Charles Lee Baker Home Page Family of Nathan and Susan Baker Family of  Polly Bollinger and Eliza Smith Parents of Eliza Smith   "The Centennial History of Oregon" Site Home
Family of Felix Baker and Laura Smith Family of George Miller and Alice Smith   Daniel Smith and his Ancestors    Cooper Mountain Cemeteries in Aloha, OR Family Tree Data Base 



Baker Articles from North Carolina Newspapers

Ancestors of Charles Lee Baker

Family of Felix Baker and Laura Ann Smith

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Felix Baker was born Fielden N. Baker about 1854. We believe his middle name to be Nathan after his father. Felix and Laura were married 7 Feb 1878 in Newton, Catawba County, North Carolina. The record shows his name as Fielden N. but in the 1880 census he was Felix. He was also known as Fielding Baker.

This page tells what we know about this family after 1880. To read about Laura Smith in the years before 1880, look at the Bollinger-Smith web page. The BIG open question is what happened to Felix? The last we heard of him was when he fathered Cornelius Baker in 1897-8.  Click here to get an update on this story.

For information about Felix prior to 1880, look at this page: Family of Nathan Baker and wife Susan.
In the table below, if the words Death Certificate is underlined, that means that I have a copy of it.

  1880
Census
1 Jun		 1900
Census
1 Jun		 1910
Census
15 Apr		 WWI
Draft
Reg		 1920
Census
1 Jan		 1930
Census
1 Apr		 Spouse &
Children		 Death Notes
Felix Baker
(Fielden N. Baker)
1854		 23y
Hickory
Catawba
NC
 not
found		 not
found		 -- not
found		 not
found		 Laura Smith

8 children listed below		 Abt 7 Sep 1897
Lowesville, Lincohn, NC
43 years old

Lip Cancer.
 We don't know where he is buried but have a good guess.  Click here to get an update on this story.
Laura Ann Smith
3 Feb 1860
Hickory
Catawba
NC		 20y
Hickory
Catawba
NC		 39y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC
Married 22y		 49y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC		 -- 58y
Aloha
Washington
OR
2nd husband, Tom 59y		 69y
(she is listed as Ella S.)
Aloha
Washington
OR
First married at 17y (to Felix Baker).
2nd husband, Tom, 70y, first married at 23y
(living next door to Thomas and Hazel Miller, Thomas is the son of George and Mary Alice Miller)		 1st: Felix Baker
- 8 children listed below
2nd: Thomas E. Young
- no children		 28 Dec 1930
Buried at Cooper Mountain Evangelical Cemetery in Aloha, OR.
Death Certificate for Laura Ann Smith Baker Young.		 See table below for more details about 2nd husband, Thomas Young.
Harvey Otis
27 Dec 1879		 1y
Hickory
Catawba
NC		 22y
River Bend
Gaston
NC
wife + 2		 32y
Long Creek
Mecklenburg
NC
wife + 7		 "Harry Ottis" DOB 27 Dec 1879 Gastonia
NC		 "Henry"
41y
South Point
Gaston
NC
wife + 9		 52y
South Point
Gaston
NC
wife + 4
Floyd W.
Rufus O.
Paul T.
Virginia with husband		 1910 & 1920: Dovie,
1930: Ruthie W.
(Ruthie Dovey Olvine Hoyle 1878-1943)
 Connie May: 11 Jul 1898 - 9 Nov 1976
Henry Hobson "Dewey": 6 Sep 1899 - 18 Oct 1985 (married Rosa Lee Boyles 1905-1996)
 Myrtle Rebecca: 24 Aug 1901 - 7 Oct 1948  (married Luther Cashion)
 Clarence Eugene: 1 Apr  1903 (Mother's name Ruthie Dovey Olvine Hoyle) - 29 Aug 1982
 Ila Mae: 2 Jul 1905 - 20 Sep 1956 (living in Washington, DC)
 George Hoyle: 5 Oct 1906 - 6 May 1950
 Floyd William: 8 Jan 1910 - 24 Feb 1985 (Baker Furniture Co)
Mary E: 1912-1918 Spanish Flu.
 Rufus O: 18 Nov 1913 - 11 Apr 1943
 Virginia Louise: 24 Nov 1915 - Nov 1979
 Paul Truitt: 1922 - 1981
All born in NC
 Death certificate : b :  27 Dec 1877 (I believe 1877 is incorrect) d: 4 Jun 1948,
Charlotte, Mecklenburg, NC
70y
Widowed
Home: Cramerton, Gaston, NC. 
Informant was Floyd Baker (Probably his son, Floyd William Baker).
Buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Belmont, NC.
 Married 1898.
Middle name from WWI Draft Registration.
Mrs. Dovie Baker, Death Certificate b: 27 May 1878, d: 26 Jun 1943. Reported by H.O. Baker. Burial Greenwood Cemetery, Belmont, NC.
Son Rufus O.:
Death Certificate,
Rufus O. Baker 29y,
b: 18 Nov 1913 d: 11 Apr 1943. Died in some kind of accident, burned to death.
Cramerton, Gaston, NC, Buried Greenwood Cemetery, Belmont, NC
Daughter Virginia Louise:
married Fred G. Abercrombie in 1930, she was 14y, he was 24y.
Aug 2014 letters from Betty Baker Terres, daughter of Henry Baker. She told me a lot about the children of Henry Baker: Glenn William (1923-2010), Edith L.(1925-1929), Fred Lee (1928-1991), herself, & Louise (1934-1999). See her letter and photos below.
Robert Alexander
15 Oct 1881		 not born
yet		 18y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC		 28y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC
wife +1		 Gastonia
NC		 38y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC
wife + 1		 Robert - deceased
Myrtle Baker 40y
Grace 24y + 3 children (Betty J. 5y, Frances G. 3y, and Carl A. 1y)
Both widowed
Gastonia
Gaston
NC		 Myrtle Moss 1890-1963 (born in SC)
 Nellie Grace: 1906 (born in NC)		 Death Certificate: 46y
b: 27 Nov 1880 - d: 26 Jan 1927
Gastonia, Gaston, NC
46y 1m 22d,
wife: Myrtle Baker,
Usual residence: Arkray Millls, Pelham, NY,
Reported by Mrs. Marvin Robinson (his sister Lela Mabel). Father: F.N. Baker, Mother: Laura Smith. Taxi Driver. Buried at Hollywood Cemetery, Gastonia, NC
 Married 1904.
Middle name from
WWI Draft
Registration.
Death Certificate of Myrtle Moss Baker b: 27 May 1890 d: 17 Feb 1963, Gaston, Gastonia, NC. Reported by Mrs Grace Hill,.buried at Hollywood Cemetery, Gastonia, NC
.

