William Baker,George Baker,William Baker, John Baker, Hugh Baker, John Baker

Children of William Baker of Whaleyville

George Baker

George Baker was the eldest son of William and Martha. He was born circa 1775, and died in 1845. The birth date was calculated from the various census reports, and the death was derived from an estate, which was settled in 1845 by Eli Dale. George married Hetty Isabel Dale on January 17, 1828. She was the sister of Eli Dale and most likely this was a second marriage.

In 1837, George Baker received a deed from Joseph Dunaway. So both George and his brother Thomas had connections with Joseph Dunaway who was a Director of the Whaleyville Steam Mill. George Baker lived in the 4th Election District on EVANS CHANCE.

We do know from the records of the Worcester Orphans Court that George Baker died in 1845, and the will was written on March 9, 1845, and presented on September 22, 1845. The estate wasn't actually finished until March 9, 1847. Eli Dale executed the will, and witnesses were Samuel Bratten and John Shepherd. We found at Bethel in a grown over gravesite of a Benjamin Sheppard (1792-1878), wife Sally (1797-1865), and his son John W. Sheppard (1806-1866).

There were the following sons;

• William Baker
• Hiram Baker
• John JB Baker
• Jesse Baker
• Margaret Baker
• Angelina Baker = Long
• Hetty Baker
• Martha Baker
• Jane Baker = Mordicai Davis

