BAKER GENEALOGY

 

Alexander Baker, the common ancestor of a numerous progeny, was born in London, England, about 1607.  He sailed from London in the ship, Elizabeth & Ann, in 1635, at the age of 28, with his wife, Elizabeth Farrar, aged 23, and two children, Elizabeth aged 2 years and Christian aged 1 year.  They landed at or near Boston.  It appears that for a short time he lived in Gloucester, Mass., and afterwards settled in Boston, where he became a permanent resident.  His occupation was a rope maker.

 

Before their departure from London, he obtained a  certificate from a minister of the established church and before two justices of the peace took the oath of allegiance.

 

After their arrival on these New England shores they had born to them 9 children...Alexander b. 15 Jan. 1636 Samuel, b. 16 June 1638 John, b. 20 June 1640 Joshua, born 30 April 1642 Hannah, b. 29 Sept. 1644.  These lastnamed were bapatized 5 Oct. 1645, their father and mother having been admitted members of the Church at Boston the preceeding day.

 

After this time they had, William, b. 15 May 1647 Benjamin, b. 16 March 1653, Josiah, b. 26 Feb. 1655 (the last died in infancy) and Josiah again b. 26 Feb. 1658.

 

Joshua², [Alexander¹] the 4th son, b. 30th April 1642, was the ancestor of the Baker families in Montville, CT.  He moved from Boston and settled in New London about 1670.  He received shares in the town plot and became a large land holder.  About the year 1700 he received a deed from Owaneco, the Chief of the Mohigans, for a large tract of land in Mohegan, on which his sons afterwards settled.  A portion of the same tract of land was located in the vicinity of the famous "Cochegan Rock."

 

He married 13 Sept. 1674, Hannah Tongue Minturn,[George Tongue¹] relict of Tristram Minturn of N. London.   He died at N. London 27 Dec., 1717, aged 75. (Copied from handwritten records of Nina Sperry Boyles [Harriet⁸, Cyrus⁷, Allen⁶. John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander^1])

 

John Baker, [John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹] was born in Massachusetts and, having there grown to manhood, he emigrated to Saratoga County, and sojourned a few years.  In 1808 he again started westward, accompanied by his family.  They made the journey overland with teams, driving their stock, and bringing all of their worldly possessions to Cayuga County, which was then very thickly populated.  Here, in what is now the town of Fleming, he bought a tract of heavily timbered land, and began the establishment of a home, his first step in that direction being the erection of a log cabin, which they occupied for a time.  He afterward built a frame house but that being destroyed by fire in 1815, he built another, and remained there many years, engaged in general farming.  The last few years of his life were passed in Enfield, Tompkins County, where his death occurred July 23, 1830.  He was a worthy and patriotic citizen, and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, having the bitter experience of wintering at Valley Forge. He was twice married.  (Biographical Review--The Leading Citizens of Cayuga County., NY 1894.)

 

Note:  "New York in the Revolution"  p. 111, lists John Baker, Jr. as an enlisted man, serving in the Eighth Regiment - Militia from Albany County.

 

References:

Mass. Soldiers & Sailors of Revolutionary War Vol. 1, p. 486.

Early Connecticut Marriages by F. W. Bailey, Book 3, p. 102.

Baker's History of Montville, Connecticut p. 160-161.

1923 Historical Sketch of Fleming

Asbury ME Church, S. Lansing, NY Cemetery 1794-1850

New York in the Revolution p. 111, lists John Baker, Jr. as an enlistedman, serving in the Eighth Regiment - Militia from Albany County.

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ASA H. BAKER

 

 

Asa H. Baker, [Allen⁶, John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹]  now retired from active business life, has been closely identified with the agricultural interests of Cayuga County for many years and in the town of Aurelius where he was born on August 14, 1833, he holds an honored place among the substantial and influential citizens.

