Children of Caleb Baker

c. 1715: Samuel was born in Chester County, PA. Will Johnson claims the year was 1718.

Samuel was a blacksmith, and apparently a successful farmer as he was able to bequeath eight slaves to his wife and children.[1]

He first married Elizabeth Glover, and after her death Christian or Christina Ritchie.

I Samuel Baker of Prince Edward County, being sound in memory but in much pain of body, do make this my last will and testament as follows. My will and desire is that I lend unto beloved wife Baker during her natural life the plantation whereon I now live, likewise my Negro man Harry on condition by said wife Christian Baker gives ___ointure bond in the amount of eighty pounds current money. I also lend to my said wife my bay mare and also my black trotter mare, one bed and furniture such as she chooses, also three cows, ten head of hogs such as she likes, twenty barrels of corn, twenty bushels of wheat, half the utensils of the plantation and half the household and kitchen furniture except the beds and their furniture, also my great bible, as also Watson's Body of Divinity, also a flax wheel and side saddle Striking Real (all those articles above I lend to my wife during her life). I give to my son Samuel Baker fives pounds with what I have already given him to be paid out of my estate hereafter mentioned -- I give to my son John Baker my blacksmith tools and bellows. My will and desire is that after the death of my wife Christian Baker, the land and plantation whereon I now live to be sold and the money to be equally divided between my sons Samuel Baker, Glover Baker, Robert Baker, and Caleb Baker on reserving fifty pounds of the said money arising for the sale of the said land to John Baker, to him and his heirs forever. I give to my daughter Martha Ewing one Negro girl named Esther and five pounds to be paid out of my estate-- I also give to my daughter Elizabeth Campbell five pounds to be paid in the same manner -- I give to my son Glover Baker one Negro woman Rachel and her increase to him and his heirs forever, also one Negro woman named Aggy, also one Negro boy Bristol to him and his heirs forever -- I also give to my son Robert Baker two Negros, Joe and Tom, and old sol, to him and his heirs forever -- I also give to Sarah Crockett one Negro girl Col and her increase to her and her heirs forever, also one bed and furniture. My will and desire is that what part of my estate which I lent to my wife, Christian Baker, except the land, my will is that she shall have unto her power to give it to which of my children she may think ___. My will and desire is that all the remainder of my estate ___ I have not already given ___ it shall be sold at one year ___ and after paying my lawful debts and those legacies aforementioned, my desire is that it may be equally divided between my children, John Baker, Martha Ewing and Elizabeth Campbell, to them and their heirs forever___. And lastly I do appoint my brother, Caleb Baker, and Andrew Elliot Executors of this, my last will and testament, revoking all former wills by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 13th day of August the year of our Lord 1782.[2] [This should have been 1781.]

Some have claimed that Sarah Crockett was also a daughter, but notice that Samuel didn't refer to her as such in his will.

c. 1736: Robert came to the colonies with his brother Charles Ewing, who married Mary's sister Martha Baker.

Robert and Mary Ewing and Charles and Martha Ewing later moved to the Peaks of Otter in Bedford County, VA. In Bedford, Robert was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, the County Clerk, and Justice of the County Court from 1754[3]. At the time of his death, he supposedly owned more than 7,200 acres, including a 514 acre tract on the south end of Ewing's Mountain in present-day Wythe County, VA, and "vast tracts" in present-day Kentucky, which was then Augusta Co, VA.

15 Dec 1749: Robert received a patent for 160 acres on Glade Creek of Roanoke in Lunenburg County.

24 Jan 1755: Robert and Mary sold 160 acres on Glade Creek to Benjamin Sterrett.

26 Feb 1765: Robert was commissioned as a "Gentleman Justice", serving until 1786.[4] He had already served as a Justice since 1754, but this was apparently a promotion in rank.

2 Mar 1786: Robert signed his will, with a codicil dated 14 May 1787. The will was proved 25 Jun 1787.[5]

1790: Mary died and was buried next to Robert in the family cemetery in Bedford County.

Young Ewing (c. 1762 - 5 Oct 1833; m. 1st Winifred Warren, m. 2nd Rosanna Duncan, m. 3rd Evalina Jennings)

Chatham Ewing (c. 1770 - 12 Feb 1839; m. Elizabeth Hall Campbell 14 Apr 1790)

Finis Ewing* (10 Jul 1773 - 4 Jul 1841; m. Margaret "Peggy" Brevard Davidson 15 Jan 1793)

**Finis was the founder of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and a lifelong friend of Andrew Jackson and Thomas Hart Benton.