  William Baker William Baker (1828-1857) was married to Mary A. E. Rogers (B1832)(daughter of Thomas T. Rogers). He and his brother Jesse Baker received land on the eastern side of the Pocomoke River which had been purchased of Steven Ennis, James Hill, and Joseph Donaway. Joseph Donaway had married Druilla Baker in 1825. William and Mary had one daughter named Hetty Isabel Baker (B c 1856) who went to live with Thomas T. Rogers of Delaware. Hetty Isabel Baker Eli Dale, Justice of the Peace, was the assigned guardian on August 10, 1847 of all four of George Baker's sons. E.B. Davis and E. Holloway were securities. Our guess is that E.B Davis is Aunt Elizabeth Baker Davis. On August 8, 1854, John D. Shepherd was assigned as guardian to John J.G. Baker, which indicates that Hiram, Jesse, and William were over 21, died, or had gone west. John W. Dennis and John M. Dale were securities. John W. Dennis was the son of Johnson Dennis living in District 4 at household #77. On July 31, 1864, Leonard Timmons was assigned guardian with Caleb Timmons and Samson Davis as securities. It may have been this William Baker who was a shareholder of the Whaleyville Steam Mill in 1855. William Baker's will was settled on April 14,1857 by James Whaley and John M. Dale, and administered by Peter L. Davis. At his death, he had no wife or children, and estate was worth $191, and included 1 feather bed $16, one yoke of oxen $50, one gray horse $30, and one table $21. Peter L. Davis settled this estate and lived two doors from John M. Dale. They had a daughter named Hetty Baker born in Delaware in 1854-6, and father-in-law Thomas Rogers was appointed guardian. They lived on the east side of the Pocomoke River. Hiram Baker Hiram Baker (1838-1859) was assigned to guardian E.P. Davis in 1845 upon the death of his father. Hiram Baker and his brother John Baker received EVANS CHANCE where father George Baker had lived. EVANS CHANCE had been patented in 1792 by Jacob Evans, and sold to Josiah Mitchell Jr., James Mitchell, and Walter Evans. This was resurveyed to RACHEL'S LOTT in 1799. Thomas Whaley and his wife Peggy Whaley sold a portion to Seth Whaley in 1805. Hiram's will was presented on March 29, 1859 and distributed on March 27, 1860 by John D. Shepherd (B1807) the same person who had witnessed the will of Hiram's father, George Baker. John D. Shepherd also became guardian of Hiram as had his brother. This would indicate that George Baker had a strong connection with the Shepherd family. On October 12, 1852, Eli Dale, Justice of the Peace, also brought in James Whaley and Benjamin Shepherd to value the land inherited by Hiram and John JG Baker. Hiram had been left EVANS CHANCE by his father. It was later recorded to include: 1 dwelling 16 by 18', 1 cook house, 1 shoe shop, 1 corn crib, 1 stable, 1 out house, 1 log dwelling house, 1 apple orchard with 50 trees and 2 cherry trees, 1 pear tree, 1 garden, 60 acres of cleared land, and 20 acres of wooded land. The estate value was $80.85 after expenses. It went to Jesse Baker, Martha Baker, John G. Baker, Hetty Baker, Angelina Long, and Margaret Baker. John J. G. Baker of Ohio John J.G. Baker (1844-1866) was living near John Shepherd with Elizabeth P. Gunby (B1815), a tailoress. John J.B. Baker was first assigned to Eli Dale as his Guardian, and E.B. Davis and John W. Dennis were appointed Securities by the court. In the 1860 Sussex Delaware Census of Gumboro, a John J.G. Baker was living with Thomas Ake (B1798). Thomas Ake had married his aunt Auda Baker (B1800). In 1864, John had been sent to live with Leonard Timmons by the court, and Caleb Timmons and Sampson Davis were his Securities. In 1866, John J. Baker of Tuscarsus, Ohio, sold to Thomas Ake for $350 his interest of 150 acres left to him by his father George Baker and brother Hiram, both deceased. This land joined Marshall Smith, Widow Smith, and Jacob Down. John J. G. Baker had also been left a portion of EVANS CHANCE by his father. Regarding Ohio, we had several John Bakers there in 1850 and it appears that a son named John Baker succeeded John Baker. Jesse D. Baker Jesse D (Dale?) Baker (B1837) was living in the household of Jehu E. Hudson (B1820) in the Worcester Census of 1850. The reader may remember that he had a cousin named Jesse D. Baker, but descendants feel that this Jesse Baker is Jesse D. Baker, and the D probably represents the family name Dale. He first married Martha A. Clearwater in Warren County, Iowa. He died in Kansas and had married Mary E. Mumford of Iowa, a descendant of Worcester County. On October 12, 1852, Eli Dale was the guardian of Jesse D. Baker. Eli Dale was a Justice of the Peace and asked Benjamin Shepherd and James Whaley to appraise Jesse's estate. Jesse had been left land on the west side of Pocomoke River purchased of Stephen Ennis, Joseph Donaway, and James Hill by father George Baker. The property was recorded to contain: 1 dwelling house 16 by 18', 1 cook shed 14 by 16', 1 shed, 1 small smoke house, 1 corn crib, 1 apple orchard with 40 trees, 54 acres of cleared land, and 2 acres wooded. As guardian, Eli Dale received 10% of the value of the estate. In 1859, Jesse sold his half of the land to Joseph Donaway for $300. This land ran from Whaleyville to Sheppard's Bridge and was land that George had purchased from Stephen Ennis. This was land Captain Peter Whaley called "Hill Land" and was occupied by John Hall. It was adjacent to John Hamlin. Jesse Baker and his sister were later reported in Warren, Iowa. Martha Baker Martha Baker received a Negro named Isaac from her father's estate. She also received some of her brother's Hiram's estate. She was born before 1825 and died after March 27, 1860. She would have been of the first wife. Margaret Baker Margaret Baker (B1825) was mentioned and she married Syaniham Long of Delaware. She had a daughter named Sarah Long (B1849) who died before 1860. Margaret was still alive in 1860. We think she is the same as Angelina Baker. Jane Baker Jane Baker (born November 6, 1828 - died June 2, 1912) was mentioned in the will. From recent correspondence, it would seem that in 1848 Jane Baker married Mordicai Davis (M October 17, 1848), son of Peter Campbell Davis, and brother to Peter C. Davis Jr. If this is correct, Jane moved eventually to Iowa where she died and left her family. A Jonathan Baker is buried in the same Iowa graveyard. Refer to the Peter Campbell descendants reported earlier in this work under Robert M. Baker. Mordicai Davis and Jane Baker also were in Iowa with her brother Jesse Baker.