 

He is of New England ancestry, his grandfather, John Baker, [John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹] having been a native of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and well endowed with the perseverance, courage, and patriotism characteristic of the sturdy people born among the rugged and rocky hills of that State.  In his early manhood he served his country bravely through the trying hours of the Revolution. Some years after the close of that war he emigrated to New York, becoming a pioneer of Saratoga County, where he lived a number of years, in the meantime clearing quite a tract of land from the wilderness.  In 1808 he came to Cayuga County and, though not one of its original settlers, can well be classed among its pioneers.  He purchased a tract of land at Fleming Hill, on which a loghouse had been built and this cabin, which compared favorably in size, architecture, and conveniences with any in the vicinity, was the first abiding place of him and his family.  At that time Auburn was but a hamlet, the dense forests round­about haunted by wolves and other predatory animals, which were a perpetual torment to these settlers but the woods also furnished them plenty of game.  After a time Mr. Baker, who was an energetic, industrious man, cleared a good farm, and erected a frame house, and, that being burned, rebuilt on the same place, continuing his farming operations there several years, but subsequently moved to Enfield, Tompkins County, where he spent his last days.

 

Asa Baker was the seventh child and the sixth son born to his parents, Allen and Eunice (Tupper) Baker⁶, [Benjamin⁵, Thomas⁴, Eliakim³, Thomas², Thomas¹] for whose history see sketch of Augustus D. Baker, on another page of this volume.  He attended the public schools of Aurelius, and afterward pursued his studies at a commercial college in Rochester, N. Y.  He was early initiated into the various duties and labors that fall upon the son of a farmer, being often called upon when out of school to assist in the farm work.  Finding agriculture a congenial occupation, he chose it for his life-work, helping his father on the homestead until he was twenty-four years of age, when he and his brothers took upon themselves the whole care of the farm, managing it thus for a few years.  Asa then bought out the interests of his brothers in a portion of the homestead, and engaged in general farming on his own estate and, being an active, wide-awake, thorough man of business, conversant with all branches of agriculture, he met with good success in his undertakings.  His native mechanical ability was a great assist­ance to him, saving him considerable sums, and affording him numerous conveniences, a good many specimens of his handiwork being now in his possession and in use.  In 1878 Mr. Baker sold his farm to his brother Augustus, and purchasing a tract of land on Genesee Street, three miles west of Auburn, erected a fine set of frame buildings and in this pleasant and attracive home he and his family have since resided.

 

      

Caroline E. Ellison Baker with her great-grandson William Wirt Patterson, Jr.

 

The maiden name of his wife, to whom he was wedded in 1862, was Caroline E. Ellison⁴ [Christopher³, Richard², Richard¹].  She was the daughter of Christopher and Esther(Fowler)² [Joshua¹] Ellison, natives of England and of Cayuga County, New York, respectively.  Of this marriage two children were born, namely Mary (sic) ( May) E., who married Fred C. Hall, of Aurelius, and has two children  Edith E. and Anna V.(sic.) (Annabel) and Sarah B. wife of J. George Coapman² [John¹].

 

Mr. Baker politically is an uncompromising Democrat, and has filled various offices of trust with satisfaction, and served on the County Board of Supervisors in the year 1876, 1880, and 1881.  He is a man of sound judgment, and one whose opinions are held in general respect.   BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW - the Leading Citizens of Cayuga County, N.Y., 1894.

 

The chapter in the BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW on Calvin Baker's⁷ [Allen⁶, John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹] life supplements the information appearing above.  It is quoted here:

 

Allen Baker [John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹], son of John, was a youth of seventeen years when he came to Cayuga County with his parents.  Being reared to agri­cultural purs he naturally adopted farming as his occupa­tion.  He remain the parental homestead until ready to establish a home of his own, when he purchased fourteen acres in the town of Fleming but later sold that, and bought forty acres of land south of Fleming Hill, a few acres of cleared land and a log house constituting the only improvements at the time.  He occupied this place several years, making many improvements, then sold it at a great advance, and moved to Genoa, where he resided six years.  From that place he came to the town of Aurelius, and buying a tract of land, at once began its cultiva­tion.  H with good success and at the time of his death, in 1874, he was the possessor of one of the choice farms of the county, consisting of upward of two hundred acres of land, all under an excellent state of cultivation.

