James Baker, immigrant ancestor of this family, was born in England, Dec. 18, 1731, and died Nov. 9, 1806. He settled on Long Island, but at the time of the invasion by the British army in the Revolution, he took his family to Salt Point, Dutchess county, N.Y.
He married Jemima Kirke, who died Dec. 1, 1803.
Among there children were:
James, mentioned below.
Peter, a solider in the revoltuion, who died in 1853, and was buried near a corner of the old church at Hempstead, Long Island.

(II) James (2), son of James (1) Baker, was born April 28, 1765. He married (first) Cornelia Westervelt, a woman of distinguished ancestry, descendant of Anneke Jans, who died at the birth of her son Peter, Nov. 28, 1791.
He married (second) Ruth Post, born April 14, 1778, died in 1853.
He had one son by the first and fifteen by the second wife.
At the time of his death in 1840, all of the sixteen sons were living.

(III) Ransom Clary, son of James (2) Baker, was born Feb. 23, 1812, and died March 22, 1895. He married, Aug. 7, 1843, Laura Augusta Kenney, born March 25, 1821, died Nov. 18, 1876, daughter of Silas and Eunice (Newton) Kenney of Newfane, Wildham county, Vermont. He was a well-to-do farmer and much interested in public education. He gave to his large family of children much more than the ordinary public school education. All of them attended the district school at Stillwater, N.Y., and as many as six of the childern were enrolled at the same time as pupils, and afterward each of them attended the Mechanicsville Academy, one of the popular educational institutions of that day.

The ancestry of Laura Kenney extends back the the first settlement of the American colonies. Her grandfather, Marshall Newton Jr., served through the Revolution, and was at Boston during the siege, at the time of the evacuation, March 17, 1776, and with Washington's army at the surrender of General Burgoyne in the north. His father, Marshall Newton, was a lieutenant, serving with distinction in the French and Indian wars under Colonel Williams, for whose family Williams College is named.

Children of Ransom Olney Baker:
Frances Augusta, born Sept. 16, 1844.
Abigail Lauretta, July 21, 1846.
Chauncey Kenney, April 5, 1848.
Joseph William, mentioned below.
Silas Newton, Aug. 18, 1852.
Sylvia Lucy, Jan. 1, 1855.
Laura Lowantha, Jan. 29, 1857.
Herbert Ransom, April 18, 1858.
Willard Marshall, Feb. 13, 1860.
Eugene Kelly, Aug. 9, 1863.
Frederick Allen, Feb. 9, 1865.

(IV) Joseph William, son of Ransom Olney Baker, was born in Mechanicsville, Saratoga county, New York, April 3, 1850. He attended the public schools and the Mechanicsville Academy. He assisted his father during his youth on the farm, and when he was eighteen years old became clerk in a grocery store in his native town. Two years later he went west and visited various western states. Returning home, he located at Little Falls, N.Y., where his brother Chauncey had already established himself in business, and became clerk in a drug and grocery store. He was admitted to partnership after a time, and finally became sole proprietor of the business. He was in this business for eighteen years altogether, and for ten years was alone in the business. He sold out in 1892 and removed to Herkimer, N.Y., where he purchased the well-known Waverly Hotel, which he has since conducted with success. He is a popular host, and his house has a deservedly high reputation among the traveling public. Mr. Baker served the village of Little Falls as president with wisdom and dignity.
In 1897 he was elected sheriff of Herkimer county. He has also been a trustee of the village of Herkimer. Mr. Baker owns one of the most valuable farms and suburban places in the whole Mohawk Valley. He is a lover of good horses and owns several. He has some fancy stock also in his dairy. He is a member of the Herkimer Lodge, No. 423, Free and Accepted Masons, of Herkimer; Astoroga Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Little Falls; Little Falls Commandery, No. 26, Knights Templar, and of Oriental Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Troy.
He is eligible to membership in the Sons of the American Revolution, the Society of Fouders and Patriots, and other patriotic orders, by right of descent from revolutionary and colonial ancestors on both paternal and maternal sides.
He married, May 23, 1883, Mary Ann Pierce, born Nov. 4, 1859, daughter of Charles and Jane (Dixon) Pierce. (See Pierce I).
They have one child, Amanda Jane, born July 13, 1896, student in the Herkimer high school.

