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George Craven Baker

George Craven Baker

Male 1839 - 1916  (77 years)

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  • Name George Craven Baker 
    Birth 3 Aug 1839  Louisiana Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Census 10 Sep 1850  Terrebonne Parish, LA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Cravan, age 10, born LA, living with mother 
    Census 21 Jun 1860  Houma, Terrebonne, LA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Craven, age 21, born LA, clerk, living with mother 
    Census 19 Jul 1870  Fort Bend Co, TX Find all individuals with events at this location 
    age 30, born LA, farmer 
    Census 12 Jun 1880  Fort Bend Co, TX Find all individuals with events at this location 
    age 41, born LA, farmer, parents born VT/VA 
    Census 8 Jun 1900  Fort Bend Co, TX Find all individuals with events at this location 
    age 61, born Aug 1839 in LA, marr 41 yrs, farmer, parents born VT/VA 
    Census 22 Apr 1910  Rosenberg, Fort Bend, TX Find all individuals with events at this location 
    G.C., Sr, age 70, born LA, retired farmer, parents born UNK/UNK, parents in house of daughter Eva Moers 
    Death 10 Oct 1916  Richmond, Fort Bend, TX Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial Morton Cemetery, Richmond, TX Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I15935  Family Tree
    Last Modified 16 Feb 2019 

    Father Eldad Andrus Baker,   b. 12 Jun 1804, Middlebury, Addison, VT Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 18 Mar 1845, Grand Caillau, Terre Bonne, LA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 40 years) 
    Mother Amanda E Herndon,   b. 14 May 1814, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 23 Jun 1893, Calvert, Robertson, TX Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years) 
    Marriage 15 Sep 1838 
    Family ID F6061  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Mary Staples,   b. Florida Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Marriage 10 Jan 1862 
    Children 
    +1. William Craven Baker,   b. 16 Oct 1862, Fort Bend Co, TX Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 11 Aug 1934, Rosenberg, Fort Bend, TX Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 71 years)
    Family ID F6067  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 20 Apr 2017 

    Family 2 Ellen McGaw,   b. 23 Nov 1848, Louisiana Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 23 Oct 1886, Houston, Harris, TX Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 37 years) 
    Marriage 10 Jan 1870 
    Children 
    +1. John Hiram Baker,   b. 4 Nov 1871, Fort Bend Co, TX Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Aug 1929, Houston, Harris, TX Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 57 years)
    +2. George Cleveland Baker,   b. 15 Dec 1872, Rosenberg, Fort Bend, TX Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Oct 1952, Richmond, Fort Bend, TX Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years)
     3. Lydia Eliza Baker,   b. 1875, Fort Bend Co, TX Find all individuals with events at this location
     4. Evelyn Amanda Baker,   b. 3 Nov 1884, Fort Bend Co, TX Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 24 Jun 1941 (Age 56 years)
    Family ID F6066  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 5 May 2017 

    Family 3 Lorena Darst,   b. Feb 1845, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F6068  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 5 May 2017 

  • Photos
    George Baker circa 1899
    George Baker circa 1899
    Back of photo written in blue ink has identification photo. Also states: George Baker was buried Baker lot, Richmond, Texas. Born 8-5-39 and died 10-10-1916.
    University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fort Bend Museum
    George Baker Photo circa 1911
    George Baker Photo circa 1911
    University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fort Bend Museum

    Headstones
    George & Ellen (McGaw) Baker Gravestone
    George & Ellen (McGaw) Baker Gravestone
    GEORGE C. / BAKER, Sr. / AUG. 5, 1839 / OCT. 10, 1916
    ELLEN McGAW / BAKER / NOV. 23. 1848 / OCT. 23, 1886
    Plot: Section RMCW, Lot 111, Space 1