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  George Baker Notes

  1. George Baker, brother to James, born about 1795-1797, and died 1845.
  2. This is the son of Jesse Dale, grandson of Eli Dale. His father had purchased BAKERS INTEREST from Salathiel Baker in 1810, but Elijah Baker was delinquent on taxes in 1826 and lost this property.
  3. Eli Dale was a contributor to the Whaleyville Methodist Church in 1837.
  4. This was most likely the son of John Bratten who lived at MT. PLEASANT which he inherited from his father in 1825. A portion of this property had been passed down from John Dale, to Josiah Dale, and then Ebenezer Dale.
  5. John D. Shepard (B1807) executed the will of Hiram Baker in 1859 and lived very near Cyrus Goldsboro Baker. He was living with Lavina Shepard (B1826) in 1850.
  6. Steven Ennis (1786-1832) buried in Berlin, Md. at St Pauls.
  7. George Baker from Stephen Ennis,
  8. Sampson Davis (B1822) was a farmer living at Hog Quarter in the census of 1850. He was the son of Joshua Davis, grandson of Robert Davis. His wife was Pheby M. (B1824) and they had Gatty E.P. Davis (B1849) and John D. Truitt (B1826) living with them.
  9. Peter L Davis (B1807) was married to a Mary, held very large assets in the census of 1860.
  10. You may remember that Walter Evan's son, Major John Evans, witnessed the purchase of WHALEY'S VENTURE by George Baker in 1767.
  11. Benjamin Shepard (B1793) showed assets of $40,000 in the 1850 census which was a very large sum for these times. Shepard was a farmer married to a Sarah and they lived only ten houses from James Baker (B1810). His son John Shepard (B1820) was married to Lavinia and they lived only 6 houses from Joseph P. Baker (B1835).
  12. This is probably Elizabeth Baker Davis.
  13. This is most likely neighbor John W. Dennis (B1823), son of Johnson Dennis. He was married to Mary A. Dennis.
  14. This is most likely the son of Caleb Timmons, Leonard I. Timmons (B1832).
  15. This is probably Caleb Timmons (B1805) who lived in Derricksons Crossroads only 30 houses from Peter Baker.
  16. This is probably neighbor Sampson Davis (B1822). Sampson's son was named Gatty EP Davis? Sampson lived in Derricksons Crossroads and his wife was Phoebe.
  17. Jonathon Baker was born October 11, 1832 and died in January 1905. His wife was Polly Baker (1840-1932)
  

Charlotte Baker

Charlotte Baker (Donaway) was born in 1810, and married John Dunaway Jr. in 1827. John's sister married cousin Jonathon Baker. John Donaway Jr. died in 1857 and we have not been able to find Charlotte after this.

A most interesting fact is that William Baker did not mention Charlotte in his will. Did he feel that she was already in good hands with the Dunaway family? Did he just not like his son-in-law? In the census of 1850, Cyrus Goldsboro Baker and James Baker, sons of brother James Baker, were living with John Dunaway Jr. and his wife Charlotte Baker, and next door lived uncle Edward M. Truitt. Living with uncle Edward Truitt was brother Garretson Gordy Baker, another son of James Baker (deceased). Living twenty houses away was Josiah P. Baker (B1838) living with his Truitt grandparents parents, John and Narcissa Truitt.

Little has been passed along about this period, but we do know that Cyrus Goldsboro Baker was bitter with his short residence with Aunt Charlotte. Family tradition has it that Cyrus had a bad time as an orphan. Also living with John and Charlotte in the census of 1850 was James Wells (B1829), perhaps a hired farm hand. John and Charlotte apparently had no children of their own.

Auda Baker Ake

Auda Baker (B1800) was married to Thomas D. Ake (B1798) of Sussex County. They purchased land that had descended to John J. Baker, Hiram Baker and William Baker, sons of George Baker. The children of Auda Baker and Thomas Ake were:

• John S. Ake (B1836)
• William Ake (B1831)
• Mary Ake (B1835)
• Laura Ake (B1837)
• Hiram Ake (B1840). Hiran Ake's grave in the Farlow Cemetary off of the Pittsville Road.
• Sarah Hetty Ake (B1841).