SECOND ENTRY:

Rev. Thomas Baker, the immigrant ancestor, was born in England. He settled in Newport, Rhode Island, and Dec. 17, 1653, owned land there, adjoining George Kenrick's. He was ordained in the Baptist ministry in 1655. In 1656 he and William Vaughan and some others left the First Baptist church and formed the Second Baptist church. The reasons for this separation were: "Said persons conceived a prejudice against psalmody and against the restraints that the liberty of prophesying was laid under and also against the doctrine of particular redemption and against the rite of laying on of hands as a matter of indifference."
In 1666 he removed to Kingston, Conn., and gathered a chuch there, being its first pastor.
Children:
Thomas, mentioned below.
Benjamin, married Mary H___.
James, married Penelope Wescott.

(II) Thomas (2), son of Thomas (1) Baker, was born probably in Newport, about 1670. He settled at North Kingston, and died there in 1743. He married Mary ____. He and five others bought 792 acres of land May 27, 1709, at Kingston. His will was proved Feb. 20, 1743, son Jeremiah being executor, and other children mentioned as legatees.
Children:
Thomas, born Jan., 169_.
John, Sept. 1699.
Jeremiah, July, 170_.
Abner, March 170_.
Sarah, Dec., 170_.
Josiah, Oct., 170_. Joshua, Feb., 17__.
Joseph.
Elizabeth.
Ann.
Philip.
Ruth.
Ichabod.

(V) [note the jump in generations here.]
Thomas (3), descendant of Thomas (2) Baker, in the second or third generation (the rest of the line being in doubt on account of defective records), was born in Rhode Island, April 10, 1771, died at Meriden, Conn., April 11, 1811 (family record).
He married Mary Hall, born in Rhode Island, April 14, 1775. She married (second) ____ Phillips, and died at Utica, N.Y. April 24, 1860.
Children, born at Hoosick:
Ezekiel, Feb. 2, 1792.
Sarah, Sept. 14, 1793.
William, April 14, 1795.
Lydia, Sept. 27, 1797.
Thomas, Dec. 10,1799, mentioned below.
Gardner, Sept. 11, 1802, at Meriden, Conn.
Matterson, Sept. 15, 1804, died on his way across the plains to California, 1849.
Isaac, Nov. 27, 1806.
Mary, Sept. 2, 1809.
Richard, June 24, 1811, died aged four years.

(VI) Thomas (4), son of Thomas (3) Baker, was born at Hoosick, Rensselaer county, N.Y. Dec. 10, 1799. He came to the town of Warren, Herkimer county, N.Y. with his parents when a boy. His father died a few years later, and the son went to Russia, N.Y., where he was a merchant several years. In 1825 he came to Talcottville, N.Y., and established a general store. After five years he sold out and engaged in the business of cattle dealing, also owned a slaughter house, and shipped beef in barrels to Troy, N.Y. In the financial panic of 1857 he suffered large losses through the failure of the Troy firm that handled his meats, and did not resume business afterward.
He married (first) Laura Shaw, born at Trenton, N.Y. Jan. 13, 1804, died Nov. 3, 1848, daughter of Uriah Shaw; (second) Sophronia Talcott, born in Leyden, N.Y. Aug. 28, 1807, died Feb. 23, 1877, daughter of Johnson and Altamira (Cooley) Talcott. Johnson Talcott and his brother, Jesse, built a hotel on the site of the house now (1910) occupied by Thomas Baker, mentioned below. After his second marriage, Mr. Baker conducted the hotel successfully, being associated for some years with his son, Thomas, in this business. He also operated a gray limstone quarry, the stone from which was shipped to market by way of the canal. It was one of the largest industries of its kind in this section, employing some twenty-five hands. He also owned and operated a farm, and wa a citizen of high standing and large influnece in the community. He was active in public affairs and was elected to various offices of trust and honor. He was for many years town clerk and supervisor of the town of Leyden, and during the twelve years during which he was a member of the board of supervisors he became one of the best known and most popular men in public life in the county. He represented this district, Lewis county, in the assembly in 1844.
He died April 7, 1883, at Leyden.
Children of first wife:
Jane, born May 24, 1824, married Jesse Talcott.
Rosalinda, Aug. 24, 1825.
Laura Ann, Aug. 24, 1827.
Mary, March 22, 1830.
Helen Matilda, Sept. 17, 1833, married Walter Kimball.
Adaline Shurell, Sept. 23, 1835, married Thaddeus E. Munn.
Harriet Beatrice, Oct. 22, 1837, married Charles Alger.
Altamira, Nov. 28, 1840, married Albert Dayan Parsons.
Thomas Uriah, Dec. 10, 1844.
All, except eldest born at Leyden.