1739: Catherine Hodnett was born in Buckingham County, VA, the daughter of John Hodnett. The Hodnetts came to the colonies from Ireland.

9 May 1759: Caleb purchased land on Buffalo Creek from [brother] Samuel Baker, land bequeathed to Samuel by their father Caleb.[6] Caleb and Catherine were to live, raise their children, and die on this land.

10 Aug 1762: He sold 170 acres on both sides of Spring Creek to Peter LeGrand for £235.[7]

Like his parents, Caleb was a member of the "Old Buffalo Creek Church". He was an early supporter of independence. In 1776, he and [brothers] Samuel and Henry Baker signed a petition urging that the Virginia House of Delegates "raise religion as well as civil liberty to the zenith of glory, and blot out every vestige of British tyranny and bondage". He joined the 1^st Virginia Regiment and fought during the Revolution.

1810: Caleb married Catherine Baker, widow of his cousin Andrew Baker. Half the year they lived in his home, and half in her's.

c. 1814: Second Wife Catherine died. After that, Caleb employed a housekeeper.

I Caleb Baker Senr of the county of Prince Edward do make this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all others by me heretofore made. In the first place, I wish all my just debts to be punctually paid, and in order to provide a fund for that purpose, and for paying any cash legacy herein after given, I do hereby authorize my Executors to make sale of any crop which may be on hand or growing at my death and my stock of various kinds, my still & tubs, and to hire out any and all of my negroes for one or more years. -- I give to my daughters Susanna Greenwood, Patsy Greenwood, Salley Jones, Catherine Hendrick, to my son Abner Baker, and to the children of my deceased daughter Lucy Hudson or their descendants, and to the children of my deceased son W[illiam] Baker, that portion to which their father & mother would be entitled if they were living. -- I give to my daughter Mildred Eldridge the sum of one hundred dollars to be raised out of my estate by my Executors & paid to her, to her and her heirs forever. -- I direct that after my death my old servants Sampson & elsie select such of my children or grandchildren as they may choose to live with and that they have the privilege of living with them, and that my Executors pay to said child or grandchild with whom they may live the sum of ten dollars annually for each of said negroes, so long as they may live. -- I have heretofore given to my son Brooks Baker a tract of land and other property to the amount of a full portion or share of my estate, which gift is now hereby confirmed to him and his heirs forever. -- After the payments of my debts & cash legacies, I direct my Executors to pay over to each of my children which may be living at the time of my death, and to the child or children of such of them as may be dead, any money which may be in their hands arising from the sale of crops, stock, plantation utensils & stills & also from the hire of negroes, together with any other funds from any other source, which I give in equal proportion to the said children or to the children of them as may be dead, to them and their heirs forever. I constitute and appoint Richard N. Venable and Branch Worsham Executors of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand & affix my seal this 7^th day of November 1822.[8]

"On the 10th March 1824 at his residence in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Caleb B. Baker Esq., in the ninetieth year of age. He faithfully served his country through the mighty maze of her struggle for Independence and continued through life firmly devoted to the cause of Liberty, and to the happiness and prosperity of his country. He possessed an ample share of public spirit and merited and enjoyed the esteem of good men. His whole life was moral and exemplary; he was a professor of Christian religion and a member of the Presbyterian Church for more than sixty years. His illness lasted about three months during which he had clear views of his approaching dissolution of which he spoke with Christian fortitude and Christian resignation and at last expired with perfect confidence in the great object of Christian faith."[9]

15 Mar 1824. His will was proved in court, with Richard N. Venable relinquishing his executorship. Branch Worsham entered into and acknowledged a bond of $15,000, his securities being John M. Price, Samuel C. Anderson, Edward Booker, and James Foster.

Any information is only as reliable as its source. Evaluate the following sources accordingly.

[1] Will Johnson

[2] Transcribed by Jerrold T. Haldiman from Will Book 1, p. 295

[3] Betty J. Evans

[4] Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine

[5] Original can be found in Will Book 1, p. 526-530

[6] Myrna Peters, from Book 1, p. 166

[7] Myrna Peters, from Book 2, p. 107

[8] Transcribed by Jerrold T. Haldiman from Will Book 6, p. 60

[9] Myrna Peters, from Katherine Baker Johnson

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