Fannie Alice
Mar 1884		 not born
yet		 16y
Catawba Springs
Lincoln
NC
husband
married for 1 year		 26y
River Bend Twp
Gaston
NC
husband + 3		 Husband:
Charles Parks Teague
42y
4 Sep 1876
wife Fannie Teague		 36y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC
husband + 5
lived next door to John and Rosa Sills		 45y
Newton Twp
Catawba
NC
husband + 5
married at 16y		 Charles Parks Teague 1876-1947
 Evie Mae : 1901
 Annie I. :  3 Jun 1905 - 29 Mar 1965 Death Certificate. 59y, Married Clarence E Covey.
 Lucia P. (Lucy): 22 Nov 1907  married at 16y
 Charles Parks. Jr : 29 May 1913
 Jonas Robert: 1915
 John Andrew: 25 Mar 1919 - 6 Jul 1970, 51y, Death Certificate.
 Harry Taylor b: 10 Jan 1922 d: 8 Sep 1973 Maiden, Catawba, NC. Death Certificate. 52y
 Ernest Fielden: 12 Sep 1926		 7 Jan 1935
Caldwell Twp
Catawba
NC
Death Certificate received 21 Jun 2006 does not give DOB but gives age as 50y 9m 15d (-> 23 Mar 1884). f: Felin Baker, m: Alice Smith. Birthplace Lincoln Co. (note: gives father's birthplace as Alexander Co, NC) Buried at Maiden Cemetery, Maiden, NC.		 email from Linda Grant, Feb 2006: " I do know something about the family but Charlene (and I) have a cousin in North Carolina named Ballard (Teague) who has some photos and almost certainly knows where there are others.  Her mother, Lucy, was the youngest of the Teague girls, I think.  I have tried to contact Patty but have no reply so I will get my brother to phone her."

GGM of Linda Grant.

See email below.
Link to OneWorldTree.
Link to Teague Family Resource Center.
Link to record at that web site.
Death Certificate of Charles Parks Teague b: 25 Sep 1876 d: 27 Feb 1947, reported by Harry Teague, buried as Mathews Cemetery, Catawba, NC
Lester George
3 Jul 1886		 not born
yet		 13
Gastonia
Gaston
NC		 22y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC
wife + 2
married for 5 years		 30y
Statesville
Iredell
NC
wife + 5		 32y
Statesville
Iredell
NC
wife + 5		 deceased - but where are the children?

Jack - possible found Camp Creek, Rutherford, NC, 15y, Some kind of private school. 		Ila Bell Moore 1888-1966.
Married about 1905.
 Troy Lee: 27 May 1906 Gaston Co. - 23 Apr 1979
 Willie Mae: 1909
 Tollie: 1912
 Lester Glenn: 20 Jul 1914 - 10 Feb 1978
 Jack: abt 1916
All born in NC		 13 Jul 1920
Died of Apoplexy in Charlotte, NC per newspaper report
Death Certificate : 34y b: not given, d: 14 Jul 1920, barber, died in Charlotte, NC. Resident of Statesville, NC. Lists father: F.N Baker and mother: Laura Smith. Reported by R.A. Baker. Buried at
Gastonia, NC.		 Married 1905.
From Angie Baker Ryan: "Lester George died at an early age, around 1921. Ila took off leaving my grandfather (Lester Glenn) and siblings without parents. They lived from house to house."
See photo below.
Death Certificate of Ila Moore Baker 77y, b: 8 Jul 1888 d: 8 May 1966. Reported by Jack W Baker of Lupton City, TN. Burial Oakwood Cemetery, Gastonia, NC.