(VII) Thomas (5), son of Thomas (4) Baker, was born in Talcottville, Dec. 10, 1844. He attended the public schools of his native town and the Clinton Liberal Institute of Clinton, N.Y. He began his career in the hotel busienss with his father at Talcottville, and in the management of his father's stone quarry and farm. After fifteen years, owing to the illness of his father, the hotel was closed and the quarry sold, and he devoted his attention exclusively to the farm. He was appointed in the first Cleveland administration a railmay mail clerk on the line from Utica to Ogdensburg and Utica to Watertown. During the next few years he was able to pay the mortgage on the farm and recovered from the financial reverses that overtook the firm during the father's last years. He returned to farming, though acting as a substitute in the mail service for two years or more. He restocked the farm and leased it to Leo Zimmer, who continues as tenant (1910). Mr. Baker bought the Clark Capron farm, which he also rents.
In politics he is a Democrat, and he has been town clerk of Leyden a number of years. He is a member of Leyden Grange, Patrons of Husbandry.
Kindly, courteous and attractive in manner and speech, he has been well described as a gentleman of the old school.
He married, Sept. 14, 1899, at Leyden, Nellie, born Nov. 28, 1858, daughter of Phineas and Marie (Smith) Kent. Phineas Kent was born at Talcottville, May 23, 1826, died Oct. 16, 1903; Marie Smith was born at Lee, Oneida county, N.Y. May 12, 1827. children: i. Flora Kent, born Aug. 30, 1855, married Frank Tuttle, of New London, N.Y.; ii. Nellie, Nov. 28, 1858, mentioned above; iii. Lena, Oct. 12, 1861, married Charles Pease. iv. Perry, who died in Florida Jan. 30, 1910, of Boonville; v. Grace, May 22, 1873, died Oct. 16, 1903.

THIRD ENTRY:

Second to no other trade in importance to the human family is that of the baker; and from the trade which from the dawn of civilization has given employment to a multitude of laborers, continuously, comes the surname which has been the appelation of some of the most prominent and useful men among the English speaking people. The Baker family of this article came early, and the qualities of the early Bakers are still prominent among their descendants.

(I) Edward Baker probably came in the fleet with Governor Winthrop in 1630, and settled on the south side of Baker's Hill, in Saugus (now Lynn) Massachusetts. He was a farmer, and was admitted a freeman March 14, 1638. In 1657 he removed to Northampton, Mass., where he had several acres of land and also purchased several lots. This was only three years after the first settlement of the town, and he was among those active in establishing the settlement, being an influential citizen and filling many town offices. Late in life he settled his sons Joseph and Timothy in that town and returned to Lynn, where he died March 16, 1687. In his will, dated Oct. 16, 1685, he exhorts his family to live "peaceful and pious lives." Nothing is known of his wife except that she bore the name of Joan, and that she died April 9, 1693.
Children:
Joseph, Mary, John, Timothy, Thomas and Edward.

(II) Timothy, third son of Edward and Joan Baker, was born 1647, in Lynn, and died Aug. 30, 1729, in Northampton. He was the ancestor of most bearing the name descended from his father. He lived on Elm street, in Northampton, and one of the many beautiful elm trees of that city standing at the corner of Elm and Prospect streets was called the "Baker elm," and according to tradition was planted by Timothy Baker. He was a leading citizen of the town, was often selectman, bore the title of respect, "Mr," and was ensign and afterward lieutenant in the train band.
He married (first), Jan. 16, 1672, Grace, daughter of John Marsh, of Hadley, Mass., and granddaughter of Governor John Webster, of Connecticut. Her children were Grace and Timothy, both of whom died in infancy. She died May 31, 1676, and he married (second) about 1679, Sarah, widow of Rev. Hope Atherton, of Hadley, and daughter of Lieut. (also deacon) John Hollister of Wethersfield. She was born about 1647, and died Dec. 8, 1691.
Children of second marriage:
John, Thomas, Edward and Deliverance.