 

The BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW also carried a section devoted to Au­gust­us Baker⁷ [Allen⁶, John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua ² Alexander ¹].  A portion is quoted below:

 

Mr. Baker is of New England ancestry, his great-grandfather, John Baker, having been a life-long resident of the Old Bay State.  His grandfather, also named John Baker, was born in Massachusetts and, having there grown to manhood, he emigrated to Saratoga County, and sojourned a few years.  In 1808 he again started westward, accompanied by his family.  They made the journey overland with teams, driving their stock, and bringing all of their worldly possessions to Cayuga County, which was then very thinly populated.  Here, in what is now the town of Fleming, he bought a tract of heavily timbered land, and began the establishment of a home, his first step in that direction being the erection of a log cabin, which they occupied for a time. He afterward built a frame house but, that being de­stroyed by fire in 1815, he built another, and remained there many years, engaged in general farming.  He was a most worthy and patriotic citizen, and served as a soldier in the Revolu­tionary War, having the bitter experience of wintering at Valley Forge.  He was twice married.

 

From a history of the Township of Fleming NY we quote:

 

Allen Baker [John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹], son of John, Jr., ...was born on May 3, 1791, on a farm three miles from Saratoga Springs.  ...he bought 40 acres of land in the town of Fleming, and began his life-work.  Mr. Baker cleared quite a tract of land from the wilderness, and otherwise improved it, living there four years, when he sold that, and bought another farm in the same town.  Going thence to Genoa, he resided there until the spring of 1833, when he came to Aurelius, and purchased a farm of eighty-one acres about four miles from Auburn.  ...in the course of time added to his original purchase many acres of choice land, his homestead, at the time of his death, Oct. 2, 1874, consisting of two hundred and twelve acres of valuable land..

 

When twenty-one years of age, he [Augustus], with his brother Asa, assumed the management of the old homestead, working it together for four years, when they divided the farm.  Augustus subsequently bought his brother's farm, and is now the owner of the entire two hundred and twelve acres, all of which he has under fine cultivation...

Note:  this farm is located on the road leading south from Half Acre, Aurelius, NYState...a white house just north of the stone house.

 

The stone house mentioned above is the subject of the oil painting owned by William Sandor Hecht, [Lydia Patterson Hecht¹⁰, Edith Hall Patterson⁹, May Baker Hall⁸, Asa Baker⁷, Allen⁶, John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹] Skaneateles, NY and executed by May Baker Hall, daughter of Asa Baker [Allen ⁶, John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹] who had built the house on his father's farm and where he had lived when his daughter, May, was born.

 

 

John H. Baker (b. 1-16-1831, d.1901) [Allen⁶, John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹] (b. 1-16-1831, d.1901), built the red brick house on the northeast corner of Half Acre, Aurelius, Cayuga Co., NY in the Year 1867.  He performed all of the construction, except for some assistance in the erection of the staircase.  He placed the house in the name of his wife who predeceased him and it was necessary to purchase the house that he had built from her Pennsylvania relatives who claimed the heritage.  In the Year 1900 Frederic and May Baker Hall [Asa Baker⁷, Alle ⁶, John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹] came to live with John Baker, after the death of his wife.  Edith Patterson [May Baker Hall⁸, Asa Baker⁷, Allen⁶, John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹] told that a very happy year ensued.  Unfortunately, in July of 1901 he fell in the barn while climbing up to get the ice tongs to use in ice cream making, injured himself critically and died soon afterward, leaving the house and the farm on the northwest corner of Half Acre to Frederic and May Baker Hall⁸ [Asa Baker⁷, Allen⁶, John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹].  They lived in the brick house until their deaths in 1936 and 1950 when the house turned to the heirs, Edith Hall Patterson and her sister, Annabel Hall Schenck.  Subsequently, Edith Patterson purchased Annabel Schenck's half share, later selling to Lloyd S. Riford, Sr., who owned the remaining three corners of Half Acre.