SDDI:
Name: Ila Dunlap
SSN: 455-10-7801
Last Residence: 28052  Gastonia, Gaston, North Carolina, United States of America
Born: 8 Jul 1888
Died: May 1966
State (Year) SSN issued: Texas (Before 1951 )

Lela Mabel
9 Apr 1890		 not born
yet		 10y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC
(indexed as "Leeler")		 20y
Gastonia Twp
Gaston
NC
husband + 1 		Husband: Marvin Tillman Robinson,
DOB 15 Dec 1886
wife + 4
Gastonia
NC		 30y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC
husband + 5		 Lela M.
40y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC
husband + 6
Lela first married at 18y		 Marvin Tillman Robinson: 15 Dec 1888 NC - 12 Jun 1939 NC
 Edna: 1910
 Beatrice: 1912
 Talmage Theodore: b: 5 Mar 1913 d: 17 Jun 1961, 48y, Death Certificate, WWII and Korea, wife Hulda Carswell. Reported by Mrs. T.T. Robinson.
 Laura Elizabeth : 1916
 Marvin Tillman, Jr: b: 29 Jun 1918 d: 6 Oct 1961, 43y, Death Certificate, wife: Della Ruth King, WWII, reported by George Ranson.
 Helen R.: 1923
 Naomi Rachel: 12 Nov 1925
 Jack: 1928		 Lela Baker Robinson
25 Sep 1976
Charlotte     Mecklenburg
NC
87y
DOB: 9 Apr 1889
Death Certificate received 16 Jun 2006 f: unknown, m: Laura Smith.		 Married 1908.

Being married at 18y means she was out of Felix and Laura's house by the 1910 census. Marvin was from Icard, Burke county.

Marvin at Ancestry One World Tree.

Marvin and Lela at the Family Hart web site.

Death Certificate of Marvin Tillman Robinson b: 15 Dec 1888 d: 12 Jun 1939, Gastonia, Gaston, NC. Reported by Lela Robinson, burial at Armstrong Cemetery.

Photo sent to me by Mary Clemmer of Lela, her son-in-law Jack Morgan and granddaughter, Naomi Kay Morgan.
Thomas Loyde
26 Oct 1892		 not born
yet		 not
found - would have been 7y		 17y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC		 24y
Gastonia
NC
single		 not found - he would still be single
--------
Doretha Fesperman
16y
Gold Hill
Rowan
NC
living with parents (father: Boyden)
 36y
T.L. Baker
Poplar Tent
Cabarrus
NC
wife (Dorothy 27y) + 3 children.
Thomas first married at 29y,
Dorothy first married at 18y.
 Dorothy Elizabeth Fesperman : 8 Jan 1903 (married ~1922) 28 Jul 1968
 Thomas Loyde : 24 Oct 1923, Guilford Co., NC (Thomas L. Baker, Jr) SSAN app 1939 in Concord NC (mother Dorothy Fesperman)
 Boyden Black : 27 Jun 1927, Rowan Co, NC - 2 Jun 1972 (named after mother'sf father)
 Robert Alexander: 13 Mar 1930, Cabarrus Co., NC
 Death Certificate: 5 Mar 1961,
West Los Angeles,
Los Angeles,
CA

 email from granddaughter, Dena Marie Baker Helton, Oct 2008. See below.

Middle name from WWI Draft Registration. WWI Veteran. Buried in the Los Angeles National Cemetery. See below for a photo of his tombstone.
Son Thomas Loyde Jr. died on 19 Nov 1997 in Arcadia, Los Angeles Co, CA. Death certificate indicated mother was Dorothy Levina Festerman. Findagrave.

Dorothy Fesperman died in Salisbury, Rowan, NC on 28 Jul 1868 (from the NC DC). She had remarried to George W. Barts. They were living in Faith, Rowan, NC. Findagrave.

I have the SSAN app for Thomas Jr. I have death certificates for both Thomas Sr (lists father: Fielding Baker, mother: Laura Smith) and Thomas Jr.
Note: there was another person named Tom Baker (who I think was George Tom Baker) married to Mary Stoker. They were in Newton and Cabarrus counties having children about the same time as our Tom Baker. I was confusing these two mem for quite a while.
Charles
Lee
3 Aug 1894		 not born
yet		 6y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC		 15y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC		 Beaverton
OR		 25y
Portland
Multnomah
OR
wife + 0
Occupation: butcher
(listed as Charles B. Baker)		 35y
Portland
Multnomah
OR
First married at 25y
Occupation meatcutter.
wife : Lucile 23y, born in OR, no children, first married at 21y (~1928).
 1st: Frances Amelia Martin: (born in OR) 18 Jun 1919.

2nd: Nell Olive Frazier (born in KS 18 Aug 1889) 4 Apr 1926. Died 26 Jan 1995 in Portland. Have copy of marriage certificate.

3rd: Lucile E. Fisher: 15 Dec 1905 (born in OR) 19 Dec 1917. Died 10 Jan 1932 in Seattle, WA, age 26y 3w 4d of Lobar Pneumonia from WA death certificate received in May 2008.

4th: Ruth D. Lorey: (born in TN) 12 Mar 1939.
 Charlene: 1940
-- 4 grandchildren		 Death Certificate: 20 Mar 1952
Tacoma, WA
Occupation: meat market.
Lived 20y in Tacoma. Married.		 Father of Charlene Baker Nelson.

See emails on this web page from niece of Lucile Fisher Baker, Martha Mastel.

Moved to OR in 1912.