  • Notes 
    • from "A History of Texas and Texans, by Francis White Johnson et al, 1914
      George C. Baker, Sr., was sent to his father's old home in Vermont, and for a time lived with an aunt in that state, attending school in the meantime. He attended a private school and afterwards a theological seminary at Fairfax, where he took a classical course. At the age of fifteen he started out for himself. It was his desire to come to the Texas frontier, but his mother objected to that, and he consequently embarked on a Mississippi River boat, proceeding up the stream to St. Anthony's Falls, where the present city of Minneapolis stands. He got off the boat there without a cent of money, and found the townsite of Minneapolis just being platted, and lots were offered him at almost his own figure. His first work was with a logging company, and in its employ he went three hundred miles north of Minneapolis and one hundred and fifty miles north of the utmost boundary of civilization among the Chippewa Indians. He remained there for eighteen months, on the Red River of the north, and afterwards returned to St. Claire county, Illinois, where he made a contract to manage a farm for one year. In a short time the Civil war broke out, and, as his sympathies were all with the south, he obtained a release from his contract and proceeded by boat to New Orleans, and thence home, where he arrived after an absence of six years...
      On January 10, 1862, Mr. Baker married Miss Mary Staples. Then, in April, 1862, he enlisted in Captain Sullivan's Company E, Willis' Battalion and Wall's Legion, a cavalry organization. The Legion crossed the Mississippi River at Vicksburg and joined the Tennessee Army under Van Dorn. After the death of that commander, it became a part of Forrest's famous cavalry. In the army of that intrepid cavalryman Mr. Baker was in every foray, skirmish and battle engaged in by the troopers of Forrest until the end of the war... Mr. Baker also fought at Moscow, Tennessee, and was a member of the cavalry which did guard and picket duty at the siege of Vicksburg... On taking up civil pursuits, Mr. Baker became a farmer and stock raiser, and arrived home in April, 1865, at which time he first saw his son, then three years old. His wife died the following January. After that he continued his farming and boarded his child and in a few years began getting ahead in the world financially. He bought, largely on credit, fourteen hundred acres of land on the Brazos River, two miles above Rosenberg, and his industry and thrift enabled him to pay for this and improve it into a fine plantation. In 1870 Mr. Baker married Miss Ellen McGraw of Louisiana. The four children born of their marriage were: John H. of Waco; Judge George C. of Richmond, a former county judge of Fort Bend county; Mrs. Lydia A. Hirsch of Houston, and Mrs. Eva A. Moers of Rosenberg. The first son of Mr. Baker, by his first wife, is W. C. Baker, whose home is now in Rosenberg. After a married companionship of nearly twenty years the second wife died, and Mr. Baker later married a widow lady, Mrs. Lorena Boone, whose maiden name was Darst. No children were born to this marriage. Mrs. Baker, the third wife, lived with Mr. Baker for eighteen years, until her death. Since then Mr. Baker has resided partly alone and partly with his daughter in Rosenberg.
    • from "The Rosenberg News-Herald", 13 Oct 1916 (findagrave.com)
      The death of George C. Baker, Sr., one of the oldest residents of this section of Texas , occurred at the home of his daughter, Mrs. C.A. Moers, in Rosenberg last Tuesday nigh at 9:45, at the age of 77 years, 3 months and 5 days. Death came as the result of an attack of acute indigestion, the decedent being sick only about fifteen minutes. The funeral services were held from the residence of Mrs. Moers on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock and interment was made in the Masonic Cemetery at Richmond. "Uncle George" Baker, as he was known by hundreds of friends throughout this and surrounding counties, was an old time resident of Rosenberg. He was a Confederate veteran and one of the county's most highly respected citizens. He was a member of the Rosenberg Masonic Lodge, and hononary member of Hood's Brigrade and a member of the Dick Dowling Camp., U.C.V., of Houston. The funeral services were in charge of the Masonic body. Surviving Mr. Baker are five children. Mrs. Arthur Hirsch of Houston, Mrs. C.A. Moers of Rosenberg, W.C. Baker of Rosenberg, G.C. Baker, Jr. of Richmond and J.H. Baker of San Antonio. One of the largest crowds that ever attended a funeral service in this county was present to pay their last sad respects to this venerable gentleman, and the News-Herald joins with the host of friend in extending the hand of condolence to the bereaved ones.