
subject, and in the ocassion.
400
401
24
Freeborn County
Alvira wrote to her sister, Laura, with the good news, and
also told about the beautiful town of Albert Lea, situated in a lake
area just north of where they were located and that they were
pleased with the rich black soil they had found at their new
location.
402
Laura would also be near her sister Alvira. They discussed the
idea with a cousin, Zebedia Kelly, who had also found his way to
Wisconsin. His mother was Mercy Baker, daughter of Jonathan,
from back at Shandaken, who had married into the Kelly family.
They were neighbors of the Bakers, on the trail that went over the
mountain to Griffins Corners, now the town of Fleischmanns.
Zebedia had left Shandaken and found his Baker family in
Wisconsin. However, we had never recorded any information on
him until he became associated with Nelson and Laura. He
decided he would go west with them. Nelson may have attempted
to recover his $300 purchase price on the property he had just
purchased in Kilborne City, but there was no recording of such,
so I think they left the property. Zebedia said that if he did not
like the new area in Minnesota, he could return to Kilborne and
take over this property. Nelson, Laura, and their three children,
Emma, Henry and Nelson W., along with Cousin Zebidia, took the
new train to La Crosse and the stage on west to Wasioja. Here
they were united with their parents, Stephen and Delight, and his
brother, sisters and their families.
403
Spring arrived and Nelson, Laura, Emma, Henry, Nelson
W., and cousin Zebedia Kelly moved on west to check out Albert
Lea, to unite with Abram, Alvira, and their family. They found the
rapidly-growing town beautiful. The main streets of the town were
clustered on high ground overlooking Fountain Lake which had a
large mill to grind flour at a dam at its southeastern end. There
was another large lake east of the village and another southwest
of the new town. The railroad had reached this town and new
streets had been laid out just south of the hill on which the main
town was built. There was a beautiful, three story mansion in the
heart of the new lakeside community. Francis (Frank) Hall had
come to town in 1867 and built this fine house. He returned in
1868 with his new bride. He was the city's first civic leader and
businessman. Hall operated two general stores, a large livery barn
or stables for horses, owned the local Opera House, and organized
the first bank in Freeborn county. The new town was more than
they had expected.
404
It is evident that Zebedia decided he did not like Minnesota
winters and would return to Kilborne City and take over the
property that Nelson and Laura had left without taking up
residency. The reason for the price quotation of $300 which was
actually not recorded as in hand was because it was in exchange
for Zebedia to acquire that property in Wisconsin. You will
remember, from an earlier chapter, that Nelson had borrowed,
from Stephen and Delight, $300 to purchase those two lots in
Kilbourne City. Now Stephen and Delight had become half-owners
of a lot in Albert Lea, and Zebedia returned to Kilborne City.
Before he left he signed his name in Nelson Baker's Bible, which
is one of my treasured possessions. On the inside cover of this
bible, published in 1845 by the New York American Bible Society,
Instituted in the Year 1816, are the signatures of Nelson Baker,
and Zebedia Kelly. There is also recorded there the following:
405
Life in the area continued for Nelson, Laura, Emma, Henry
and young Nelty. They evidently rented a tract of land and
continued to farm just south of the village. The 1875 Minnesota
state census for Freeborn county, Albert Lea:
Family #18
Nelson Baker 39 M Born NY Parents both born NY
Laura Baker 37 F Born NY Parents both born NY
Emma S. Baker 16 F Born Wis Parents both born NY
Henry H. Baker 14M Born Wis Parents both born NY
Nelson W. Baker 12M Born Wis Parents both born NY
They are joined some time after 1875 and the death of
Delight at Wasioja, by sister Louisa and William Pilling and family
moving from the Mantorville area to Albert Lea. The 1880 census
of Freeborn county, Albert Lea has the following information:
406
Letter enclosed:
Albert Lea, Minn.
May the 20, 1880
Dear Son and Brother,
Neltys pet hen is setting on nine eggs it does not seem that
you have been gone only three weeks it seems more like five
weeks it does not seem as if you were in Dakota it is so far of.
John Cunningham and wife have moved on his place they went by
here well I cant think of any more be sure and write when younget
this. Good bye from
407
Also attached was a letter from Nelty to brother Henry:
Dear Brother
as Ma and Em was writing and they want me to put in a
piece I will do So. Well but when ma and Em heard that younhad
gone to Dakota what a belering time there was. first I found ma
out in the Shanty in one corner and I went in the other room and
there set Em by the window a rubing tears away. Ma says that
she would see either one of the heifers lay down and die if you
would come home. Peter Burgland went down whare Edd and
Nelse was and worked too days and turned his horses out to feed
and one of his horses went away and it took 2 or 3 days to find
her and when he found her he came home he got here today. We
will plow our corn the last of next weak. they give olf Stage
the Bounce he did not fill the contract and the company payed
the hands and never give old stage a cent. how is your horses
now. set down and
write us a letter.
From. Nelson W. Baker {sic}
(Henry Baker)
Tuesday
408
These letters give us a great deal of information. William
Pilling had evidently made a trip out to Flandreau, Dakota, to
procure a homestead, but evidently came back. Laura was getting
household equipment. She had a sewing machine and had a
washing machine on order. Nelson's dairy herd was growing as
they had two heifers. The corn was ready to cultivate the first of
June. They evidently were making a vegetable cellar to store the
garden crops that fall. Henry, my grandfather at age 20, was out
scouting for land, as was Kline Wanamaker, who was evidently a
neighbor's son in Albert Lea, and was also a boy friend of Em.
409
EPILOG
A history such as this is, in fact, a small slice from a much
larger family history. While it is unfortunate that Lee passed away
before completing the next two chapters which he had envisioned,
we felt it necessary and proper to proceed and publish the history
that Lee did complete.
410