Betty Lea Anna (Arnold) Baker (1882 - 1962)

Born 8 Jan 1882 in Bluffton, Llano, Texas, United States

Ancestors

Wife of James Claude Baker — married 16 Aug 1902 in Menard, Texas, United States

Died 23 Jan 1962 at age 80 in Menard, Menard, Texas, United States

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Biography

JAMES CLAUDE AND LEA (ARNOLD) BAKER^[1]

Transcribed by David Polkinghorn.

James Claude Baker, always known as Claude, was born October 27, 1331 in Kimble County. His parents were Robert T. and Zelpha Baker who were living in Gonzales County when their first four children were born: Green Berry Baker, born January 26, 1870; Joseph Henry Baker, born May 25, 1372; Harriet Leona (Baker) Kelly, born August 22, 1874; and Mary Elzada (Baker) Wyatt, born December 26, 1876. The family moved on west to Mason County where Robert T., Jr., was born August 23, 1879. They soon moved on to Kimble County and bought ranch land west of Junction on Copperas Creek. Here James Claude Baker was born. Later during a short stay at Ft. McKavett, Phillip was born Nov. 20, 1883. Claude was raised and educated on his father‘s ranch in Kimble and Sutton Counties. Later he was sent to the Peacock College in San Antonio. Texas.

Betty Lea Anna Arnold was born January 8, 1882 in Bluffton. Texas. Her parents were William Richard Arnold and Delila Jane Atkinson (better known as Jane). Lea came to Kimble County with her parents from their place on the Colorado River in Llano County when she was an infant. Then as a young lady she moved to Ft. McKavett with her family. She had several brothers and sisters: Andrew and Baylor Arnold. Molly, Allie. Martha, Ella, and Lillie Arnold, and Hugh, Jim, Frank and Johnie Pullen. It was at Ft. McKavett that Lea met Claude Baker and they were married on August 16, 1902 in Menard, Texas.

Lea and Claude moved to their Sutton County ranch where their four children were born. One of the children died as an infant. Their other three children were: James Carl Baker, born May 13, 1905; Linnie Delila Baker, born July 23, 1904; and Terry Coy Baker, born October 11, 1907. The children were all raised on their father's ranch and sent to the neighborhood country school and later to the Sonora schools.

Claude retired in 1945 and moved with his wife, Lea, into Sonora where they lived their later years. Claude died on December 51. 1958 at his home and Lea died January 23, 1962 in Menard. They are both buried in the Ft. McKavett Cemetery. Terry and his wife, Essie, lived on the ranch for many years, but now live in their home in Sonora. Linnie and her husband lived in Chicago for many years, then retired to San Angelo where Linnie passed away on December 10, 1980. James Carl married and had three children, one son, Terry Carl Baker, and two daughters. James Carl lived in California and passed away there on March 1, 1968.

Sources

1. ↑ From the book "Menard County History -- An Anthology", 1982.