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BAKER FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY THIS PAGE CONTAINS THE BAKER BRANCH OF THE DESCENDANTS OF REASON BAKER GENERATION 1 1. REASON BAKER was born Say 1750 possibly in VA, and
died Bet. 1830 - 1840 in Madison Co., KY. He married ELLENDER
ROBERTS 1782 in Rowan, N. C. She was born Abt.
1755. Notes for REASON
BAKER: North Carolina Marriage Bonds,
1741-1868 Bride: Elenor
Roberts Groom: Rezin Baker County: Rowan Record #: 01 016 Bondsman: Obed Baker Witness: David E.
Allison Bond#: 000122815 I do not know the relationship between
Reason and the bondsman Obed Baker.
Usually a brother or Uncle was bondsman. The earliest record that I have found
that may be my Reason is the following: Frederick County, Maryland
1778 Rezin Baker Henry Baker Source: Oath of Fidelity and
support taken before justice John Lawrence, 5, March 1778-98
Citizens.
25 Oct 1786 Entry #1439
REASON BAKER'S STORY BY FAMILY TRADITION
A compilation
as told by my grandfather Steward Baker and his daughter
Margaret. Reason was iving in Virginia Reason a
soldier in the Revolutionary War. I have not been able to prove military
service, as he never applied for a land grant or a military pension. Did
the family have it wrong was he a loyalist? The British or Patriots?] put a
large ransom on his head and to save his life and that of his family he
had to leave his home in the middle of the night for fear a neighbor might
turn him in for the reward money, it was at this time that he changed his
name to Reason Baker. What his original name was is not known. (A distant
cousin has a hand written note made by his great grandfather that names
him as Reason (Swamp Fox) Baker.
A note from another researcher says his family bible lists Reason Baker thusly “Reason (Swamp Fox) Baker”. This little note gives indication that Reason did fight the British but perhaps as a militiaman, fighting much in the manner of Francis Marion who was officially known as the Swamp Fox. Another scenario would be that Reason fought with Francis Marion but I doubt that, as Marion fought mostly in the swamps of Georgia and I have not had any evidence that Reason was ever in Georgia. Thus far I
have not been able to find any records for Reason in Virginia and the
following story might explain this. After fleeing during the Revolutionary
War Reason changed his name to Baker. Nothing was said about changing his
first name. My Aunt Margaret and her brother George both recall being told
that the name was originally Bacon.
Bacon (an English name) is highly questionable as the Baker’s were supposedly of
German ancestry. Becker or some other similar name would be more likely
but this is just speculation on my part. The name
Reizen or variations thereof are common German surnames and could have
been Reason’s mother’s maiden name.
The story
continues with Reason and family their provisions in hand pulled carts,
traveling with Daniel Boone over a rough path to Boonesborough, Kentucky
that was later to become known as the Wilderness Road and since he
did not like (or perhaps trust) the people in Boonesborough he stayed only
a short time (perhaps one of the residents knew him and he was still
afraid that someone may report him to the British). He then left
Boonesborough with his family and continued further into the wilderness
before settling down in Madison County
Kentucky. According to the late William Fitzgerald, a Boone County, KY, resident and genealogist the following was copied from an old family Bible in the County of Boone, KY. Written by Reason's grandson George W. Baker. "Reason Baker and family came to Kentucky with Daniel Boone on Boone's second trip." There is a link later on in this story showing an old family letter that talks about the trip with Boone. But I am getting ahead of myself as the
first records that I can verify as my Reason Baker were found in North
Carolina. The following tax
lists shows how some of the Kentucky Baker families are linked back to
North Carolina.
The above records show the principle
Baker families living in close proximity to each other. I have not as yet, been able to
link these families together with the exception of Obediah being at the
marriage of Reason Baker's daughter Margaret and Obed Baker the Bondsman
for Reason. Even that is not
sufficient proof to show relationship. I also believe that Bazel Baker is
a likely brother to Reason.
Reason (Rezin), Bazel and Wansley (Wondsley) Baker settled in
Madison County Kentucky in the same neighborhood in the same time period
suggesting they may have come to Kentucky together as another researcher
states. Reason/Rezin Baker appears in Madison
Co., KY during the years 1787-1830. He does not appear in the 1840 census
indicating that he must have died sometime between
1830-1840.
Montgomery County Kentucky; 1808: Reason Baker does not appear but son Edwin does. This may mean that Edwin purchased the property from his father and he could have been the person showing in previous tax records as between 21-16 years old. A Moses Baker appears on the Montgomery Co., tax list in 1806 and 1809, he does not appear to be related to Reason Baker.
