Revolutionary War Soldiers Series: Remembering Joseph Baker
Editor's note: Next year, the United States of America will celebrate its semiquincentennial, its 250th anniversary. The semiquincentennial marks the first nationwide celebration of America's birth since the bicentennial in 1976. Of course, America's independence cannot be celebrated without also honoring the efforts of the Revolutionary War soldiers that led to independence. The Waw-wil-a-way Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, along with the Southern Ohio Genealogical Society will be presenting a series of articles featuring Revolutionary War soldiers who lived and died within the borders of Highland County.
By Betty F. Crum and Pat Young
Waw-wil-a-way Chapter Daughters
of the American Revolution, 250 Project
Joseph Baker has recently been identified as a Revolutionary War patriot buried in Highland County.
His service is recorded in the Pennsylvania Archives. He served as a private in the Chester County Militia under Capt. Joseph Black and Lt. Col. George Pierce.
Baker was born in Chester County, Pa. on May 29, 1745. He died in Liberty Township, Highland County, March 14, 1827. His will was proven in Highland County Probate Court March 26, 1827. He left 100 acres to his son, Joseph, and two daughters, Lydia and Mary, which was sold to Silas Hogsett in January 1830. Children listed in the will were Joseph, Lydia, Mary, Hannah Hibbord, Nehemiah, Amasa and Nathan.
A look at the census will show that the Baker family arrived in Highland County after 1820, originally in Fairfield Township. Baker purchased the 100 acres in Liberty Township, August 1826.
The son, Amasa, appears in the 1830 census for Highland County and stays through 1850, then moves on to Hamilton County, Indiana by 1860.
Baker’s daughter, Mary, married John Bailey in Highland County Feb. 9, 1828. Their son William Bailey was born 1829 and married Tamar Hiatt in Highland County Jan. 29, 1857. Mary died in Janu. 11, 1834 at 41, seven days after her birthday, and is buried in the High Top Cemetery, Penn Township, Highland County.
Daughter Hanna and her husband, Jacob Hibbard, raised their family in Springboro, Warren County, Ohio. Son Nathan was a blacksmith in Hillsboro for a time until he and his wife, Martha Smith, went to Wayne County, Ind. and on to Red Rock, Iowa. The son Nehemiah Baker and wife Jane went to Wayne County, Ind.
Joseph Baker married Mary Yarnell at White Marsh Valley, Pa. in 1771. Eleven children were born.
Thomas, born Feb. 17, 1772, died young in Pennsylvania. Nehemiah, born Oct. 9, 1773, married Jane Morrison in 1779. William, born May 29, 1776, died young. Margaret, born June 18, 1777, died young. John, born June 18, 1779, died young. Lydia, born Nov. 12 1788, died in Ohio unmarried; Amasa, born Jan. 17, 1781, married Sarah Heyburn on April 1, 1810. Hanna, born Sept. 23, 1783, married Jacob Hibbard Jr. Dec. 12, 1810. Nathan, born Dec. 29, 1786, married Martha Smith in 1813. Mary, born Jan. 4, 1792, married John Bailey in 1828. Joseph, born March 10, 1795, married Rachel Dilworth in 1821.
The burial site for Joseph Baker and wife Mary has not been identified, possibly Liberty Township, Highland County where they owned land.
The writers note that new information continually comes to light as genealogy research becomes more refined. This patriot was originally thought to have died in Chester County, Pa. Joseph Baker was updated in the NSDAR database in 2022 when a new member added this information. It was only when researching another Baker lineage that this writer learned of the information. – Patricia Young, Waw-wil-a-way Chapter, DAR.