Matteson Baker (b. Sep 15, 1804, d. Aft. Apr 1848)
Matteson Baker (son of Thomas Baker)13 was born Sep 15, 1804 in Meriden, New Haven Co, CT, and died Aft. Apr 1848 in St.Louis, St.Louis Co, Missouri. He married Sophia Byer on Abt. 1830 in Morrisville, Madison Co, NY14, daughter of Nicholas Byer and Sibil Gridley.
Notes for Matteson Baker: BIRTH: 1804-from NORTHERN NEW YORK, Vol III, Lewis Historical Pub.Co.1910. Information from James Pitcher, Boonville Historial.p. 8 1820 US Census - Mathias Baker, Seneca Co. p.051, Covert 1829-30:Matteson Baker with Methodist Episcopal Church of Brookfield (Clarksville), Madison Co, NY 1830 US Census - Mathias Baker, Madison Co., p.143, Lebanon (near Town of Eaton,where Nicholas Byer(Byar/Byers) and perhaps Sophia lived. 1835 NY Census - FHC Film #1435187, Item 12, p.9, Oneida Co, NY , Book I 1840 US Census - Sophia Baker listed in Oneida Co, P026, Kirkland Town . 1841-42-43 - Temperance meetings held at Utica Bleeker Street Church called "The Washingtonians", named after Martha Washington, a earl temperance person. 1843-49: in Utica, Oneida Co, NY City directory. CHURCH:1828-30 - Methodist Episcopal Church of Brookfield (Clarkville) from History of Mad.Co(p.536)"Matteson Baker was one of the laborers from the church.We believe he was associated with Grace Methodist Episcopal Church in Utica,(church has no record of him - too early) and with a group of temperance people called the Washingtonians. 1840 - Sophia Byer Baker's name shown in Kirkland, NY Census,(P.47) with four children listed with her.
OCCUPATION: from Utica Historical Society:"Before 1860, Methodist ministers were circuit riders. A circuit took about 4 weeks and early ministers changed circuits every 3-6 months. Methodist Ministers regarded such data(b.m.recds) as their personal property and likely carried it in saddle bags; they did not leave (their data) with individual congregations.Few Meth. records before 1840 survived; none bef.1790. After 1840, printed record books irregularly used. No death records kept until 1900. Only addresses in large cities used bef.1850. Three Meth. record repositories, Boston Univ. School Theol. for New Engl. This info from p.92,THE SHAKING TREE.
RESIDENCES: IN UTICA CITY DIRECTORIES: (seen in Utica, Oneida County Historical Society) 1843-44 - Baker, Mattison, keeper of Junction House, Fayette & Varick. 1845-46 - Mattison Baker, portrait painter, h. Stuben. 1846-47-Baker, Mattison, proprietor and publisher of the Washingtonian News, office Genesse, er Seneca, h 61 Broadway. 1849 - Mrs. Mattison Baker, h 5 Varick nsab Fayette. 1850, 21 Aug.- Mathew Baker, age 47, M, no occupation given, listed in the Federal Census with Sophia, age 45, William 19 (a printer), Elizabeth 17, Thomas 15, Sophia 14, Richard M. 9, Martha 8, Frederick 4 mos. 1851-52 Widow of Mattison, h 20 State Street, William Baker, a printer h 19 1/2 Mary Street., both shown in Utica City Directory. 1852-53 - Sophia Baker, widow of Matteson, h 2 Stark(St.) w.s.s. Court and William Baker, printer at Observer Office; shown in Utica City Directory. 1853-54 - Mrs. Sophia Baker, widow of Mattison, tailoress, h e s Steuben, 12 s. of South (Street). 1853-54 - Mrs. Sophia Baker, widow of Mattison, tailoress, h e s Stuben, 12 s. of South. William H. Baker, printer, foreman, Utica Daily Observer, s s Cotage, 4 W. Genessee; from Utica City Directory. 1854-55 - Mrs. Sophia Baker, widow, tailoress, h w a Warick, 5 a Columbia. William H. Baker, printer, Gazette Office, h cor Cornelia and Spring.
BIOG:1899 - from "Our Country and its People, Biographical Record of Madison County, New York, Personal References". "Baker, Richard M., son of Matteson and Sophia E. (Byer) Baker, was born in Clinton NY, July 29, 1843. His father was a Methodist minister and a prominent advocate of the cause of temperance; for some years he published a temperance organ at Utica, called the Washingtonian News. Richard M. Baker was educated in the public schools of Utica, and at Whitestown Seminary. He learned the printing trade in the office of the Utica Observer where remained two years, and then went to Hamilton as foreman of the Democratic Union which W.H. Baker had established in that village. He continued in that position until the death of W.H. Baker in 1872."