Photo sent to me by Suzanne Frisch of Charles with his mother, Laura.
Cornelius Vanderbilt
3 Nov 1897 (SSDI)
or 1898		 not born
yet		 2y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC		 11y
Gastonia
Gaston
NC		 19y
Portland
OR
DOB 3 Nov 1898
index: Becker		 21y
Portland
Multnomah
OR
wife + 1		 31y
Seattle
King
WA
wife + 4
mother-in-law Alice Curtright 67y (born 1863 IA)
occupation : butcher
(indexed on ancestry.com as L.V. Bisher)		 Fay Etta Curtright 19 Jun 1901 (born in OK) - 7 Oct 1944 (died in WA).
Phyllis: Dec 1919 OR. Died of TB as a young adult. Married.
 Lois Mae: 16 Jun 1921 OR - 9 Jan 1992 WA, married Raymond Dodge.
 Vanderbilt: 27 Feb 1923 OR - 2 Dec 1982 Santa Clara, CA. Married Adele Meinert.
 Corrine: Nov 1928 OR, married John R.  "Dick" Dodge.
 Ruthann: 1940 WA. Married Arthur Bailey.		 Death Certificate:
20 Feb 1969
Tacoma, WA
occupation: Washington Meat Market,
70y, DOB 3 Nov 1898, Widowed, reported by daughter Mrs. Lois Dodge.		 From niece, Bette Baker Clarno, Feb 2005: "Remember, my Dad told me that Corny had a different father, but that he used the name Baker because all the rest of the family were Bakers. It has been a mystery all these years who WAS his father? Even Ruthann wanted to know.  Corny's full name was Cornelius Vanderbilt Baker. We joked that maybe the real Cornelius Vanderbilt was his father, since the Vanderbilt mansion isn't all that far from Gastonia."

From niece, Bette Baker Clarno, Jan 2006: "Ruthann was four years old when Fay died, and Cornelius raised her...no doubt the sisters helped. I just didn't hear anything about the family after Dad and I married."

From daughter, Ruthann Baker Bailey, Mar 2007: "As I am the last living person of my siblings. I am afraid I am not much help...Of course I would love to have more answers."

From granddaughger, Julie Dodge Wilson, Oct 2011: "Cornelius was my grandfather, Lois was my mother, and Ruth Baker Bailey is my aunt.  I received your letter last week. What a nice surprise!  I  would love to talk to you sometime."

Moved or OR in 1912.
Married 1919.
Moved to Tacoma WA about 1929 (daughter Corrine was born Oct/Nov 1928 in OR).

Fay's parents were Benjamin F. and Alice Curtright. Ben was a witness at her marriage in 1919. Ben died in 1924. Fay Etta died in 1944.
 
   1900 Census indicates that Laura had 5 children all still living.  
   1920 Census indicates that Laura had 8 children all still living.        


More about Thomas Young, Laura's second husband. Per his death certificate, he moved to OR in 1906.

  1850
Census
1 Jun		 1860
Census
1 Jun		  1870
Census
1 Jun		 1880
Census
1 Jun		 1900
Census
1 Jun		 1910
Census
15 Apr		 1920
Census
1 Jan		 1930
Census
1 Apr		 Spouse &
Children		 Death Notes
Thomas E
Young
31 Oct 1859
OH
 		Aberdeen
Brown
OH
Parents Wilson and Fatima.
1 child Thomas not born yet.		 7m
Rush Camphaign OH.
with parents Wilson and Fatima		 11y
Rush Camphaign
OH
with parents Wilson and Fatima, he had 5 sisters.		 20y
Billings
Gladwin
MI
with parents Wilson (57y 1823) and Fatima (60y 1820)		 Possible:
39y
Carrollton
Saginaw
MI
born Oct 1861,
wife Rouella,
married 16 years,
no children.		 50y
Reedville
Washington OR
widowed, no family,
born in OH		 59y
Aloha
Washington
OR
born in MI,
2nd wife
 70y
Aloha
Washington
OR
First married at 23y (1883).
2nd wife
(living next door to Thomas and Hazel Miller, Thomas is the son of George and Mary Alice Miller)		 1st: Rouella ? - no children
2nd: Laura Baker
- no children		 9 Dec 1944, parents listed as Wilson Young and Latena - really Fatima - Harober. I don't think his mother's last name is right either. Buried at Cooper Mountain Evangelical Cemetery in Aloha, OR.  

Emails

Date sent:          Thu, 18 Nov 2004 15:45:01 -0800
From:               Troy Nelson <troynmicrosoft.com>
Subject:            RE: Trees and sprigs
To:                 Charlene Baker <bakercharhotmail.com>, Bette Clarno

Hi Bette - hope all is well.  Below I have pasted the text on family tree that mom references.
_________________

OK, I think I have it.  Using a single representative from each generation, and using the relationships definitions on geneaology.com, here's how it lies out.

G1:  Sills
G2: Charles and Fanny:  siblings
G3: Evie and Charlene: 1st cousins
G4: Claire and Troy: 2nd cousins
G5: Linda and Ian (my son): 3rd cousins.

*    Cousins share the same grandparents
*    2nd cousins share the same great-grandparents, but not the same grandparents
*    3rd cousins, add an additional "great" to the definintion of 2nd counsins, and so on.
*     The "once, or twice removed" refers to how members of different generations relate.
*    Charlene and Evie are 1st cousins
*    Charlene and Clarie are 1st cousins once removed
*    Charlene and you are 1st cousins twice removed
*    Since Claire and I are 2nd cousins, Clair and my son Ian are 2nd cousins, once removed.  If and when Ian (now 3) has a child, that child would be 2nd cousins twice removed from Claire.