 

Refer to May Baker Hall's reminiscenses HALF ACRE - PAST AND PRESENT written in 1945 when she was eighty-one years of age.

 

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Copy of Letter (copied by Nina Sperry Boyles):

                       North Concord in Warwich   April 18, 1771

Dear Brother:

Probably these lines may bring you sorrowful news Respecting the Death of our Mother, and may she be sanctified to us.  She Died the Second Day of March Last.  She was confined to her bed but a few Days and Sir Respecting those things that she Left there was a Considerable Difficulty with our Brother James in Settling them.  he was a mind to claim them by father's will but the Brethern thought he had no right to them all  and so we Left the Whole Matter to Esq. Hillhouse and Doct. Holmes to settle and if they found we had a Right they was to Make the Distribution and by the will they thought we had a Right and so they with us Divided and Settled the Whole. the Whole Estate was Prised by Alpheus & Thomas Rogers at about forty five Pounds and we all agreed that James should be paid for keeping Mother from the time that father Died till she Died which was forty seven weeks or there abouts and those things that we knew Mothers mind was sot of to them after James had his Due (which was about twenty pound) there was about forty one shillings apiece, the NeckLace and some other things was sot off to you.  But, Sir, I would conclude by informing you that we are all in health and hope this will find you in health and Prosperity.  I have two or three times about concluded to come and see you, but I have not sot out yet.  Now I dont know when I shall but if I could get a good place for my trade and you or somebody would be so kind as to give me about twenty or thirty acres of Land I believe I would come and settle near you.  Sir be so kind as to send me a Letter the first opportunity and so I conclude.

                                 Your Loving Brother - Asa Baker

 

Note:  Asa Baker⁴, [Joshua ³, Joshua², Alexander¹] seventh and youngest son of Joshua Baker, Jr. (b. 1-5-1677 d. 1770) & Mariam Hurlburt (b. 4-1-1683 d. 3-2-1771) was born 1726 married Elizabeth Abel.  James Baker, mentioned in the above letter, the fourth son, was born March 17, 1714 and married Dorothy Williams.

 

Nina Sperry Boyles had copied some of the Baker deeds, etc., that have been filed in acid-proof paper and container in the office of the Hecht apartment in Sarasota FL.

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The following is copied from Pages 32 and 33 of

HISTORICAL SKETCH of the Town of FLEMING

compiled in 1923 by Anna Peterson Post and printed by the Fenton Press of Auburn, NY.

 

BAKER FAMILY

 

    John Baker⁵ son of John Baker⁴ [Joshua Baker³, Joshua², Alexander¹] of New England was a native of Berkshire County, Mass. and endowed with the perserverance, courage, and patriotism characteristic of the sturdy people born among the rugged and rocky hills of that state.  He served his country thro the trying hours of the Revolution, having the bitter experience of mustering at Valley Forge.

    Some years after the close of the war, he migrated to New York State, Becoming a pioneer of Saratoga County.  Here he lived for some time clearing a tract of land near Saratoga Springs.  While here he married for his second wife Miss Sally Brewer² [David Brewer¹].

    In 1808, he started westward accompanied by his family.  They made the journey overland by team driving their stock, arriving at what is now Fleming.  Mr. Baker purchased a tract of heavy timbered land extending from the cross roads in the village south to the road going east from Frank Davis's and extending east to Carlon Saxton and John Sloans.

    He erected a log cabin on this tract where he and his family consisting of his sons, Asa, Seth, Artimus, Allen, David and daughters Olive, Ann, Lousa, Sally and Eunice lived.  There being no convenient market, the family lived on the products of the land, and wild game that abounded in the forest.  Mrs. Baker was a native of the Old Bay State and being endowed with Yankee thrift and ingenuity was a live help-mate to her husband, not only looking after her household but spinning yarn and weaving cloth for the garments of her family.

