Baker Family History Woburn Massachusettes
BAKER
FAMILY HISTORY
Clephane Holbrook Baker 1851-1928 and wife Hannah Emogene
Wiseman 1856-1906
Paternal great-grandparents of John Robert Mielke
The Baker family is fascinating. They
immigrated from England to America in 1637 !!
I included extra Baker information, below, because of it's so interesting.
I've even
included one of the Baker's last will, dated 1758 because it gives you
an idea of what
life was like in America back then.
I have traced this Baker line
back to 1598.
If you would like more details, let me know.
1st Baker generation to come to America:
John Baker (b.1598) in Norwich, England, his wife Elizabeth Woodhouse(b.1613)with
3 children (and 4 servants) came to America as part of the Great Puritan
Migration (1620-1640). They landed in “Charles Town, Massachusetts Bay”
on 4/8/1637 aboard the ship "John and Dorothy of Ipswich”, piloted by Master
William Andrews of Ipswich; it was a 60 day voyage for the 160 passengers.
John Baker was an Inn-holder by trade and was considered a man of “prominence
and property”. He was declared a “colonial freeman” on 6/2/1641 and was
licensed to sell wine in 1644 and beer in 1652.
Baker bought an extensive tract of land in the town of Topsfield,Mass.,
where he and his wife raised 6 children. When he died in 1680, he left his
150 acre farm and buildings to his oldest son Thomas. Baker's Pond is now
known as Hood's Pond.
2nd Baker generation in America:
John Baker II was born 11/30/1634 in England. He married Susanna Martin
in Woburn, Massachusetts on 5/28/1654. Their marriage record was found in
a book called: "Genealogical Dictionary of the 1st Settlers of New England
- Those who came before 1692" by James Savage: In 1653, 20 year old
John Baker and 18 year old Susanna Martin were working on a farm
south of the Charles River in Woburn, Mass. When Susanna became pregnant
the authorities were notified. The County Court stepped in and sentenced
the young couple to be whipped "12 strokes in town square” and John Baker
was sentenced to marry “Susanna the inflicted". The court withdrew the
public flogging sentence when John and Susanna married on 5/28/1654 (they
later had 12 children).
First generation of Baker’s born in America:
John Baker III, son of John and Susanna, was born on 3/25/1654 in Woburn,
Massachusetts and is mentioned as being a soldier in King Phillip's War
in a book called "History of King Philip's War" by Bodge, as well as a 1896
booklet (privately printed in Comstock, New York by George Comstock Baker)
called "Short Notes on the Baker Family". Page 22 of that book says: “Early
December 1675, when preparations were being made for the Narragansett Expedition,
John Baker, one of 16 men who were impressed from Woburn, Massachusetts
as soldiers in King Phillips War. On December 19, 1675 John Baker fought
in “The Great Swamp Fight”.
John married Hannah Polly in 1682. After their 4th child was born in
Woburn, John and Polly moved to Swansea, Massachusetts.
The Plymouth Colony Records reveal that on 8/14/1689, the town of Swansea,
Mass. was to furnish five men for the "Church Expedition" against the Indians
in Albany New York, of which John Baker served.”
In 1700, Massachusetts Bay Colony voted to pay 10 pounds and an annual
pension of 4 pounds out of the Province Treasury to John Baker of Swansea,
because he was a soldier wounded in the King's Service. The following letters
were submitted on behalf of John Baker in order to apply for his pension:
Letter dated 5/29/1699 from John Baker and addressed to Major James Converse:
"My brother John Polly hath sent me a letter, it is to get the men sworn
that was out with me in the servie when I was wounded by the ingins at the
swamp fite. I may be bould as to request that these men be sworn by a magestract;
William Pearce, John Kindel, John Cutler, Zacharia Snow, Elias Totmore,
John Polley"
Letter dated 5/29/1700 from John Baker and addressed a petition to
Richard Ear of Belamont and the General Court: "The petition of John Baker
of Swanzey in the county of Bristol in ye province of Massachusetts Bay,
your petitioner was borne at Cambridge and brought up at Woburn, where I
lived till I was a man and was in the former War with ye Indians. I was impressed
into ye County of service against said Indians, I was sorely wounded in
a fight at Narraganssett at ye Fort. I sold what I had at Wooburne
and removed to Swansey, from wence I was impressed again by Capt. Brown,
now in the late wars with ye Indians, being late in ye year and cold.
I was wounded at ye Narragansett Fort, my arms being broak by shott and ye
shott went thru part of my body below my shoulder. I was sent to Road Island
to ye doctor. When I was able, my father detached me home, got so much of
a cure as I learned ye trade of weaver. I have spent all I have in ye world,
my father dead my mother a poor widow".
For his service in King Phillip's War AND King Williams War, John Baker
was given a grant of land in Narragansett Township #4 (now Greenwich, Massachusetts).
