| Notes |
- from "The Adrian (MI) Daily Telegram", 31 Jul 1900 (genealogybank.com)
Cheselton Baker, whose death occurred in Toledo Monday morning at 4:30, was one of the members of the old Adrian Guard, which was abandoned at the outbreak of the civil ware, in 1861. There will be a meeting of the remaining members of that company in Justice Vandegrift's office at 7 o'clock this evening to make arrangements to do honor to the memory of Mr. Baker at the burial service at Oakwood Wednesday forenoon at 11 o'clock.
- from "The Adrian (MI) Daily Telegram" (genealogybank.com)
CHESELTON BAKER
Cheselton Baker, whose death has been announced, was born in Auburn, N.Y., May 15, 1832, moving with his parents to Pittsford, Monroe county, when quite young. His father died with a few years after moving west, and Cheselton went to Lewiston, Niagara county, N.Y., where he worked on a farm for some time, subsequently learning the jeweler's trade. He lived in Hamilton, Canada, for some time after that, and in the spring of 1857 came to Michigan, settling in Jackson. That fall he went railroading for the Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana, now the Lake Shore, as a brakeman on a freight train, subsequently becoming a freight conductor between Toledo and White Pigeon. Then he was given a passenger run between Adrian and Detroit, and after that a through express run between Toledo and Chicago, which he continued until the Michigan division was changed between Toledo and Elkhart. He continued as conductor until 1877, at which time he abandoned railroading and occupied his time after that in farming, owning a find farm just west of the city, near the county house. He was one of the oldest conductors on the railroad and one of the many who made their headquarters in Adrain at that time. He was a genial, whole souled fellow, and was known all over the country. At the time, the Michigan Southern & Indiana was the main artery between New York and the west, so the conductors were know to everybody. Mr. Baker leaves a wife. Three children were born to them, Melvin, the oldest, Mrs. F.B. Hull and one daughter who died in infancy.
- from "History and Biographical Record of Lenawee County, Michigan", by W.A. Whitney & R.I Bonner, Vol 2. 1879 (hathitrust.org)
CHESELTON BAKER was born in Auburn, N. Y., May 15, 1832. He lived in Auburn for a few years, when his parents moved to Pittsford, Monroe county, where his father opened a jewelry store, but subsequently moved to Rochester and engaged in the same business, and carried it on until the cholera scourge of 1834, when he died. After the death of his father Cheselton went to Lewiston, Niagara county, where his mother owned a farm. Cheselton worked upon this farm for some time, but afterward he went to Hamilton, Canada, to learn the jeweler's trade with his uncle, Thomas Baker, but, after remaining in Hamilton for about two years, his uncle was burned out, losing most of his property. Cheselton then returned to Lewiston. He occupied his time on a farm for two years more, afterward lived about one year in Youngstown, Niagara county, and in the spring of 1857 he came to Michigan and first settled in Jackson and engaged in the harness business for about six months, when he sold out and came to Adrian. In the fall of 1857 he went to "railroading," in the employ of the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana railroad, as a brakeman on a freight train. After acting as brakeman for about eighteen months he was promoted to conductor of extra freight trains, and after a short time was given a regular freight train between Toledo and White Pigeon. After about two years' service on the main line, air-1ine and the Detroit branch, he was given a "mixed train," which ran between Adrian and Detroit. After running that train for several years, he was given a through express train between Toledo and Chicago, which "run" he continued to hold until the Michigan division was established between Toledo and Elkhart. He continued as conductor until 1877, at which time he abandoned "railroading," and has occupied his time mostly since in farming. Cheselton Baker's father, Larkin Baker, was a native of Vermont. but when quite young moved to Monroe county, N. Y., with his father, who was a Baptist minister, stationed in or near Rochester. Mrs. Olive (Totten) Baker was born in Lewiston, Niagara county, N.Y. Her father was one of the first settlers of Niagara county, and purchased a large tract of land of the Holland company, four miles east of Lewiston. Mrs. Baker died in Jackson, Mich., in March, 1877. October 15, 1853, Cheselton Baker married Miss Mary Ann, daughter of Samuel and Lucy Haeslip, of Youngstown, Niagara county, N.Y., by whom he has had three children, as follows: Melvin Larkin, born in Youngstown, N.Y., August 2, 1855, now of Toledo, Ohio; he was married to Miss Ella Osborn, of Adrian, Mich., June 13, 1875; Clara, born in Adrian, October 13, 1858, was married to Lieut. F. B. Hull, now chief clerk of the L.S.&M.S. division superintendent's office, Toledo, Ohio; one daughter died in infancy. Mrs. Mary A. Baker was born in St. Catharines, Canada, November 12, 1836, and went to Lewiston, Niagara county, N.Y., with her parents in 1837. Her ancestors on her father's side were Irish and German. Her grandfather, John Haeslip, with two brothers, came from Ireland early in the eighteenth century, and settled on the Chippewa river in Canada, purchasing large tracts of land. A large number of the inhabitants of the village of Welland are descendants of John Haeslip and his brothers. Mrs. Baker's father first settled on a farm, which is now all within the limits of St. Catharines. He was a soldier in the British army in 1812, and participated in the battles of Lundy's Lane, Chippewa, Queenstown Heights, and Niagara. Mrs. Baker's mother was a daughter of John Barber, of Rutland, Vt. Mr. Barber went to Canada and settled near the present city of St. Catharines, establishing the first woolen mill in that part of the Province. Samuel Haeslip was born at Welland, Canada, in 1792, and died there in January, 1876. Mrs. Lucy (Barber) Haeslip was born in Rutland, Vt., in 1797, and died in Michigan City, Ind., in 1866.
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1832 - 1900 (68 years)
