James Baker

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Godina C. Baker was born about 1803.

Notes:

George Baker applied for a Revolutionary War pension on 11-13-1832 in Morgan County, Indiana. He was around 73 years old at the time. He made a second deposition in 1833, after which time he received a pension in the amount of $47.77 per year. George was a private during the Revolution, seeing six separate tours of duty. He served for a total of 14 months and 10 days within those six tours. He was first a private under the command of Captain John Baptist Ashe who in turn was in Colonel Lillington's Regiment. George was also a private assigned to Captains Walton, Robert Coyle, Robert King and Andrew Baker (no known relation).

From: michelle heis
Subject: George Bakers Revolutionary War Papers
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 12:48:54 -0400

Hi All!!
I received George Baker's papers yesterday and although there are many
parts that are in bad shape or are illegible there was some value to
these papers.
For those who are looking into George Baker here are some of the basics:
1.) He served 6 terms in the Rev War. One of those terms was spent
scouting for Indians, another was spent scouting for Tories (His
Captains name on this term was Capt. Andrew Baker-no relationship
stated)
2.) He states his birth as being 14th October 1759 in Guilford County,
NC and that his father (unnamed) kept a record in his bible, but that it
was long since lost.
3.) He names his brother-Boling Baker.
4.) He states that he lived in Wilks County, NC for about 25 years after
the War and that he then moved to Clay County, KY where he lived for
18-20 years. Then moving to Morgan County, IN where in 1832 he had lived
for about 5 years.
5.) He names John Sims, Presley Baker and George A. Phelps as testifiers
to his character. Affidavits are made by John Gray, Sr and Rev. James
Lunsford. He also mentions Rev. George W. Baker but states no
relationship.
7.) He signs with his mark "X"
8.) Pension is approved. #S 17249. He received $47.77 per year.

I found it interesting to note that Boling Baker is named in the Dickey
Diary as a brother of John Renta Baker, this would then allow us to
assume that George Baker is indeed the brother of John also.

Later,
Michelle

George married Susannah Elizabeth Morris on 29 Aug 1778 in Wilkes Co., North Carolina. Susannah (daughter of William Morris) was born on 27 May 1760 in North Carolina; died on 27 Sep 1837 in Morgan Co., Indiana; was buried in Burns Cemetery, Morgan Co., Indiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Andrew married Mary Bolling between 1721 and 1733 in Ashe Co., North Carolina. Mary (daughter of Robert Bolling and Anne Meriweather Stith) was born in 1702 in Virginia; died after 1776. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Robert Baker, Sr. lived in Lancaster County, PA on Pequea Creek. He and his sons were gunsmiths in Lancaster CO, PA, VA and NC. They invented and developed the "Kentucky" Rifle and developed hand operated machines to cut the rifles in the barrel.

[Samuel E. Dyke]

a researcher in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This was a report given to the Kentucky Rifle's Association in 1972. It seems that the Association had employed Mr. Dyke to do some research for them. They wanted him to see if he could find out the person or persons responsible for making the first Pennsylvania Rifles or what was sometimes called the "Kentucky Rifle". Mr. Dyke in his report states; "We feel as though these early gunsmiths came into Chester, Pennsylvania, or New Castle, Delaware, from abroad and migrated up the Susquehanna River to where the Pequea flows into it and set up shop for making guns." He goes on to say that Robert Baker came into Lancaster County Court on August 15, 1719 and asked permission to erect a gun boring mill at the mouth of Pequea Creek on his land. Permission was granted. Robert Baker and his son Caleb set up their gun shop and operated it until 1728. It was at this time Robert Baker died. His son, Caleb Baker, continued to operate this gun shop until the family moved to Amelia County, Virginia.

Posted by: William Baker Date: June 27, 2000 at 10:44:09
In Reply to: Re: John and William Baker, "Long Hunters" by Bill Baker of 12144
Bill,
One of my great-grandfathers was Andrew Baker, born in Buckingham, England. His father was Sir Robert 1st of England. He was the Kings personal Knight. Andrews son John had a son Robert who was granted land and a gun boring mill, by the king of England, and was the first man in history to design and manufacture the Pa. riffle which later would be known as the Kentucky hog riffle.

[David K. Baker]

A number of Baker researchers have noted that Robert Baker and his sons were gunsmiths in Pennsylvania. I found the following information in:

" Arms Makers of Pennsylvania" by Whisker, James B.. Selinsgrove: Susquehanna University Press, 1990. See pages 37-38.