1800: Census, Madison Co., KY. Pg.
215. The Marriage Record links Reason Baker
jr. to Wansley Baker follows.
It is my speculation that Wansley was Reason Jr’s Uncle, and
brother to Reason Sr. NANCY VAN WINKLE : Born about
1796-1797 Married: August 31, 1812 - Madison
County REASON BAKER JR. Bond By : WANSLEY
BAKER Consent By : Reason Baker - Father of
the Groom Consent By : Benjamin Van Winkle -
Father of the Bride "Groom: Francis Roberts Jr. Bride:
Peggy Baker Date: 8 June 1815. Parent: Rezin Baker; witness: Edwin
Baker" Bath County Marriage Book
#1 Other marriage records show: FRANCIS JR. s/o Francis & Elizabeth (Ford) Roberts to Margaret "Peggy" Baker, 8 June 1815.
I would like to interject a note here on the Roberts family into which Reason and his son Edwin married. I have not been able to pick up their lines during my research but do strongly feel the William Roberts and Edward Roberts who owned lands near Reason in Madison Co, KY. are related to Ellender Roberts [Reason Sr.’s wife] and Sarah Roberts. By my family tradition Sarah was “Nelly” Roberts niece. I hope that another researcher will pick up this line and do more research. It would please me to have this research continued to discover who were the fathers of Ellender [Nelly] and Sarah.
14 Sept. 1803 Reason was appointed
attorney for John and Nancy (Donohoo) Purston for the purpose of seeing to
all their needs. TIDBITS: 1. A query posted on the Internet asked
about the various Baker families of Wilkes and Iredell County, North
Carolina, included Rezin Baker who married Eleanor
Roberts. 2. Reason Baker Jr. married into the
Van Winkle family and I found two VanWinkle families listed in Boone Co.
Ky. 3. I found the following on the
"Kentucky Meanderings" web site of Sherry Ryan: Ms. Ryan states that she believes "
Basil and Wansley were brothers and that Reason was also a probable
brother." My cousin Clark Baker test# 12019, took the 25 marker DNA test to set a standard for descendants of Reason Baker those results are posted below. The chart will mean nothing to the casual reader but it contains substantial information for the researcher who is interested in the DNA studies. This test was run by the FamilyTree DNA project based in Texas. The eight test results shown are for the eight descendents claiming to have different ancestors but in fact show a common ancestor. So here you have results that clearly show a common ancestor for all eight yet we have not found that common ancestor. Family Tree DNA -
Genealogy by Genetics, Ltd. (OFF SITE) Family Tree DNA The researcher can keep up with the
latest DNA matches by logging on to: ySearch at the following
URL: (OFF SITE) Y-Search Children of REASON BAKER and NELLY
ROBERTS are: i. BASIL
BAKER. Note: Basil has not been proven a son of Reason and could in fact be a grandson. 2. ii. EDWIN BAKER b. November 20, 1785. iii. REASON BAKER, b. Abt. 1790; m. NANCY VAN WINKLE, August 31, 1812, Madison Co., KY; b. est. 1796 - 1797. Notes for REASON
BAKER: NANCY VAN WINKLE : Born about
1796-1797 Married : August 31, 1812 - Madison
County REASON BAKER
JR. Bond By : WANSLEY
BAKER Consent By : Reason Baker - Father of
the Groom Consent By : Benjamin Van Winkle -
Father of the Bride iv. MARGARET BAKER,
b. Abt. 1795. was born Abt. 1795.
She married FRANCIS ROBERTS June 08, 1815 in Bath Co., KY, son of
FRANCIS ROBERTS and UNKNOWN.
He was born Abt. 1795. Notes for MARGARET BAKER: AKA
Peggy Marriage: Groom: Francis ROBERTS Jr.
Bride: Peggy BAKER Date: 8 Jun 1815. Notes: Parent: Rezin Baker; witness:
Edwin Baker. Sharp index shows date as 18
Jun 1815. Source: Sharp, Annie Walker Burns; Bath County Marriage
Book.
[Margaret]
PEGGY BAKER MARRIAGE BOND BY
v. NANCY BAKER MICAJAH J PENNINGTON III, August 13, 1812, Madison Co., KY.
REZIN BAKER'S PERMISSION FOR DAUGHTER
MINISTER'S STATEMENT
Copyright © 2004-2008 Linda
Hansen All Rights Reserved
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REASON BAKER 