-----Original Message-----
From: linda grant [mailto:lgrantezhotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 1:16 PM
To: Troy Nelson
Subject: RE: Genealogy

Your grandfather was my mother's great uncle.  Fanny Teague (née Baker) was his sister.  Fanny Teague was my great-grandmother--My grandmother, Evie Mae (Evelyn) Teague, was your mother's first cousin--your mother is my third cousin.

I don't know how many kids there were in that family.  I only ever met your grandfather--one of the nicest people ever--and his brother Cornelius who we saw only seldom.

Tell your mom I'll write later.  By the way, her 1st cousin, Patty Ballard, is fairly "young" and may have a lot more information than I.

hasta luego
your 4th cousin, Linda

Date:    Wed, 1 Oct 2008 12:54:35 -0500 (Central Daylight Time)
From:    "Ken and Dena Helton" <kanddexpressjuno.com>
Subject:    Baker family tree prepared by you.

Hello, My name is Dena M. Helton.

I was born to a Thomas Lloyd Baker and a Thelma O'neal Woodcock in 1967. I was a child never mentioned but I have my birth certificate to prove who I am. I am looking for my other half of my family. I was told growing up being the youngest of 5 that we all were brothers and sisters but when I was in the third grade I found out that the one that was the father to my now half brothers and sisters wasn't my dad too. I was raised by a very good man who was my step-father and he loved me unconditionally. He died in 1989 in Fresno. I never had the urge to find anyone; being told by my mother that my birth father had died when I was a little older than 1. After some searching and digging I find out today that he didn't die until 1997 in Arcadia. I was the child that wasn't suppose to happen, I suppose, but I did and I am the daughter of Thomas Lloyd Baker born in N.C. in 1923. Can you help me find my family???? My phone number is 318-793-8768. I live in Louisiana and I am waiting for some kind of reply.

Thank You for your time .
 
Dena M. Helton
740 Ian Johnson Rd.
Otis, La. 71466
Dear Dena,

Thanks for your email. Well you may have found some distant cousins in my wife, Sally, and her Baker family tree.

If Thomas Lloyd who died in 1997 is your birth father, you and my wife would be second cousins.

Her family did not know anything about Thomas Lloyd Sr, your grandfather, until I started to trace her family tree. We don't have any personal information about him or his descendants. What we have is factual information that I found from public sources.

On the web site, you learn about Thomas Lloyd Sr and can trace the family tree back from there. He was the brother of Sally's grandfather, Charles Lee Baker.

From public information, I've learned that Thomas Lloyd Sr was born 26 Oct 1892 in NC. He died 5 Mar 1961 in Los Angeles, CA. I visited his gravesite a few years ago in Los Angeles. He was married to Dorothy Levina Fesperman who was born 8 Jan 1903 (we don't know where but probably NC) and died 28 Jul 1968 in Salisbury, Rowan, NC. They had three children, your father, Thomas Lloyd Jr, Boyden Black Baker (27 Jun 1927 - 2 Jun 1972) and Robert Alexander Baker (13 Mar 1930). Boyden was named after Dorothy's father.

I have not found any other descendants of Thomas Lloyd Sr. Though his brother Boyden is dead, it is possible that his other brother, Robert Alexander, is still living in NC somewhere.

Since Thomas Lloyd Jr died in Arcadia, CA, it may be possible that other children of his live in that area.

I will send you scans of the documents that I have in my next emails.

Mark
Dena,

Once you get a chance to look at the files that I've sent, we would like to hear about what you might know about Thomas Lloyd Jr and his family.
Maybe we can put a few more pieces of the puzzle together.

Mark
Dena,

I've got a few questions. I'm not sure if answers will provide any clues, but I thought I would ask anyway:

1. Did your mother live in Pasadena in the 1940's and 1950? I've found a woman with her name living there. In 1946, she was living with Alton Woodcock at 804 Prospect Ave. I found this in the CA voter registration lists. Pasadena is not far from Arcadia where Thomas Baker was living when he died. That is not too far from Baldwin Park, either.

2. Was O'Neal your mother's maiden name?

3. I guess I'm a little confused about her marriages.  Were there three husbands - Jackson, Woodcock and Hamlet? What were the dates of marriage/divorce?

Mark
WOW, you have been very busy mark... I will try the leads you have given me and see where it takes me. 

To answer your question about my mom she was born a Woodcock marries a Jackson and then signed Baker on my B/C and then married Hamlet and still carries that name. Now as far as the year she came to the LA area I can not be too sure she was born in Oklahoma and the Jackson s came from there but I will asked my oldest sister where she was born she will be 60 on the 6th of November . So that will help pinpoint that era.

I spoke with my mom and I fibbed to her and told her I was contacted by someone ( I changed it up a little to not offend her) I asked her if Thomas was a Jr and she did say "I don't know, he was a liar about alot of things". Don't know what that means. Maybe she was betrayed for some reason or another, you just never know.. She first said that she got a call from an unknown person and they had told her that he was killed in a bar and that was or had to be around when I was in kindergarten because she said we lived in the condo's and we were only there in Fresno at that location for about a year or so 'till we moved into our first home that my step-dad purchased. Then she told me he stole her car once???? Then she did a 180 on me and tells me when I was in the third grade someone from the DA's office in LA county contacted her and said that he was in trouble and they knew of me and wanted to know if she wanted child support for me they would make sure she got it. So as you see I am not dealing with the best source. I have sent an e-mail to the DA's office late on Friday for them to check and see if there were old records on him at anytime during his life including child support claims of any kind. She said she told them she didn't need any support from him that my step-dad was handling my up-bringing.