    By industry and energy they were both enabled to build a frame house.  This burned in 1815, while the family were at church, but was rebuilt in the same year and is now occupied by Miss Caroline Gilmore.

    The east door in the dining room has never been changed.  It is built wide enough to permit a horse to enter with log for fire place.

    Later Mr. Baker married a widow, [Rebecca Culver] Mrs. Baker of Lansing, Tompkins County and shortly after sold his house to Stephen Thornton and removed to Tompkins County [Perry City] where he died.

    Artimus Baker⁶, [John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹] son of John Baker was a blacksmith.  He worked at his trade in a shop in Fleming Village until his marriage to Margaret Carr who came to Fleming at an early date with her uncle Col. Oakley.  After his marriage, Artimus bought the farm where George Baker now lives in 1820.  He erected the present house and reared his children, Ovid, David, Susan, Mary, Margaret, Anna, Eliza, George, Romulus and Adelaide.

    In 1851 Ovid Baker⁷, [Allen⁶, John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹] was united in marriage to Phoebe O'Hara of Scipio, and after the death of his father he purchased the homestead where his family Dr. Charles O. and George A. were reared.  George Baker⁸, [Artimus⁷, Allen ⁶, John ⁵, John ⁴, Joshua ³, Joshua², Alexander¹] married Emma L. Rice of Lockport, N. Y. and remained on the homestead where their family J. Arthur and Florence Evelyn⁹ [George Baker⁸, Artimus⁷, Allen⁶, John⁵, John⁴, Joshua³, Joshua², Alexander¹]were born.  At the present time George A. Baker and daughter still occupy the home-farm, and are the only descendants of this numerous family by that name living in Fleming.

 

 

FLORENCE EVELYN BAKER.

 

Note:  August 1, 1992, Lydia Patterson Hecht, granddaughter of May Baker Hall, gave to Dr. Florentine Worden (wife of Dr.Robert Post Worden) her original copy of Historical Sketch of the Town of Fleming that had been given by Anna Peterson Post to her Oakwood Seminary schoolmate, Emma Abigail Patterson, according to the note on the "Mrs. Clarence S. Post" calling card which read:  “Love and Best Wishes for a Very Merry Chirstmas to Patsie from Pete.”

 

 

 

 

 

LINEAGE:

Member / Spouse	Born	Married	Died
[1] Alexander Baker/Farrar	07 25 1607	ca 1632	1685
[2] Joshua Baker/Tongue	04 30 1642	09 13 1674	12-27-1717
[3] Joshua Baker/Hurlburt	01 05 1677	03 27 1705	1740
[4] John Baker/Scovil	1723	03 14 1754	02 27 1813
[5] John Baker/Brewer	04 14 1755	04 11 1778	07 23 1830
[6] Allen Baker/Tupper	05 03 1791	09 05 1816	11 13 1874
[7] Asa Baker/Ellison	08 14 1833	09 11 1862	08 19 1915
[8] May Baker/ Hall	03 08 1864	09 08 1886	11 30 1950
[9] Edith Hall/Patterson	12 14 1887	03 08 1910	11 08 1979
[10] Lydia Patterson/Hecht	05 09 1915	05 11 1947
[11] Edith Hecht/Gibbs	06 22 1956	05 25 1980
[12] Benjamin/Robert/William Gibbs	01 25 1983; 01 14 86; 05 01 90.

 

 

Benjamin Gibbs [Edith Hecht Gibbs¹¹, Lydia Patterson Hecht¹⁰, Edith Hall Patterson⁹, May Baker Hall⁸, Asa Baker⁷, Allen Baker⁶, John Baker⁵, John Baker⁴, Joshua Baker³, Joshua², Alexander¹]