Caleb Baker & Martha Brooks

c. 1690: Caleb Baker was born.   His birthplace may have been England, Massachusetts, or Pennsylvania, depending on which version of the family history one accepts.  

c. 1695: Martha Brooks was born.  At least one genealogist gave her name as Martha Wallace Brooks.

Family tradition holds that Caleb and Martha married in England, certainly possible given the year of father Robert Baker's grant in Pennsylvania Colony.  The presumed birth years of their children would suggest a marriage year before 1715.

Dr. Abner Baker of Garrard County, KY, stated that his grandfather Caleb had come from England to Pennsylvania with two brothers named Samuel and Andrew.  The two brothers had commissions from the King to manufacture fire-arms, but their brother Caleb was a farmer. There are, however, many records documenting that Caleb was a gunsmith, so the family history may have already become confused.

6 Feb 1728/9: Caleb Baker was one of the signatories to a petition to divide Chester County.  The petition was granted, with Lancaster County being formed shortly thereafter.

13 Sep 1728: Son Caleb was appointed Administrator of the estate of Robert Baker, who had died intestate.

23 Oct 1739: The proprietaries of the Pennsylvania Colony confirmed a 500 acre grant on Pequea Creek on the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County to Caleb Baker.  This grant had been purchased by Robert Baker, "the father of the said Caleb Baker" on 14 Apr 1724.

4 Jul 1741: Caleb Baker, gunsmith, and Martha his wife, of Conestoga, Lancaster County sold  250 acres on Pequea Creek of the Susquehanna River for £225 to Jacob Good.  The land was described as adjoining David Jones and the late Robert Baker.  The parcel was apparently being sold to settle the debts of his father's estate, of which Caleb was the administrator.  According to the deed: "Robert Baker, the father of the said Caleb Baker and his heirs, who dying intestate and the administration of his goods and his chattels being committed unto the said Caleb Baker, it was ordered by the Orphans Court at Lancaster, upon a representation that the intestate personal estate could not answer to satisfy his debts, that pursuant to an Act of Assembly of this Province in that behalf made and provided the said land should be sold to make good the differences in paying the debts aforesaid.  And the said administrator by indenture of the sixth day of February 1738/9 did in pursuance and by virtue of said orders of the Orphans Court grant and confirm the premes [sic] unto John Cunningham of the said County of Lancaster, yeoman, and his heirs who by indet. of the seventh day of February in the year 1738 did grant, release and confirm the same unto the said Caleb Baker and his heirs."[1]  This was proved 10 Dec 1748.

1741: The family moved to the Buffalo Creek Settlement in Amelia County, VA, the founder of which was Rev. Samuel Wallace, who was [or became] Caleb and Martha's son-in-law. 

c. 1742: Caleb received a grant for 430 acres in Amelia County.[2] 

1743: Caleb purchased 970 acres from William Kennon Junior and Senior.[3]  One of the two grants above was described as lying on both sides of the Buffalo River, the other on the south side of the South Fork of the Buffalo, but I can't be certain which is which.  (William and Richard Kennon were land speculators who sold parcels in the Cub Creek area to the founders of that colony.  All those deeds were dated 1 Jan 1745.)

18 May 1748: Caleb Baker received a grant for 200 acres.  According to David Baker, Caleb also received a patent for 304 acres on the south fork of the Buffaloe River that same year.[4] 

16 Nov 1750: The county court appointed Caleb Baker to the road crew from Charles Anderson's towards the Little Roanoke Bridge.[5]  Samuel Johnston, husband of Caleb and Martha's daughter Ruth, appeared on many road orders in Lunenburg and (later) Charlotte County for the stretch from Coles Road to the Little Roanoke Bridge.  So although on the other side of the Little Roanoke, the two families were not far apart.