That's where I am at. She isn't much help and warned me not to talk to people that call me about my father.. Beats me... Thanks and keep the e-mails coming. I will get back with you on those dates ASAP.

Dena
Dena,

Regarding the causes of death for the siblings of Thomas Lloyd Baker Sr. who might be your grandfather:

I now have death certificates for the eight children of Felix and Laura Baker.

From North Carolina:

Robert Alexander Baker, 1927, 46y, Lobar Pneumonia
Lester George Baker, 1920, 34y, Hemoplegia (Blood Clot)
Harvey Otis Baker, 1948, 70y, Resperatory Failure
Fannie Alice Baker, 1935, 50y, Angiapectoris
Lela Mabel Baker, 1976, 87y, Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular heart disease
------------------

Then I have these from Washington State:

Cornelius Vanderbilt Baker, 1959, 70y, Congestive heart failure, Pneumonia
Charles Lee Baker, 1959, 57y, Coronary Insufficiency, Arteriosclerosis
------------------

Then I have this one from California:

Thomas Lloyd Baker, Sr., 1961, 68y, Rheumatic and Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
------------------

Mark
Dena,

It was nice talking with you yesterday. I spent a few minutes trying to think up avenues that you could persue in the search for Thomas Lloyd Baker. I'm going to list them here and you can give them a try. I don't really know what the chances of success are but something might turn up.
------

1. The death certificate for Thomas Lloyd Baker, Jr. states that he was in the military.

Go to    http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/index.html

and submit a request for his Report of Separation. Register as his daughter. Tell them what you know about him:  date of birth, Social Security Number 246-18-7273, mother's maiden name (Dorothy Levina Fesperman)

Since we don't know what branch he was in, guess that is was the Army, active duty/regular Army, and that he was enlisted (not an Officer). Something might show up.

2. From the Death Certificate of your father, he was divorced at the time of his death. You might be able to get a copy of the divorce papers. Try:

http://ww2.cdph.ca.gov/CERTLIC/BIRTHDEATHMAR/Pages/CertifiedCopiesofMarriageandDivorceRecords.aspx

Its going to be difficult since we do not know the year of the divorce, the wife's name or the county (though it probably was Los Angeles).

3. The Death Certificate says your father worked for Clary Corp. They are still in business in LA area. Maybe you can contact them.

4. Robert Alexander Baker, the brother of Thomas Jr., may still be alive in North Carolina. The NC birth record shows that he was born 13 Mar 1930 in Cabarrus County, NC. The other brother, Boyden Black Baker, died in 1972 in Concord, Cabarrus County, NC -- so its possible that Robert lives in Concord, NC.

5. There is also a chance that the wife of your uncle may still be alive in Concord, Cabarras, NC. That would be Edna Allred Baker, wife of Boyden Black Baker. Allred was her maiden name

Maybe you could make phone calls to Baker's in Concord, NC and see what you turn up.

Good Luck,
Mark
To:    kanddexpressjuno.com
Subject:    More on Coscarelli
Date:    Sun, 05 Oct 2008 21:50:11 -0700

Dena,

I'm sorry to fill your mailbox with all this but I am surprised how many possible leads that I've found.

I may have found some more about Dolly Coscarelli and Thomas Jr.

First, go to ZabaSearch:   http://www.zabasearch.com

enter the name Dolly Coscarelli, in California. You should get a hit on a Dolly at 713 Duarte Rd in Acadia. I had this address previously and sent a letter but never got a  response. But now, click on "Complete Report on Dolly V Coscarelli".

That should take you to http://www.intelius.com.

That web site shows that this Dolly is 88 years old (born Oct 1919) and shows two relatives , John and Craig. That web site also shows that a phone number and other addresses are available.

Now they want money, $49.95. Think about it. It might be worth it. I would think that this Dolly, with a high probability, is the person who signed Thomas Jr's death certificate.

In addition, I went to the home page for www.intellis.com and there is a search by Social Security Number. I entered Thomas Jr's #  246187273. There was a hit on a Baker, age 84 (which is what he would be if he were still alive) in Arcadia. So for another $49.95, you can get his complete background report. This might show any criminal record.

Mark

PS: I did some looking and I found a "Craig Michael Coscarelli" born 10 Mar 1947. I see other records that put him in the LA area up until 1979 but I can't find a phone number on the web sites that I have subscription to. The birth record shows that Craig's mother's maiden name is Jordan.

I searched for "Dolly Jordan" born about 1920 and I did find a "Dolly V Jordan", 10 years old, in the 1930 census. She is shown as born in OK and is listed with her parents. They lived on San Antonio Township, Los Angeles County.

So it really seems like this Craig is Dolly's son. Find him and you may find her.
Mark,

First of all no problem on the e-mails You are doing awesome.