OBIT:1907, 25 July -(Obit of son Richard) from The Democratic Union Newspaper, Oneida NY. "Richard Matteson Baker was born in the village of Clinton, Oneida County, on July 29, 1842, and was a son of Rev. Matteson Baker, a well known Methodist clergyman. At an early age he removed to Utica where his father published a temperance paper known as the Washington News.
LETTER: from Matteson Baker to his wife Sophia (Byer) Baker, Tuesday morning, April 10th, 1849, from St.Louis, Missouri. (Letter in possession of Merry Baker Barnarsky, Oneida, NY) "My Dear Wife, I am here on board of a steamer which leaves at ten o'clock this forenoon for Independence. I am well and the prospects before me are as good and better than when I left home. My best interest have made it necessary to separate from Bickford and the Hammonds for they would have nothing to do with cooperating together after we got to California; Bickford says he is going to pleading law and Dock is very evidently going for his health and is coughing himself into the consumption as fast as possible and John (Hammond?), of course, is nothing more than what they tell him to be. He cannot be of any use to me especially situated as he is. I am, however, a great deal better situated than I could have been with them, being associated with some gentlemen of respectability upon whom I can rely with more confidence than upon them. We are organised in view of "mining" which I had no reason to expect from the others. This I found out after I left home. The company we have found/formed can be relied upon. We go with the express object of mining alone. One is a doctor about my age - Doct.Prichet &C. I am much better situated than I could be in our uncertain conditionswith the others. I have got all the materials for doing the business up brown. If we can find where the mines are when we get there, and I reccon we can. My present opinion is that Unkle Caleb Watkins cannot rely with much safety upon the labors &C of the old company, especially as long as John must be expected to coincide with and act as the tool of his brother & Bickford, especially as no favors can be expected there. As it regards myself, I am just what I was when I left home and entertain the same intentions which I expressed to Unkle Caleb at that time, and to my family. Dear Sophia, I should be glad to see you and my children, but I am confident it is for the best that I go to California. I am going with much better company every way than what I have left and far more prospects of doing Something. I would be glad to write more but the boat will soon leave & I have go to go up town to the Post Office. I will write you again from Independence. I am well and hope this letter will find you and Mary Jane & William & Elisa & Thomas & Sophia & my little Richard - all- alls well. So farewell till you hear from me again. Matteson Baker to Mrs. Sophia Baker (&C may mean etc.)
DEATH: Matteson most likely died of Cholera as it was very prevalent among the 49ers traveling from Independence Missouri along the riverways to California. More than 4,000 migrators died of this disease on their way to California. 1) Bibliography: "Gold Dust" by Donald D.Jackson, p.165-66; "The Forty-Niners" 2) Time-Life Book, with text by Wm.W. Johnson, p.53-61.
LETTER from MBB, 1-95: "Matteson's parents were Thomas Baker, Jr. and Polly Hall(Polly Hall later married ___Phillips). They had children Gardiner, Thomas, Willliam, Richard and Matteson. Matteson Baker, a Methodist minister and portrait painter started on an overland route to California in 1849. He was never heard from after he reached St.Louis. He married Sophia Byer in Morrisville and had six children: Mary Jane?, William H., Eliza, Thomas (a minstrel who died in Tenn.)& Sophia (married Marshall King and had 2 children, Herbert & Nellie, all buried at Clinton; Richard B. (married Frances Rice and had 4 children, Clinton, Maybelle, Richard and Cora.)
NOTES: Thomas Baker, (not my line) b.Meriden CT, then lived in Herkimer Co, then Oneida Co. Father was Thomas Baker a prominent settler of that county. His brothers were the late Hon. Wm. Baker of Utica, the Rev. Gardner Baker of Watertown, and Matteson Baker from Utica. Thomas Baker had nine children and was buried at Talcottville. in Boonville Herald 12 April 1883.
CEMETERY: ABB notes "There are BAKERs buried in Springfield, near Richfield Springs in an old cemetery. Some others are buried on a farm at Warren (Herkimer Co, NY)
Found at FHC, Bellevue, 12-00: Other BAKER reseachers and submitters: Vicki Jane Arnett , 2313-42nd St ,Missoula, MT 59803 (film #1394216) (no Arnett listed in area) David Bucknell, (and Karen), E. 2914 Indiana, Spokane, WA 99207 (phone unlisted)
from Lollie Baker, 1974: "Lois Baker wanted me to gather info on the Family Tree for her and I have endeavored to get as much of it together as I can. There seems to be little of the earlier Baker clan available."
More About Matteson Baker and Sophia Byer: Marriage: Abt. 1830, Morrisville, Madison Co, NY.14
Matteson Baker (b. Sep 15, 1804, d. Aft. Apr 1848)
Notes for Matteson Baker: