John R. and David Baker born in Fairhaven (New Bedford) Mass. End up in Detroit

Question

John R. was born 1823-24 and David was born 1826, both in New Bedford. David's marriage cert shows his father was Solomon Baker and mother was Tamar Smalley. I can find no record for Solomon being John R.'s father. David was a whaling sea captain until 1863 when he moved to Detroit and went into business with Aaron Fisher in the carriage parts business. John R. moved to Holyoke and lived there until 1874 when he moved to Detroit as well. Both had obits in the Detroit Free Press and both died in 1898 one month apart. John R;'s obit also names a sister Mrs William Weitzel as being a survivor. I can find no record for her birth to Solomon. In fact her death cert says her father was Isaac Randall which there is a record for. Please help me make some connections. Lots of loose ends. Two brothers and one possible sister and can't come up with a father for all three. Contact me direct at wallyclan@comcast.net

Comments

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/14851344/person/173630952
Besides the brothers, John R and David, no other siblings are listed.  Parents were Capt. Solomon Baker (1796-1825) and Tamar Smalley (1797-1837).

Tamar Smalley's parents were Joseph Smalley, Jr and Hannah Cochran. She had no siblings.

Solomon's parents are Obabiah Baker (1758-1842) and Sarah Berry (1761-1812).  No siblings are listed for him either.

John R. was married twice, to Phoebe Green and to Sarah Ann Dickenson.  They had all boys between them (6 altogether).   Phoebe was mother to George A, Charles R, and Arthur W. Baker.  Sarah was mother to Charles, William J, and Frank A. Baker.

Children of David and Mary Jane Tripp were:

• William F Baker

  1851 – 1921

• Sarah Maria Baker

  1858 – 1860 died at sea, 2 yrs. old

• Mabel Fletcher Baker married a Hughes

  1863 – 1903

• Lillian Maud Baker married a Fenton

  1868 –

   

  No mention of a Weitzel anywhere.

Ancestry.com is a great place to search for records, especially from public member trees.  You do not have to be a member to look at the information.

Answer 1

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHCP-8JL

David Baker

mentioned in the record of David Baker and Mary Jane Tripp

Name	David Baker
Birth Date	1824
Age	26
Spouse's Name	Mary Jane Tripp
Spouse's Birth Date	1830
Spouse's Age	20
Event Date	01 Aug 1850
Event Place	New Bedford, Bristol, Massachusetts
Father's Name	Solomon
Mother's Name	Tamah
Spouse's Father's Name	John
Spouse's Mother's Name	Maria

CITING THIS RECORD

"Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHCP-8JL : accessed 6 October 2015), David Baker and Mary Jane Tripp, 01 Aug 1850; citing reference 19; FHL microfilm 577,296.

Answer 2

I know some things about David he was my great great grandfather. He was the Captain of the Bark Ohio out of New Bedford. His last journey he was accompanied on his voyage by his wife Mary and son Billy. I am the grand daughter of Margaret Fenton Headland who was the daughter of Frederick Reed Fenton  and Lillian Baker Fenton of Detroit and Lakeside Michigan later of Chicago and Los Ange!es. Margaret was one of 4 children.  Frederick Reed Fenton Jr. , Margaret Fenton Headland, Dorothy Fenton, Helen Fenton Lambert. Reed was an investment Banker like his father.

Unfortunately I know nothing about John R.