If you will remember when we spoke on the phone I had also went to the Intelius site and that's were I got the names of Craig-John and a daughter that would be possible relatives to her, In that I took the name's of the states and towns that were listed with them and cross referenced with white pages and I found numbers in the Florida area and in CA. also. That's when I called and spoke with a Coscarelli at a printing shop that was owned by one John and William Coscarelli. The lady I spoke with said John wasn't available to speak with and gave me a number on the William fellow but that didn't pan out very well as they were from Italy and hadn't been here in the states too long. I made my way to Craig's listing in Florida and CA and the only answer I got out of Florida was the secretary that answered the phone by  "Relli" and then proceeded to tell me that she didn't know of a John or Craig and besides that there were no PERSONAL calls to be accepted there at Relli. I told her she was very unprofessional and very rude and hung up. Then another call to a Craig in California in the LA area and the lady I spoke with told me that the name Dolly is also a nick name for Josephine that in her day they nick-named most Josephine's Dolly(?) and also asked me to call her when I found out the whole story. She said it sounded exciting to her and wished me the best of luck.

Dena
To:    "Ken and Dena Helton" <kanddexpressjuno.com>
Subject:    Re: More on Coscarelli
Date:    Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:57:04 -0700

Dena,

Thanks for reminding me of what you did. I didn't get all the details on the phone.

I think the "Dolly V Jordan" connection is pretty compelling. She must have used Dolly her whole life, even if her given name was Josephine or Dorothy.

When you were at the Itellius site, did you actually pay for the report on Dolly?

Have you thought about paying for the report on Thomas Jr.?

I just feel like we are so close to cracking this.

Mark

Photos



Thomas Lloyd Baker 1892-1961
This is Bette Baker Clarno's uncle, the brother of  her father. She never knew him.
WWI Veteran.
Buried in the Los Angeles National Cemetery.

ca 1905
Lester George Baker and Ila Bell Moore
(possible wedding photo)
Sent to me by Angie Baker Ryan.

Henry Hobson Baker
Photo sent to me Aug 2014 by daughter, Betty Baker Terres
Along with that photo, Betty Baker Terres wrote in Aug of 2014:

Henry Baker was my daddy. He was married to Rosa Boyles. They had 5 children - Glenn, Fred, Edith, Betty & Louise. I am the only one living.

I remember when I was a young girl, Cornelius had pictures made with some of Daddy's sister. I didn't see him. I only saw the pictures. I thought he was a very nice looking man. He had on a white suit.

Enclosed is a copy of  my daddy's brothers and sisters. All of them have passed away.

Betty Baker Terres

Harvey Ottis Baker Clan
Photo sent to me Sep 2014 by granddaughter, Betty Baker Terres. Betty got it from her cousin Dale Smith.

Uncle Clarence - Clarence Eugene Baker (1903-1982)
Uncle Henry - Henry Hobson Baker (1899-1985)
Uncle George - George Baker (1906 -1950)
Dot's Aunt Lela - ?? Lela Mabel Baker Robinson (1889-1976)
Aunt Rose - Rosa Lee Boyles Baker (wife of Henry Hobson Baker) (1905-1996)
Aunt Ila - Ila Mae Baker Bowen(1905-1956)

Betty Baker Terres wrote in Sep of 2014:
I received your letter, thank you for the picture. I'm sending you a picture that my cousin in Ohio sent me. Rosa was my mother. Also enclosed in my cousin's address. I hope she can give you more information.

Betty Baker Terres

Neither Betty nor I know who the other people in the photo are.  Based on DOB of Ila Mae, this photo was probably taken around 1925.

What we know (and don't know) about Felix Baker

We know that Felix (Fielding) Baker fathered his youngest child, Cornelius Baker in 1897 or 1898. The latest actual document we have that lists him is the 1880 census from Hickory, NC. 

In October of 2017, Jeremy Baker sent me this 26 Jan 1888 clipping from The Press and Carolinian, Hickory, NC. This is most likely Felix. 

Melancthon Seitz and Dr. W.L. Abernethy are two names mentioned in the article.

This might be Seitz:
Family Data Collection - Births
Name:     Calvin Malanthon Seitz
Father:     Luther Polycarp Seitz                Mother:     Belza Louisa Baker
Birth Date:     4 Sep 1871
City:     Hickory            County:     Catawba            State:     NC            Country:     USA

Calvin M. Seitz also appears in the 1880 census from Hickory.  He was 7 years old and living with parents (Luther and Belzie) and 3 siblings. In the census entry, the surname is spelled "Sides".

Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982
Name:     Doctor C M Seitz
Gender:     Male                Race:     White                Age:     58                Birth Date:     4 Sep 1873                Birth Place:     Neveton, North Carolina
Residence:     Brownwood, Texas, USA
Death Date:     12 Jun 1932                Death Place:     Brownwood, Brown, Texas, USA
Father:     Lutler P Seiltz                     Spouse:     C M Seitz

Here is the findagrave entry for Dr. Calvin Malanthon Seitz. I found Dr. W.L. Abernethy in the 1880 Hickory census. The findagrave entry for Dr. William Lafayette Abernethy refers to his wife's maiden name as Seitz, the surname of the person that Fielding accidentally shot.


Then Jeremy found this article in the 4 Oct 1895 issue of the The Lincoln Democrat, with a dateline of 1 Oct 1895 from Lowesville, NC.