24 Nov 1750: Caleb signed his will . . . .

 Will of Caleb Baker[6]

In the name of God, Amen, the twenty-fourth day of November anno dominus 1750.  I Caleb Baker of Amelia County, being sick in body but of good and perfect memory, thanks to God for it, and calling to remembrance the uncertainty of this transitory life and that all flesh must yield unto death when it shall please God to call, do make and declare this my last will & testament in manner and form following.  First, being patient and sorry for all my sins most humbly desiring forgiveness for the same, I commend my soul unto Almighty God my Savior and Redeemer in ___ and by whose merits I trust and believe assuredly to be saved and to have full remission and forgiveness of all my sins and to inherit the kingdom of Heaven, and my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named, Martha Beaker, wife of the deceased Caleb Beaker, and Samuel Beaker, son of Caleb and Martha Beaker, and Henry Beaker, son of the same, and for the settling of my temporal estate and such goods, chattels and debt as it has pleased God to bestow upon me, I do order, give and dispose the same in manner and form following, that is to say

Imprimus.  I give and bequeath unto my son Samuel Beaker 463 acres of land which is laid off for him in Amelia County on Spring Creek, to him, his heirs, Executors, Administrators, or assigns forever.  Likewise I give and bequeath unto my son Henry Beaker 400 acres of land joining the foregoing piece of land to him, his heirs, Executors, Administrators, or assigns forever.  Likewise I give and bequeath unto my son Abraham Beaker 200 acres of land joining the foregoing pieces of land to him, his heirs, Executors, Administrators, or assigns forever.  Likewise I give and bequeath unto my son Caleb Beaker 307 acres of land joining the foregoing tracts of land to him, his heirs, Executors, Administrators, or assigns forever with the dwelling place whereon I, the deceased Caleb Beaker lived, only the wife of the said Caleb Beaker to act and do with it during her lifetime.  The next legacy is I give and bequeath unto my daughter Ruth Johnston twenty pounds current money of Virginia to her and her heirs.  Likewise I give and bequeath unto my daughter Martha Ewing twenty pounds of like money to her and her heirs.  Likewise I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Ewing twenty pounds of like money to her and her heirs.  To whom I give and bequeath unto my daughter Easter Walles [Wallace] one shilling sterling and no more and I hereby make and appoint my loving wife, Martha Beaker, Executor of this my last will and testament, as well as my two sons Samuel Beaker and Henry Beaker, during her widowhood to keep the estate together wholey, the Negros and all things belonging to the estate of the deceased Caleb Beaker, only to raise the aforementioned sum of money out of it as soon as possible it can be raised out if it, and if Martha Beaker, wife of the deceased Caleb Beaker, is married, I leave my two sons Samuel Beaker and Henry Beaker, full and sole Executors of this my last will and testament for to divide my estate equally among my four sons and three daughters here mentioned, Samuel Beaker, Henry Beaker, Abraham Beaker, Caleb Beaker, Ruth Johnston, Martha Ewing, Mary Ewing.  But if Martha Beaker, wife of the deceased Caleb Beaker, liveth a widow until her decease, I leave my estate to her disposal to dispose of among my children as she should think proper and I make this my last will and testament, hereby making and revoking disannulling and making void all former wills and bequests by me made and declare this only to be my last will and testament, in witness whereof I have set my hand and seal unto this 24 day of November in the year 1750.  And I leave three hundred and five acres of land joining Patrick Galapas (Gillespie) land on Buffalo Creek to help to raise the three legacies out of being so low placed to be sold by my Executors. 

Caleb Baker    

Witnesses: John Breazeale, John (x) Harrison, Samuel Hancock.

February 6th, 1754: I Caleb Baker hath taken a consideration and desire that this may be ____ will that my Executors may settle it to themselves without any trouble or going to law and that three hundred acres of land on Buffalo which I desired to be sold to help the legacies, my mind is altered.  I give it all to my son Henry Beaker and his heirs forever. 