This is clearly established by a deed of his grandson, also named John
Baker found in vol. 48 page 338 of the Bristol Co. Massachusetts
deeds dated 10/31/1745. It states: John Baker of Rehoboth, Yeoman, “In
consideration of ye fatherly love which I do bare towards my eldest son,
William Baker, of ye same town. I, ye, John Baker hath one equal right or
share of land which fell to me in the Township #4 laid out in ye county of
Hampshire and given to said soldier for thar good service done for ye province
in ye Narrow Gansett War in ye year 1675 by my father John Baker being his
eldest son and only surviving male heir the aforset right of land fell to
me, unto my son William Baker all and every of my undivided right of land
yet to be laid out in any part of ye Township afforsed".
2nd generation of Baker’s born in America:
John Baker IV born 6/27/1687 Woburn, Massachusetts. His birth is listed
in book called "A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of
New England: Those who Came before 1692" by James Savage. John married Susanna
Woods (1686-1748) they had 10 children.
Much information about this family is found in a land transfer deed that
was written by John Baker. The land was originally owned by his father,
also named John Baker. The elder Baker received the land as compensation
for having fought in the Narragansett War. In this deed, John Baker,
the younger, transferred ownership of the land to his oldest son William.
Here is the text of that letter, complete with it's original spelling errors:
"To all people to whom these presents shall come: I John Baker
of ye town of Rehoboth in ye County of Bristol in ye province of ye Massachusetts
Bay in New England, Yeoman, sendeth greetings. Know ye that I ye said John
Baker for & in consideration of ye fatherly love and natural affection
which I have and do bar towards my eldest son William Baker of ye same
Town, County and province affores, Husbandman and whereas I ye John Baker
hath one equal right of shear o Land which fell to me in the Town Ship number
four Laid out in ye County of Hampsheire in ye province affores, and given
and act of ye General Court affore to said soldiers for their good service
done for ye province affores in ye narrow Gansett warr in ye year anno Domini
1775 by my father John Baker deceased being then, one of ye soldiers in that
warr, I John Baker being his eldest son and only surviving male heir, the
affores Right of Land fell to me, Have by these presents Given, Granted,
Conveyed and Confirmed and do freely clearly & absolutely Give, Grant,
convey & Confirm unto my son William Baker affores, his heirs, ex, adm,
and assigns forever, all and every of my undivided Right of lan yet to be
Laid out in any Part of ye Township affores, Number four, be ye same more
or less. To have and to hold all ye fores undivided Right of Land before
it is Divided and Laid out into Lotments with all ye appurtenances
priviledges & Commodiites to ye same belonging or in any wife appertaining
to him ye Willia Baker my son his heirs ex adm and assigns forever
to his and there only proper use benefitt and Behoof as a good sure perfect
estate forever from me John Baker. In Witness whereof I ye John Baker have
here unto set my hand and seal this 31th Day of Octobr in ye 19th year of
his majesties Reign King George ye second and in ye Annoque Domini 1745."
(Signed) John Baker
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John Bakers Last Will recorded at Woburn, Massachusetts Bristol County
Book 20 page 134 January 20, 1758:
"In the name of God, Amen. The twentiety day of January Anno Domini 1758.
I, John Baker of Rehoboth in the county of Bristol in the Province of Massachusett
Bay in New England, Yeoman: being sick and weak in body, but well of a
disposing mind and memory, thanks be given to God. Calling to mind the
mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once
to die; do make and ordain this my last will and testament; that is to
say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul to God and
my body to be buried by my executor hereafter named, and as touching such
world by estate where with in this life, give and dispose of the same in
the followith manner and from that it is to say first my debts shall be
paid by my executors hereafter named.
In Primary: I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife Susanna Baker,
the one half of the income of all my lands in Rehoboth which is not given
away by deed and also the one half of any dwelling house and one half of
the cellar and one half of the well and and she shall improve the same
for her comfort and best profit and also the improvement of two wood lots;
one by a lease from my son William and the other by a lease from my son
John. I likewise give her all my sheep and two of my cows and she shall
be able to choose which of each, and I shall give her all my house hold goods
and furniture and all of my tobacco and also five pounds lawful money and
it is my will that the provision said in for thy year should be for the support
of my wife and my two daughters, namely Bathsheba and Rebecca and my son
Benjaman.”
ITEM: I give my son William Baker, all that he is indebted to me and
also one dollar to be paid to him by my executors hereafter named.
ITEM: I give to my son, John Baker, two dollars to be paid by my
executors hereafter named.
ITEM: I give to my son Nathanial Baker, all of my lands in the
township of Rehoboth lying southward from the land that I have given to
my son John Baker deed, from home to the highway with all my buildings:
To him his being and offspring forever his assigned legacy.
