The Isaac Baker History

Neal Ekengren's 5th-great-grandfather on his grandmother's side.

Isaac Baker Sr. - Early History

Isaac Baker was born sometime before 1775 in the New England area. Information on his early years is sketchy and still being investigated. We know that he was married to a woman named Margaret and had his first child in the town of Ira, Rutland County, Vermont in 1793. This county had been established just a few years earlier. The end of the Revolutionary war had led to a series of mostly legal conflicts between Vermont and New York over ownership of this area. Once the matter was resolved in Vermonts favor, a wave of New England settlers from Massachussets, Connecticut, and Rhode Island migrated here. Our Isaac was one of the earliest settlers:

• "The following, being the persons who took the freemans's oath on the 31st May, 1779, are undoubtedly the earliest settlers in town: Philemon Wood, Reuben Baker, John Baker, Joseph Baker, Isaac Baker; [Total Fifty-two in number]." [The Reuben Baker here may have been Isaac's father]

Sometime after the birth of Isaac's first son, Ananias in 1793, he moved a short distance to neighboring Deep Creek, Fort Ann Township, Washington County, New York. He probably used the Pawlet River [presently Mettawee River], from Vermont which united with Wood Creek near the centre of the town of Whitehall. This was part of the disputed territory which had been Rutland County, Vermont at one point. It was central to the transportation network between New York City and Canada [Hudson Valley and Lake Champlain]. Because of its strategic importance, a large number of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battles were fought here.

Some of the same Bakers found in Rutland County, Vermont also show up here in Washington County, New York. It appears that extended families were making moves westward together at this time. Many probably received housing in exchange for labor and thus do not appear in the land records. Adding to the complexity of Baker research at this time:

• "Even before the revolution, the Baker family was one of the most numerous and widley scattered in New York province. Some of the Baker family were of Dutch ancestry, but most of them of English ancestry. According to the first federal census taken in NY State in 1790, there was no less than 150 families and doubtless nearly a thousand persons of the name Baker reported."

Isaac's family had grown to include Maria, Philander, Philemon, Isaac Jr., and Hiram by the time he was ready to make another move.

Isaac Baker Sr. - Pennsylvania Pioneer

In 1808, the Pennsylvania State Road through the very remote Tioga County area was opened [Lycoming County still administered large portions of North-Central Pennsylvania until 1812]. This marked the beginning of settlement by pioneer families who arrived mostly from New England areas.

Isaac Baker was one of the very first arrivals in 1809. He purchased 146 acres of land in the "Grays Valley" area for $159. He paid 1 bushel of wheat for each $1 until his loan was paid off in 1812. The margins of his property were marked as:

• "Beginning at a post the SW corner of Cyprian Stevens lot; north 136 to a Hemlock; west 183 to a Maple; south 136 to a post at intersection with line of Warrant No. 970; east 183 to beginning."

By 1810 there were still only 300 families in Tioga County. The "Grays Valley" area was finally organized as Sullivan Township in 1816. This is also when the first store was built.

Isaac became involved in politics as soon as local governing bodies were fully organized. He was one of 17 trustees involved in establishment of the "Academy" at Wellsboro as decreed by Pennsylvania Governor Snyder in 1817. Isaac won the local Auditors election in 1820 with 28 votes.

Sometime during these years, an area known as Bakerburg was recognized in Sullivan Township. Isaac Sr. and sons Isaac Jr., and Philander were all raising their families here.

In 1828, in failing health, Isaac created his will and died shortly thereafter:

• "I do give and bequeath to my dear and beloved wife Margaret one cow, ten stone sheeps and my household furniture to her proper use during her lifetime and then to be --divided amongst the daughters-- at her discretion and it is my will that my wife Margaret do enjoy the dwelling house and barn and personal property the avails of production of the farm together with the farming utensils to her proper use as long as she remains my widow. It is also my will that my daughter Maria have a home with her mother on the farm and a support from the avails of the farm together with the property that she has already received it being one cow and five sheep her lifetime except she should recover her eyesight and choose to change her [??]. It is also my will that fifty acres of the properties on warrant #969 to be processed where when a proper title can be obtained and the cost to be paid out of the avails of the farm; I do also give my son Hiram a pair of red year old steers and a black year old lined heifer to be kept on the farm until he becomes of age then to be delivered to him for his proper use to make him equal in personal property to my son Isaac who at this age did receive a pair of four year old cattle and a cow and it is also my will that my sons Isaac and Hiram do occupy the farm under my wives directions during her widowhood FOURTH: At my wives death or when she does cease to be my widow I do give and bequeath unto my sones Isaac and Hiram all my real and personal estate to be divided north and south so as to make it equal in value except what has been given to my wife during her lifetime which is to make them equal to the three elder sons Ananias, Philan., and Philemone; same that they have received at the time that they were of age"

Isaac Baker Jr. - Early History

Isaac Jr. married Phoebe Beardsley in 1829 shortly after his fathers death. He started raising his family on his fathers homestead. His children included Margaret (1832), Amy (1834), Rhoda (1836), William Henry (1837) and Charles Edward (1839).

1841 saw the start of severe financial troubles in the county. This and the opening of many new western lands probably convinced the young famly to seek better fortunes. They may have briefly stayed in New York before arriving in Shirland Township, Winnebago County, Illinois in 1843. This northern region of the state was mostly wilderness until the arrival of many New England settlers after 1830.

Isaac farmed the land in Illinois. His last child Sarah was born here in 1844.

Isaac Baker Jr. - Minnesota Pioneer

In 1851 the Indian Treaties of Traverse des Sioux and Mendota opened the Minnesota Territory west of the Mississippi River to settlers. The Rock Island Railroad reached parts of the area in 1854. These events opened opportunities for many new Americans including our Isaac Baker.

The Freeborn County area in southern Minnesota Territory was not yet settled.

• "Up to the spring of 1853, as far as known, no white man had planted a home in this county...only occupied by animal life and perhaps a few of the aboriginal race, which was in a condition of senility, ready to depart and give place to a superior race."

Isaac and family arrived here in 1857.

• "Quite a family of pioneers put in an appearance in the persons of Deacon Isaac Baker, his good wife Phoebe and their children, William H., Charles E., Margaret N., Amy J., Rhoda, and Sarah E. Baker. They settled upon section twenty."

In 1858 Isaac Baker was one of 10 delegates on the first Board of Supervisors, Freeborn County representing the newly formed Riceland Township area. This is the same year that Minnesota was granted statehood. The Township had received its name per Isaac's suggestion.

• "Riceland was organized under the name of Beardsley, but in 1858, it was changed to Riceland, at the suggestion of Isaac Baker, who was then on the county board."

Isaac was also a very religious man.

• "He and his wife were two of the six constituent members of the Baptist church at Shell Rock, of which body he was afterwards appointed a deacon."

Isaac Baker Jr. was repeating much of his father's early Pennsylvania experiences. He was pioneering new land, becoming involved in early political organizations, and leading church groups in worship.

In 1859 the Southern Minnesota Railroad was constructed through the area. This year also saw the second death of a white man to occur in the county, Isaac's daughter Sarah.

• "It seems that two sisters, Amy and Sarah, were sleeping near a stove, and toward morning a thunder storm arose, which scattered its bolty messengers with a profusion that was terrific, and a bolt struck the house, ran down the stove pipe and glanced across the room, striking the girls and instantly killed Sarah, severely wounding her sister, Amy. The bolt then passed through the floor and down a studding into the ground."

By 1870, Isaac's children were grown and married. He moved with his wife to neighboring Ausin, Mower County. He died in 1879 and his wife Phoebe died in 1894.