(III) John, eldest son of Timothy, and Sarah (Hollister) Baker, ws born Feb. 3, 1680, in Northampton, and settled on the old homestead on Elm street in that town, where he died Jan. 8, 1762. He was an influential man of the town, possessing an active, vigorous and religious cast of mind, as did his father and grandfather. He was known as "Captain" Baker.
He married, June 1, 1709, Rebecca, daughter of Deacon John and Mary (Strong) Clark, and granddaughter of William Clark and Elder John Strong of Northampton. She was born Nov. 22, 1687, and died June 9, 1774.
The first two children, both named John, died in infancy.
The others were:
John, Timothy, Noah, Aaron, Elisha, Elijah, Stephen, Mary and Sarah.
Timothy died in 1745, while a soldier in an expedition against Lewisburg.

(IV) Aaron, sixth son of Captain John and Rebecca (Clark) Baker, was born in 1726 at Northampton, and died in Pittsfield, Mass. April 17 (or 23), 1802. He removed to Pittsfield in 1763, and was one of the eight persons who signed the covenant and articles of faith and organization of the First Congregational Church at Pittsfield, Feb. 7, 1764. Three years later he built a fulling mill in the western part of town.
In 1747 he married Jemima, daughter of Increase Clark, of Northampton, botn 1728, in that town, died Nov. 25, 1815, in Pittsfield. They were the parnets of fourteen children:
Eunice, Timothy, Enoch, Lois, Solomon, Rachel, Paul and Jemima (twins), Aaron, Apollos, Rebecca, Silas and Mary.
On a town list made Nov. 16, 1772, he is noted as having a family of fifteen persons.

(V) Enoch, second son of Aaron and Jemima (Clark) Baker, was born April 30, 1751, in Northampton, and died in 1792. He was a soldier in the revolution, serving in several enlistments, appearing first as a member of Captain William Francis' company from the town of Pittsfield, which marched to Williamstown, Sept. 13, 1776, and was disbanded after a service of eight days. He marched from Pittsfield to New York, Sept. 30, 1776, in Lieut. William Baker's company, Colonel Simon's regiment, serving several weeks. He marched in Captain William Francis' company from Pittsfield to Fort Edward, July 8, 1777, in Major Hines' regiment, serving seven weeks. He appears as a private on the muster pay-roll of Lieut. Joel Stevens' company, Colonel David Rossiter's regiment, enlisted Oct. 15, discharged Oct. 21, 1780; service six days on alarm at Fort Edward; rolls dated at Pittsfield.
He married, Aug. 20, 1778, Huldah, daughter of Gamliel and Catherine (Logan) Ingham, born Aug. 17, 1760, probably in Pittsfield, died March 30, 1851, and buried in the Baker cemetery at Fort Ann, N.Y.
The Pittsfield record shows the following:
"July 31, 1778, Enoch Baker and Huldah Ingham, both of Pittsfield, intend marriage together."
Children:
Abner, Alexander, Clark, William, Huldah, Enoch, Catherine and Thomas.
The last two died in infancy.
Abner and Enoch died unmarried.
Alexander and William lived at Fort Ann.

(VI) Huldah, elder daughter of Enoch and Huldah (Ingham) Baker, was born July 4, 1787, and became the wife of Joel Nelson in 1804. She died Feb. 12, 1888. Joel Nelson was born in 1785, and died June 6, 1851, in Fort Ann, N.Y. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 as a private to Captin Hugh McCall's company, Colonel McFarland's regiment, New York militia, for a period of fifteen days, enlisted at Hebron, N.Y.
Children:
Polly Baker.
Amanda, wife of Leonard Farr.
James.
William Baker.

(VII) William Baker, youngest child of Joel and Huldah Ingham (Baker) Nelson,was born Oct. 15, 1814, and resided at Fort Ann, where he died Feb. 10, 1863. He married, in 1836, Jane Gleason, adopted daughter of Deacon Patrick Sloan. She died Nov. 4, 1851, and he married (second) in 1854, Louise A. Northrup, who died March 5, 1895.
Children:
James Sloan, Harriet Melvina, Orestus William, Eddis Emmett, and two who died in infancy.

(VIII) Harriet Melvina, second child of William Baker and Jane (Gleason) Nelson, was born Oct. 16, 1839, and was married Nov. 10, 1858, to Jeremiah Fairbanks Miller, of Sandy Hill, N.Y. (See Miller, III).

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