ITEM: I give to my son Benjaman Baker, all my lands lying to the westward
of Munwhague Swamp in Rehoboth, to him, his being and off springs forever,
reserving a burying place of four rods square where the graves are begun
and liberty to pass and repose to the south and for burying the dead, and
also two cows and also a privledge to get pine stuff out of the swamp for
a house: that is for boards and window frames and also ranging timber off
from my homestead for his house, even that which I have given Nathanial.
ITEM:I give to my daughter, Susanna Baker Cornwell, ten pounds lawful
money, to her or her heirs, to be paid to her in two years after my deceasing,
by my son Nathanial out of what I have given him.
ITEM: I give to my two grandchildren, namely Joseph Cornwell and Penelope
Cornwell, the children of my daughter Hannah Baker Cornwell (deceased)
eight pounds lawful money to be paid to them by my son Nathanaial Baker.
To Joseph when he cometh of age of twenty one and to Penelope at the age
of eighteen years. The eight pounds is intended to be equally divided
to my two grandchildren and I also give them the receipt of which their father
and mother gave to me.
ITEM: I give to my daughter Bathsheba Baker, all the goods that
I have bought for her and also one good bed and furniture and one cow and
tin. Also nineteen pounds lawful money. Twelve pounds shall be paid by my
son Nathanial, and seven pounds to be raised out of the money by my executor
hereafter named, four years after my decease and also the priviledge of living
with her mother in the house and if her mother should die before she marrieth,
still she shall have these priviledges till she marrieth; she shall have cellar
room and the priviledge to bake in the oven and to pass and repose till then.
ITEM: I give to my daughter, Rebecca Baker, twenty five pounds
lawful money to be raised and paid to her out of my moneys by my executors
one year after my decease or to her legal representatives and also one cow.
ITEM: I give my horse to my son Nathanial Baker and also all my
farming and tackeling and half of my wearing clothes.
ITEM: And, it is my will that my son John shall have the other half of
my wearing clothes.
ITEM: And, my will is that if there be any money left when my debts and
legacy be paid, then my executors shall divide it up equally amongst all
my daughters and my grandchildren of my daughter Hannah Baker Cornwell,
that is to say all the money that is left.
ITEM: I will my gun and sword to my son Benjaman.
Finally, I do make, constitute and ordain all well beloved wife,
Susanna Baker and my son Nathanial Baker the sole execution of this, my
last will and testament, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be
my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and seal.
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced and declared by John Baker:
(Signature and Wax Seal)
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3rd generation of Baker’s born in America:
John Baker V born 8/28/1720 Rehoboth, Massachusetts
Married: Hannah Mason 7/3/1753 and they had 6 children.
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4th generation of Baker’s born in America:
Reuben Adams Baker born 5/30/1758 Swansea, Massachusetts. He married
Lydia Mason in 1782 and they had 16 children.
Information for this generation came from 2 privately published
booklets: Sampson Mason Family by Alverdo H. Mason 1902 and Short Notes on
the Baker Family by George Comstock Baker 1896.
Book source #1: Deacon Reuben Baker Sr., served as a soldier in the Revolutionary
War from Leominster and again from Adams, Massachusetts in 1780 and 1781.
After the war he married Lydia Mason and settled as a farmer in Ira, Vermont.
He resided there for 9 years and was a member of the convention that revised
the Constitution of Vermont. In 1792, he moved to Fort Ann, New York
and bought a farm on Wood Creek. The farm was later owned by his
grandson, Isaac Volney Baker Sr. and is today, the headquarters of the
Lemon Creek Correctional facility.
Book source #2: Reuben Adams Baker served in the Revolutionary War as
a Massachusetts Minuteman at the Lexington Alarm (1775) enlisted in Col.
Rufus Putnam’s Regiment and also served under General Peterson.
"Reuben Adams Baker; Private: Capt. Michael G. Houdins Company. Col.
Rufus Putnam’s 5th Regiment; Muster Roll for January 1781, dated West Point;
Enlisted July 1, 1781; Enlisted 6 months; also, listed as being raised for
the six month service and returned by Brig. General Paterson as having passed
muster in a return dated Camp Totaway October 25, 1780." Reuben Baker
is listed in the DAR book page 348 and the Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors
of the War of the Revolution page 495. After the war, he married Lydia Mason
and settled as a farmer in Ira, Vermont. He resided there for nine
years. While living there he was a member of the convention that revised
the constitution of Vermont. In 1792, the family moved to Fort Ann,
New York and bought a farm on Wood Creek. The farm was later owned
by his grandson Isaac Volney Baker Sr. and is today the headquarters of the
Lemon Creek Correctional Facility.
5th generation of Baker’s born in America:
Nestor Baker was born in Fort Ann, New York 10/2/1793. He was married
to Anna Spalding 11/28/1816, then moved from Washington County, New York
to Cortland County, New York in 1826, where they lived until 1844 when they
moved to Kane County Illinois; they had 8 children. Nestor Baker died in
Kane County, Illinois 3/16/1856. His wife, Anna Spalding Baker died in Knox
County Illinois 7/26/1878.