Here is where Emily Frisch helped out. She recalled that Charles Lee Baker reported on his WWII Draft Registration that he was born in "Loseville, NC". Charles, born on 3 Aug 1894, must have really meant Lowesville.  So this puts the family in the town of Lowesville, Lincoln, NC about the middle of 1890's.

Then a little more news from the  11 Oct 1895 issue of The Lincoln Democrat.


The article says Mr. T.N. Baker but it really must be F.N. Baker - Felix.


The article says he was doing fairly well at least until Jeremy found this 9 Sep 1897 article datelined 7 Sep 1897 Lowesburg, from the the Mecklenburg Times, Charlotte, NC:

Felix would have been about 43 years old. Before Bette died in 2007, she and I worked hard looking for what happened to Felix. Now we know.

Jeremy is going to continue searching the cemeteries around Lowesville for his grave. Look at the next section.

Hill's Chapel Cemetery

Since Felix died in Lowesville, Jeremy Baker continued his research at the Hill's Chapel United Methodist Church and Hill's Chapel Cemetery in Lowesville.

The photos and the commentary below are from Jeremy Baker.


Attached are pics of Nora Crenshaw Stowe's gravestone. She is buried at Hills Chapel Cemetery. Nora is Isabella's(Fielden's sister) daughter. She is listed in the 1880 Census living with her parents and Nathan and Susan in Lemly Township, Mecklenburg County. She is also listed in the Hills Chapel  Quarterly Conference Book as Nora Crenshaw.

Nora Crenshaw's husband

1891 Sep 9  UMC Register of Members list showing Nora Crenshaw (daughter of Isabella Baker).


Hills Chapel UMC Lowesville Circuit 4th Quarter Conference Record for 1897 - Death of Fielding Baker  
From Jeremy:  "Janet from Hills Chapel U.M.C and I both assume he is buried in Hill's Chapel cemetery with no marker, unless he was buried on home farmland. I've done extensive research on his parents when they were last listed in the 1880 census in Lemley Township, Mecklenburg County. Half of the township is under water now. They built a dam in the 1950's to form what is now Lake Norman. Duke Power was responsible for the removal of all Cemeteries and remains. They had to file paperwork with the county and listed all names and where they were relocated to. I found a copy at the public library here in Charlotte. Unfortunately there were no Bakers listed at all. So I asked her if would it be possible to place a marker there? Her answer was: "I'll provide our Cemetery Chairman the documentation and he can bring it before the Committee to ask about the marker."

At this point, Jeremy and I agreed to have a marker made for Fielden and have it placed at this cemetery since we are almost 100% certain that he is buried here. Jeremy's aunt, Patricia Anne Baker, is joining us in getting this marker.

Janet from Hills Chapel U.M.C wrote: "The committee met and agreed that you could put a marker in the cemetery. Since you don't have any other family members buried here that we know of, the Cemetery Chair would select a couple places and you could choose which one you wanted.  I am assuming you would want the standard 2' wide by 1' across, 4" thick marker.  Since we truly don't know, but assume he is buried at Hill's Chapel cemetery, the marker should include "In Memory of ..."and whatever else you want on it." 

The "In Memory of" is a common practice for placing a marker where there is no body, at least that's what I have been told."

We will place Fielden's Memorial Marker beside Nora since she's his Niece.

Felix's marker and the tombstone of Nora Crenshaw Stowe

1899 Jan 30 Hill's UMC Spiritual State of the Church showing "L. A Baker - this is Laura Ann Smith Baker, leaving the Church.
Other records show that she moved to Gastonia to work in the Mills.

Walter B. Baker and Lula Baker are possibly the children of  James Baker (brother of Fielden) and Dorcas Sherrill.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With one mystery solved, we uncover another. Felix & Laura Baker's youngest son, Cornelius Vanderbilt Baker, reported on many documents that he filled out that he was born on 3 Nov 1898. Felix had died over a year earlier about 7 Sep 1897. I have found one document that states Cornelius was born in 1897.  In Feb of 2005, Bette Baker Clarno wrote me:

But right now I am going to write Angie and tell her about the mystery of  "who was Cornelius's father?" Remember, my Dad told me that Corny had a different father, but that he used the name Baker because all the rest of the family were Bakers. It has been a mystery all these years who WAS his father? Even Ruthann wanted to know.

Then Bette wrote this to Angie:

Hello, Angie,

I thought I had better tell you about the mystery surrounding Cornelius. My father, Charles, told me that Cornelius had a different father than the rest of them, but that he used the name Baker, because all the rest of the family were Bakers. He even put down " Felix "as his father. Years later his youngest daughter, Ruthann, who was his and Fay's "late in life" child, showed up in my half-sister's life and wanted to know if anyone really knew what the whole story was. Corny's full name was Cornelius Vanderbilt Baker. We joked that maybe the real Cornelius Vanderbilt was his father, since the Vanderbilt mansion isn't all that far from Gastonia. Silly idea. I can't even imagine the other possibility......you say he looks like Lester George?  Nah. The mystery deepens. Gee, this is fun.

Bette

We still don't know the answer.


Other Links

North Carolina Death Certificates, 1909-1975 http://content.ancestry.com


General Notes (These may be out of date and are here for reference ONLY).


Search the NC birth index using the wife's maiden name for parent number 2. I found husbands by searching this way.

This site prepared and maintained by Mark DiVecchio

email :  markd@silogic.com
 
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