"Gunsmiths of Lancaster and York Counties, Pennsylvania". Lampeter; Edwin Mellen Press, Ltd., 1990. See pages 6-8.

"List of Gunsmiths of Lancaster County Pennsylvania, Period 1728-1863." Grove, Charles.
Journal of the Lancaster Historical Society. Vol. 72, no. 1, 1968, pages

Baker, Caleb, 1719-41, Gunsmith, worked with his father, Robert Baker, on the confluence of Pequea [Pequea] Creek and the Susquehanna River, Lancaster Co.

Baker, Robert (d. 1728), 1717-28, gunsmith at the confluence of Pequea Creek and the Susquehanna River, Lancaster Co.

Baker, Samuel. 1717-19, worked with his brother, Robert Baker, Lancaster Co. In 1719 Robert bought out Samuel's interests.

Excerpts from GUNSMITHS OF LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA by James B. Whisker: "Nearly all studies of the Pennsylvania-Kentucky long rifle assume this distinctively American rifle was invented in Lancaster County sometime in the second quarter of the eighteenth century. We find a number of pre-Revolutionary War gunsmiths who may have made Pennsylvania-Kentucky long rifles. We have no idea what the early Baker rifles may have looked like, c. 1720. Lancaster County was formed out of Chester Co, an original county of the Province of Pennsylvania, on 10 May 1729. Several of the Baker gunsmiths in the Pequea Valley, had worked and died before the formation of the county."

"ROBERT BAKER ( -1728)., gunsmith. Robert Baker was a gunsmith between 1717 and 1728 at the confluence of Pequea Creek and the Susquehanna River in Chester (now Lancaster) County. In 1719 Robert Baker took over the shop operated by his brother, Samuel Baker. Robert died intestate 19 September 1728, the Orphan's Court ordered an inventory of Robert's estate. It showed tools of the gunsmith and blacksmith. The total value of the tools in his gun barrel boring and gun shop was 295 pounds/10/7."

Editors Note: Based on all information found, I believe Samuel Baker & his brother Robert Baker were probably the first gun makers in America.
National Geographic Magazine stated that the Baker's invented the Pennsylvania-Kentucky Long Rifle. Unable to find the date of that article.

Excerpts from A RECORD OF THE BAKER AND BUFORD FAMILIES with Allied Lines by KATHERINE BAKER JOHNSON, 1940:
"The first of this family in America appears to have been Robert Baker who settled in Conestoga Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. This township became Lancaster County in 1729, as this family does not appear on the tax list of any of the other townships, it is possible that the settlement in Conestoga was the original home of the family from their arrival in America.

Abner Baker, Great Grandson, states in his "Life Book", that this family came to America from England in the early part of 1700, and that three brothers, Samuel, Andrew and Caleb were gunsmiths, with a grant from the King of England to manufacture arms for the colonies.

The first record we find of Robert Baker, is the administration of his estate dated Sept 13, 1728. Robert Baker died without a will and his son Caleb Baker was appointed administrator of his estate; along with these original papers at the Register's Office at the Court House in Lancaster County is the Administrators Bond; and inventory and the administrator's accounts; the bond was signed by the administrator; Joseph Higginbotham and Tobias Hendricks, sureties; and witnessed by Douglas Baker and Joshua Lowe. The inventory enumerates chattels, harvest crops, live stock, and 450 acres of land, this was signed by Tobias Hendricks, David Jones and Joseph Higginbotham, appraisers. Among the creditors were the names of Caleb Baker, Robert Baker, Jr, and Douglas Baker."

Subject: BAKER RIFLES
Date: 9/17/00 10:24:34 AM Pacific Daylight Time
From: jvore@iti2.net (Jean Vore)
To: BBrown7152@aol.com (BBrown7152@aol.com)

I have heard that a Baker rifle was found at the Alamo. I have never seen it, but the story goes; when the historians at the Alamo were going through excess items, one of those was a Baker Rifle that went down with the Tennesseans.

Robert married Unknown between 1682 and 1685 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. was born about 1665; died after 1705. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Anne Meriweather Stith between 1681 and 1682 in Kippox, Prince George Co., Virginia. Anne was born on 25 Jan 1662 in Charles City Co., Virginia; died in 1709 in Prince George Co., Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]