Overview
This collection documents members of the Cape Cod family descended from Francis Baker (1611-1696) and Isabel Twining. The bulk of the collection documents descendants of Francis’ son Nathaniel B. Baker (1642-1691): Judah Baker (1705-1794), Judah Baker (1742-1810), and Judah Baker (1771-1830), and chiefly consists of legal documents, including 18th and early 19th century deeds of conveyance for real estate in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, bills of sale, and wills. The collection also contains personal correspondence and financial records including bills, accounts, and receipts. Topics documented include property in Yarmouth and Dennis, Massachusetts, early 19th century shipping, family life, women, material culture, and schooling.
Dates
- Creation: 1687-1898
Researcher Access
The Papers of the Baker family are open for research use.
Extent
0.6 cubic feet (1 legal document box, 1 flat box)This collection documents members of the Cape Cod family descended from Francis Baker (1611-1696) and Isabel Twining. The bulk of the collection documents descendants of Francis’ son Nathaniel B. Baker (1642-1691): Judah Baker (1705-1794), Judah Baker (1742-1810), and Judah Baker (1771-1830).
The collection chiefly consists of legal documents, including 18th and early 19th century deeds of conveyance for real estate in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, bills of sale, and wills. The collection also contains personal correspondence and financial records including bills, accounts, and receipts. Topics documented include property in Yarmouth and Dennis, early 19th century shipping, family life, women, material culture, and schooling.
While the majority of the collection documents the Baker family, the collection does include six items that have no clear connection with the family. These include a legal document from 1687 signed by John Wilson of Medfield, Massachusetts, a 1731 letter from Eugenio di Savoy, a 1737 deed for sale of Harvard-owned lands in Rowley, Massachusetts to Daniel Hale, two early 19th century legal documents relating to William Ewing, and a 1898 postcard from William Coolidge Lane to Charles Robert Sanger.
Harvard-related documents include the 1687 legal document, signed by a member of Harvard’s first graduating class in 1642; the 1737 deed documenting the sale of Harvard-owned lands in Rowley to Daniel Hale; and the 1898 postcard from William Coolidge Lane to Charles Robert Sanger, both of whom were Harvard employees.
Biographical History
The Baker family, descended from Francis Baker (1611-1696) and Isabel Twining, has had a strong connection to Cape Cod, and the towns of Yarmouth and Dennis, Massachusetts in particular, since Francis Baker settled in Yarmouth in 1641. The bulk of the collection documents three descendants of Francis' son Nathaniel B. Baker (1642-1691): Judah Baker (1705-1794), Judah Baker (1742-1810), and Judah Baker (1771-1830).
Judah Baker (1705-1794) was born on August 19, 1705 in Yarmouth to Samuel Baker (1670-1755) and Elizabeth Berry (1684-?). He married Mercy Burgess (1711-1795) on February 15, 1728; they had nine children. Baker died on April 14, 1794 in South Dennis.
Judah Baker (1742-1810), captain, was born on March 13, 1742 to Judah Baker (1705-1794) and Mercy Burgess (1711-1795). He married Mary Look (1744-1810) on February 22, 1765 in Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard. They had eleven children. Baker died on September 29, 1810.
Judah Baker (1771-1830), captain, was born on October 20, 1771 to Judah Baker (1742-1810) and Mary Look (1744-1810). Baker married Mercy Howes (1779-1865) on March 6, 1798 in Dennis. They had ten children, including Philander Baker, who was born on November 7, 1818. Baker served as a captain in the War of 1812. He drowned in the Vineyard Sound on June 10, 1830.
A more complete genealogy of the Baker family can be found in the collection's control file available in the Harvard University Archives.
Note: due to the prevalence of the use of the terms "junior," "2nd, "3rd," and "4th" following names in the documents, item-level biographical information is not provided below unless it is certain to which member of the family the document relates. In colonial United States, before the use of middle names became common, this naming system was used to distinguish between people with the same name in a town. The rankings changed as individuals died or moved away. It does not indicate a direct father-son relationship.
Note regarding date conventions
Some documents dated between January 1 and March 25 before 1752 have been cited with the double date convention, e.g., March 13, 1638/9. This convention was used in England and the North American colonies between 1582 and 1752. The first date refers to the year according to the Julian calendar, which began on March 25, while the second refers to the year according to the Gregorian calendar, which began on January 1.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in chronological order.
Acquisition information
Accession 18294: October 29, 2008.
Online access
All of the papers have been digitized and are available online. Links accompany detailed descriptions.
Inventory update
This document last updated 2018 December 7.
Processing Information
Juliana Kuipers processed this collection from May-June 2012. Processing entailed a collection survey, rehousing items in appropriate archival containers, and the creation of this finding aid.
This finding aid was created by Juliana Kuipers in June 2012.
- Title
- Baker family. Papers of the Baker family, 1687-1898: an inventory
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- hua04012
Repository Details
Part of the Harvard University Archives Repository
Holding nearly four centuries of materials, the Harvard University Archives is the principal repository for the institutional records of Harvard University and the personal archives of Harvard faculty, as well as collections related to students, alumni, Harvard-affiliates and other associated topics. The collections document the intellectual, cultural, administrative and social life of Harvard and the influence of the University as it emerged across the globe.
Pusey Library
Harvard Yard
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
(617) 495-2461
archives_reference@harvard.edu