6th generation of Baker’s born in America:
Morrell Baker born 3/4/1828 in Truxton, New York and his wife Phoebe
Floretta Osborn Baker left New York and settled in Poygan, Wisconsin between
1862-1870, they had 6 children.
Morrell Baker was a veteran of the Civil War. His enlistment papers state
that on 2/22/1864, he was a 36 year old hotel keeper. His physical description
was 5' 9" with blue eyes and brown hair and dark complexion. Morrell Baker
enlisted in the Third Regiment Wisconsin Cavalry. Family legend records
that he was wounded in the leg during the Civil War. He died at the age
of 50 and was buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Omro, Wisconsin.
His obituary said: "Mr. M. Baker, who has been sick a long time,
died at his home on the north side of the river Tuesday night. Mr.
Baker has been laboring under chronic diarrhea, contracted in the war,
for many years and lived until he became a mere skeleton with comparatively
nothing but skin over his bones.”
Morill Baker, Private, Comp. I 3rd Cavalry (Reorganized) Source:
Wisconsin Volunteers War of the Rebellion 1861-1865 Published by the State
of Wisconsin 1914
7th generation of Baker’s born in America:
Clephane “Cliff" Holbrook Baker born 9/26/1851 Aurora, Illinois, married
Hannah Emogene Wiseman 1878 in Viola, Minnesota.
Clephane Baker homesteaded land in Minnesota Township 120N Range 44W
Section 6 (80.7 acres). Additional land was filed for in 1902.
Clephane purchased 160 acres in Section 1 of Odessa Township for $1416.66.
This land was directly adjacent to the Baker homestead. All Baker land
was inherited by Clephanes' son George Baker on 10/20/1926.
OBITUARY:
"Clephane 'Cliff’ H. Baker, one of the early pioneer settlers of this
county who drove westward with a yoke of oxen and settled on a homestead
in Akron township in 1880 when Benson was the closest point from which provisions
could be obtained, passed away at the farm home in Akron Township upon which
he had resided for almost fifty years on 4/19/1928. Death followed
an attack of influenza from which Mr. Baker suffered for about three weeks.
Funeral services were conducted from the home Sunday afternoon, April 21st
and interment was made in the Akron Cemetery. Mr. Baker was preceded
in death by Mrs. Baker, following whose death death in 1907 the farm was
operated by a son, George with whom Mr. Baker made his home. he is survived
by three sons and one daughter, Susie Lena Bake Mielke."
OBITUARY:
"C.H. Baker Dead; Settled in Akron on May 20, Year of “80" Funeral services
for Clephane H. Baker, on of Big Stone Counties early settlers, who passed
away at his farm home in Akron Township at the age of 77 years, were held
on Sunday afternoon with interment in the Akron Cemetery. Clephane
Baker was born 9/26/1851 at Aurora, Illinois. At the age of 6 he moved with
his parents to Omro, Wisconsin, where he spent his boyhood days. His
father served as a private during the Civil War in the Third Regiment, Wisconsin
Cavalry. As a young man Clephane secured work in the woods in Olmstead
County, Minnesota. He was united in marriage on 2/20/1878 with Miss
Hannah E. Wiseman at Viola, this state. They lived two years
at Rock Creek where their oldest son, George was born. In 1880 they
started out overland by ox team for Big Stone County, arriving at the present
Baker farm home in Akron township after a trip which required 11 days to
make. They used 2 teams of oxen. On May 20 of that year they settled
on a homestead in Akron, where they lived until the time of their deaths.
In those days, Benson was the nearest town and provisions and supplies were
carted by ox team (about 40 miles). Mr. Baker is survived by 4 children,
George of Corell; Walter of Montevideo; Mrs. Frank Mielke of Hardin,
Montana and Ray of Carpio, North Dakota. Mrs. Baker preceded her husband
in death, having passed away in September of 1907.
8th genertion of Baker’s born in America:
John Robert Mielke's paternal grandmother,
Susie Lena Baker Mielke was the 8th generation of Bakers born in America.
She was born 4/18/1889 in Correll, Minnesota. She married
Frank Paul Mielke (1908) in Correll, Minnesota. They had 6 children:
Lucille Veloia Mielke 1910-2005
John Clifford Mielke 1912-1989 ***** Father of
John Robert Mielke b. 1948
Richard Lyle Mielke 1914-1981
Avys Lois Mielke 1915-1987
Robert Wilbur Mielke 1925-1940
Susa Lynn Mielke 1929-1929
Susie Lena Baker Mielke died in Hardin, Montana (1972)
Frank Paul Mielke died in Hardin, Montana (1962)