Caleb Beaker

The will was proved 29 Apr 1754.  Although written in Amelia County, it was probated in the newly-formed Prince Edward County, VA.

Mar 1754: Caleb died in Prince Edward County, VA.

Between 1752-1755: Clement Read was attorney for Charles Cupples as an assignee of Mary Beaker in a suit against Nicholas Loyd.[7] 

20 Apr 1759: Martha signed her will . . . .

                Will of Martha Baker[8]

In the name of God, Amen.  I,  Martha Baker of St. Patrick Parish in the County of Prince Edward being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be to God for the same, do hereby make, ordain, constitute, and appoint this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God not doubting but to receive the same at the General Resurrection and as to what worldly estate it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life I desire to dispose of as followeth (to wit). 

Primus,  I give to my son Caleb Baker my two Negroes to wit Cato and Auroro, also my wagon and the harness belonging to it with three horses and the large bay mare, also the bed I lie upon and the furniture belonging to the same, also my bell cow and her calf, also his choice of one other cow and calf, and all the corn on the plantation except what I owe to him and his heirs forever, also my two trunks to him and his heirs forever.  Item.  I give to my son Samuel Baker my little brown mare and her colt, my side saddle & my suit of new clothes to him and his heirs forever.  Item.  I give to my daughter Martha, the wife of Charles Ewing, all the remaining of my clothes to her and her heirs forever.  Item.  I leave to my son-in-law Charles Ewing my ____ to discharge a legacy of twenty pounds left him by my husband Caleb Baker dec'd to him and his heirs forever.  Item.  My will and desire is that my Executors hereafter mentioned let my son-in-law Robert Ewing have as much of my stock of cattle and hoggs and my household furniture at full price as will be of value sufficient to pay him the legacy of twenty pounds left him by my late husband Caleb Baker dec'd.  Item.  I give to my son Caleb Baker all my meat and all the working tools belonging to the plantation.  My will and desire is that all the residue of my stock and household goods after the above legacy of twenty pounds to Robert Ewing be paid be equally divided between my five children, to wit, my two sons Samuel Baker and Caleb Baker, my daughter Ruth the wife of Samuel Johnston, Martha the wife of  Charles Ewing, and Mary the wife of Robert Ewing, to them and their heirs forever.  My will is that as I have not settled with my son-in-law Samuel Johnston that if his legacy of twenty pounds left him by my husband Caleb Baker be not discharged that whatever balance appears to be justly due to him be paid out of the residue of my stock and household goods before they are divided.  Item.  My will and desire is that my estate be not appraised.  My will is that if there is a balance due to Samuel Johnston, that what ready money I have and owing to me go towards discharging the same, after Mr. Robert Sharpe is paid the debt  ____ him, but if there is no balance due to Samuel Johnston, my will is that after Mr. sharpe is paid, the remainder go to my son Caleb.  I do hereby constitute and appoint my sons Samuel Baker and Caleb Baker whole and sole Executors of this my last will and testament revoking, disannulling, and making void all former and other wills by me made, declaring none but this to be my true last will and testament.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twentyth day of April 1759.

Martha (M) Baker 

John LeNeve

John Wright

John Baldwin   

                8 May 1759: Martha's will was proved in Prince Edward County.

Children of Caleb and Martha Brooks Baker:

Samuel Baker (c. 1715 – 16 Mar 1782; m. 1st Elizabeth Glover, m. 2nd Christina Ritchie)

Henry Baker (c. 1717 –     )

Ruth Baker (c. 1723 –     ; m. Samuel Johnston)

Mary Baker (c. 1725 – 1790; m. Robert Ewing c. 1747)

Esther Baker (c. 1727 –     ; m. Samuel Wallace 1741)

Martha Baker (c. 1732 –     ; m. Charles Ewing)

Abraham Baker (24 Jun 1734 –     )

Caleb Baker (1734 – 10 Mar 1834; m. 1st Catherine Hodnett, m. 2nd Catherine Baker)