Leah Baker

Ann Baker Bratten

Elizabeth Baker (Davis) (B1810) was married to Issac Davis (B1810), and they lived quite near John Dunaway and her sister Charlotte Baker in the census of 1850, and next to Thomas Baker, her brother. WHALEYS VENTURE was left to Elizabeth, and then her sons as a result of the will of brother Thomas Baker:

Thomas James Davis (1844-1912)

William James Davis (1847-1920). Both boys are buried at the Whaleyville Cemetery on the West side of town. William James Davis married Hester O. Baker (1834-1896). There is some indication that there may have been a daughter named Katherine Davis (1863-1889). Isaac Davis remarried Jane Baker (1830-1914) who is buried at the Ebenezer Methodist Church on the Delaware border.

The Baker family bible was left to sons Thomas and James Davis.

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Thomas S. Baker

Thomas S. Baker (1798-1854) was the second eldest son of William and Martha Baker. Again, birth dates were derived from a study of the various census figures. We are not sure if he was married. His father father had specified that Thomas was to receive the estate after the death of mother Martha Baker, providing he had heirs, and a Thomas Baker married a Betsy Gray on May 14, 1821 and later married Henrietta Tyre in 1840. Thomas's mother was a Gray, so the first wedding is quite likely. According to his father's will, he was to have received the estate if he had heirs but made distribution to his siblings and nephews.

In 1838, Thomas Baker received land from John Dunaway, Isaac Bratten, and their wives. In the Worcester Census of 1850, he was living alone in district #3 very near Samuel Baker and Jesse Baker. On the other side, Isaac Davis and Elizabeth Davis (B1810) lived with their children, William J. Davis (B1847) and Thomas James Davis (B1844).

In his own will, he mentioned that his sister Elizabeth Davis was to receive the Plantation, which probably was WHALEYS VENTURE, and it was then to descend to her two sons. He mentioned sister Anne Bratten, nephew John Ake, nephews Josiah P. Baker, Garretson Gordy Baker, Goldsboro Baker, and James Baker, and nephew Jesse Baker. His will was executed by his close friend Dr. John P.R. Gillis whose gravesite we found adjacent to Captain Peter Whaley. Witnesses were James Whaley, Joseph Dunaway, and James E. Davis.

His estate was due 31¢ by James Whaley, $6.56 by Duncan, 78¢ by Elijah Baker, and 68¢ by Josiah Baker.

Distribution was reported on November 30, 1855. Thomas had $468 available for distribution: James E. Davis received $15 for making the coffin. He left sisters Charlotte Donaway and Anna Bratten each $1.00, and $73 to sister Elizabeth Davis to be held in trust for sister Charlotte Dunaway per the request of his mother Martha Baker. Another $203 went to Thomas and William Davis as well as the Baker family bible, and $203 went to the four sons of James Baker; Josiah P. Baker, Gordy Baker, and Goldsboro Baker. The Will of Thomas Baker:

In the name of God, Amen. I Thomas S. Baker of Worcester County in the state of Maryland, being sick and weak in body, but of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding, considering the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and thereby be the better prepared to leave this world when it Shall please God to call me hence, do therefore make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say:
First and principally, I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God, and my body to the earth, to be decently buried at the discretion of my executor here and after named, and after my debts and funeral charges are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows:
Item: I give and devise unto my sister Elizabeth Davis my plantation whereon I now live, for all her natural life; and from and after her decease, I give and devise the same to my nephew Thomas James Davis, and to the heirs of his body, lawfully begotten, and in the event of his death, without heirs of his body lawfully begotten, then and in that event, I give and devise the land to my nephew William Joseph Davis, and to his heirs and kin forever.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my nephew John Ake one bed and furniture.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my nephew Josiah P. Baker one bed and furniture.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my nephew William Joseph Davis one bed and furniture, also my Webster Dictionary.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my nephew Thomas J. Davis my large family bible.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my sister Anna Bratten one dollar to be paid in cash.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my sister Charlotte Dunaway one dollar to be paid in cash.
Item: I give and bequeath to my nephew Jesse Baker one dollar to be paid in cash.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my nephews Thomas J. Davis and William J. Davis the one half of of all the rest and residue of my estate, both real and personal, to be equally divided between them, share and share alike.
Item: I give and bequeath to my nephews Josiah P. Baker, Goldsboro Baker, (Garretson) Gordy Baker, and James Baker the one half of all the rest and residue of my my estate, both real and personal, to be equally divided among them, share and share alike.
And whereas my mother, Martha Baker, did by her last will and testament give and bequeath to me all of her estate reserving only a feather bed and furniture, one red sofa, one red chest, and fifty dollars in cash to be paid to her daughter Charlotte Dunaway in the event of the death of her husband John Dunaway before he death of her daughter of her daughter Charlotte, otherwise the money and property is to belong to me, as by reference to last said will and testament dated 21 July 1841. Being desirous to execute the wish of my mother, I do hereby give and devise one bed and furniture, one red sofa, one red chest, and fifty dollars cash to my sister Elizabeth Davis to be kept in trust for my sister Charlotte Dunaway, to be paid to her by said Elizabeth Davis or her heirs in the event of the death of her husband John Dunaway, and in the event of the death of my sister Charlotte Dunaway, before the death of said John Dunaway, and in that event, the same unreservedly to my sister Elizabeth Davis.
And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my friend Doctor P.R. Gillis to be executor of this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former wills by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this and none other to be my last will and testament.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, this eleventh day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty four (March 11, 1854).
Signed and Sealed : Thomas S. Baker
Witnesses: James Whaley, Joseph Dunaway, James E. Davis

Thomas S. Baker Notes

1 He had inherited this from his father, after his mother's death.
2. This was the son of brother George Baker.
3. Thomas Baker's will written on March 11, 1854 and presented May 17, 1854.
4. Dr. John P.R. Gillis (B1809) had large assets in the 1860 census, was registered in Whaleyville, and married to a Hetty (B1820). Was she one of the several Hetty Baker's that we have not been able to confirm? We found the grave of Dr. P.R. Gillis in the Whaley Cemetary, buried very near Captain Peter Whaley. He does not have anyone adjacent to him in the Whaley Graveyard.
5. James Whaley was a lawyer in Whaleyville, but had descended from Captain Peter Whaley, son of Seth and Ester (Baker). Ester was the daughter of Solomon Baker.
6. Joseph Dunaway (B1801) (wife Mary) was living next to John Dunaway Jr. and Charlotte (Baker) in the Census of 1840. In 1850, he was living next to Joseph Baker (B1825). He lived only several houses from Thomas Dunaway who had witnessed the will of Martha Baker, the mother of Thomas Baker; and three houses from Jesse Baker (B1780). Joseph Dunaway was a Director of the Whaleyville Steam Mill, his wife was Mary and he lived only 3 houses from Jesse Baker.
7. This may be James E. Davis who married Alexine Baker, daughter of Jesse Baker, granddaughter of Salathiel Baker. Their children were Edward M. Davis (B1848) and Rebecca Davis (B1846). Living with them in 1850 was Nancy C. Baker (B1841) who I have not identified but who must have been the daughter of either George Baker or James Baker. Perhaps Issac Davis and James Davis were brothers? Do they descend from the children of Robert Davis and the widow of Hugh Baker of St Marys City who relocated to Gargatha?
8. It may be a coincidence, but the researcher may remember that there is some confusion if the grandfather of Thomas S. Baker, George Baker, was the won of William Baker of Gargatha, or the son of his brother John Baker, based on the singular Dryden note that I found. The brother of that George Baker, son of John, was also named Thomas S. Baker!. Retrack to that issue if you desire by clicking here.

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It is difficult to determine by whom the following children were born but the 1870 census indicates there were more children: besides Thomas and Joseph Davis, living with them in 1870 were Mary E. Baker (B1856), Jesse Baker (B1859), Fanny S. Baker (B1861), Sally A. Baker (B1862), and Auda C. Baker (B1863).

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