Hiram Baker (c1804) and Nancy --- of Ashe and Macon County, North Carolina and Union County, Georgia

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The author (Marty Grant) is not related to Hiram Baker as far as can be proven. It is possible that he is a son or grandson of my ancestor Jacob Baker (1760/65).

Hiram Baker was born ca 1803/04 per his age of 46 on the 1850 census. His second 1850 census entry showed him as age 45, or born ca 1804/05. Those match each other pretty closely. Other researchers give his birth as "1807" for some reason, though I don't know the source for that. It doesn't match either of his 1850 census entries.

Hiram was born in Ashe Co., NC as proven by his 1850 census entry. The Macon County census taker very helpfully included the county of birth for everyone, and not just the state.

I don't know who Hiram Baker's parents are. I have theorized that he was a son of my ancestor Jacob Baker (1760/65) since one of Jacob's daughters also moved to Macon County. I have also theorized that Hiram is a son of Thomas Baker (1765-1831) since they lived near each other (in 1830), and Hiram did name his oldest son "Thomas" Baker. Other researchers lists Hiram as a son of Zachariah Baker (1775/80), which is probably based on Hiram living near Zachariah's widow in 1840.

A note about DNA Test Results: A descendant of Hiram Baker via his son Thomas Baker has taken the DNA test. His results do not match any other Bakers yet. He does not match the Thomas Baker (1711-1777) group, which is where he should be if Hiram were a son of Thomas (1765-1831). He also does not match other descendants of Zachariah Baker (though only one is in the test database so far). Since there is only one Zachariah descendant in the database, and only one Hiram descendant, we can't draw any solid conclusions. We will know more when there are two or more from each line. [Additional note: The DNA test in question was a 12 marker test, which generally isn't enough to go on. Apparently it is an 11/12 match with members of the Thomas Baker (1711-1777) group. If the test is expanded to 25 or 37 perhaps then we will know more.]

Since we have no real proof of Hiram's parentage, some census analysis might help. However, due to the large number of Bakers in Ashe County, census analysis doesn't really help much at all.

For the 1810 census, Hiram would have been about 5 years old, so he should be enumerated in the under 10 age group (born 1800-1810). All of the Baker families listed in Ashe County that year had an apparent son that age. One of these could be Hiram's father. Unfortunately the census taker that year only used initials, so it is difficult to know who was who: J. Baker, probably James Baker (1775/80) had three sons that age; Z. Baker, likely Zachariah Baker (1775/80) had one son that age; another J. Baker (still unidentified) had five sons that age; another J. Baker, probably John W. Baker (1783) had two sons that age; S. Baker, likely Samuel Baker (1755/65) had four sons that age; M. Baker, likely Morris Baker (bef 1755) had one son that age; and finally, another S. Baker, likely Solomon Baker (1770) had two sons that age. As you can see the 1810 census does not narrow down the list of possible parents for Hiram Baker, for every Baker household in the county that year had at least one son of approximately the same age.

In 1820 Hiram Baker would probably still be home with his parents. He should have been enumerated in either the 16-25 age group (born ca 1794/1804) or in the 10-15 age group (born ca 1804/10), depending on what his actual birth date was. Jacob Baker (1760/65), my ancestor, had one apparent son in each of those age groups; James Baker (1775/80) had two sons of matching ages; Jonathan Baker (1775/80) had three possible matching sons; Thomas Baker (1760/65) had one matching son; Zachariah Baker (1775/80) had one matching son; Elijah Baker (1794/1800) had one matching male, and John Baker (1783) had one matching son. Like the 1810 census, the 1820 census does not help narrow down the suspects too much.

Hiram Baker married Nancy --- just before 1830 in Ashe Co, NC. George Windes (a descendant of Hiram and Nancy) thinks Nancy's maiden name may have been Ray. He may be correct, as Ray was a well known name in Ashe County, and that family was associated with some of the other Baker's there. However, Ralphe Baker, another descendant of Hiram says that Nancy was a Saunders. I don't know which is correct, if either. I've not seen evidence either way.

Hiram Baker was listed on the 1830 census very close to the Thomas Baker family (could be his father). On this census, he was listed as Hiram Jr, as there was an older Hiram Baker in the same county (a cousin probably who was about 10 years older).

1830 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1830 Ashe Co, NC pg 12 Hiram Baker Jr  2000100000000-0000100000000
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 20-29        (1800-1810)	Hiram BAKER (1803/04)
2 Male(s) 0-4          (1825-1830)	Son? (1825/30) --> gone by 1840
					Thomas BAKER (1829/30) son
1 Female(s) 20-29      (1800-1810)	Nancy — Baker (1802/03) wife

Hiram was still in Ashe Co, NC for the 1840 census. This time he was just two households from a widow Sally Baker. She might be the widow of Zachariah Baker. If so, this proximity may be why some think Hiram is a son of Zachariah. I can understand that.

1840 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1840 Ashe Co, NC pg 17 Hiram Baker  2210010000000-0100010000000
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 30-39        (1800-1810)	Hiram BAKER (1803/04)
1 Male(s) 10-14        (1825-1830)	Thomas BAKER (1829/30) son
2 Male(s) 5-9          (1830-1835)	Son? (1830/35) –> gone by 1850
					Son? (1830/35) –> gone by 1850
2 Male(s) 0-4          (1835-1840)	William BAKER (1836/37) son
					Henry BAKER (1838/39) son
1 Female(s) 30-39      (1800-1810)	Nancy — Baker (1802/03) wife
1 Female(s) 5-9        (1830-1835)	Elizabeth BAKER (1830/31) daughter

Hiram Baker and family left Ashe Co, NC sometime between 1845 and 1850 and moved to Macon Co, NC. For some reason they were listed on the 1850 census in Macon Co, NC and in nearby Union Co, GA the same year. It is clearly the same family, but the listings are slightly different. In Macon County they were about 50 houses from Mary Margaret Baker Fouts (daughter of Jacob Baker). In 1850 Macon Co, NC, Hiram's married daughter Elizabeth and her husband Joseph Hampton were residing with them. In their 1850 Union Co, GA listing, they were not with them, nor listed separately in that county. In 1850, Macon County, NC and Union County, GA were fairly close together, though not quite bordering each other, but pretty close. Hiram's family were the only Bakers in Macon County in 1850 (excluding Mary Margaret Baker Fouts mentioned above).

1850 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)

(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on age)

1850 MACON CO, NC Page 337   House/Family #  295/ 301 -- TENNESSEE VALLEY Twp
Enumerated 1 Sep 1850
BAKER HIRAM           46 M W FARMER                     ASHE CO, NC          1803/1804
BAKER NANCY           47 F W                            ASHE CO, NC          1802/1803
HAMPTON ELIZABETH     19 F W                            ASHE CO, NC          1830/1831
BAKER WILLIAM         13 M W                            ASHE CO, NC          1836/1837
BAKER HENRY           11 M W                            ASHE CO, NC          1838/1839
BAKER MARY             9 F W                            ASHE CO, NC          1840/1841
BAKER NANCY            5 F W                            ASHE CO, NC          1844/1845
HAMPTON JOSEPH        20 M W FARMER                     RUTHERFORD CO, NC    1829/1830
HAMPTON THOMAS         0 M W 4/12                       BUNCOMBE CO, NC      1849/1850
HAMPTON RACHEL         8 F W                            BUNCOMBE CO, NC      1841/1842

1850 UNION CO, GA Page       House/Family #  813/ 813
Enumerated 1 Nov 1850
BAKER HIRAM           45 M W                            NC                   1804/1805
BAKER NANCY           46 F W                            NC                   1803/1804
BAKER THOMAS          20 M W                            NC                   1829/1830
BAKER WILLIAM         12 M W                            NC                   1837/1838
BAKER HENRY            8 M W                            NC                   1841/1842
BAKER MARY             7 F W                            NC                   1842/1843
BAKER NANCY            5 F W                            NC                   1844/1845

There was only one other Baker family in Union Co., GA in 1850: Daniel Baker (age 40, born NC) and wife Jincy (age 24, NC) and their one child Susannah 5 months, born GA. They were about 60 or so households from Hiram, so not particularly close. (Daniel was in Polk Co., TN by 1860.)

George Windes told me that Hiram Baker and family moved to Winston Co, Alabama and was listed there on the 1860 census. I checked that out and it is correct. I have not researched the family beyond this point.

Children of Hiram and Nancy (---) Baker. Hiram Baker and Nancy had several children per the 1830 through 1850 census records. See the register report for additional information.  

Researcher List

Persons researching this family (click here for data on how to get on or off of this list):

• George Windes = (Hiram-Thomas-)

Register Report