Buildings in Clark County, Ohio ranged from simple log cabins to sophisticated Italianate and Gothic Revival structures.
Rockingham County, Virginia was established in 1778 from Augusta County. European settlement began in the 1740s.
The Miami Valley is in southwest Ohio. It includes parts of Montgomery, Greene, Preble, Clark, Miami, Darke, Champaign, Shelby, Logan, Butler, and Warren counties.
Martin Baker was born on June 15, 1770 in Shenandoah County, Virginia which is now Page County. His parents were Philip Baker and Anna Catherine Gramm. He was a weaver. He was a soldier in the War of 1812.
He married Elizabeth King (Koenig) Seiler about 1812 in Virginia. Elizabeth was born on September 22, 1788 in Virginia.
Elizabeth had been married before to Christian Seiler (Sailor, Sahler Sehler, Siler). She married Christian on October 21, 1809 in Rockingham County, Virginia. The Reverend Johannes Braun performed the ceremony. Christian was born on December 8, 1783 and was the son of Ulrich Seiler.
Christian "Siler" appeared in the tithables list for Rockingham County, Virginia in 1792. Ulrich Sailor also appeared.
Elizabeth and Christian had two children: Susan Sailor and Peter Sailor.
Christian died on January 3, 1810 and is buried in Friedens Church cemetery.
Martin and Elizabeth's children included:
Mary Baker (1813),
Elizabeth Baker Foland (1814, married Daniel Foland),
Anna Baker Roach (1816),
Margaret Baker Metz (1818, married Isaac Metz),
William Baker (1819, married Elizabeth Ann Heaston), Sarah (Sallie) Baker Dingledine (1823, married Jacob Dingledine),
Catherine Baker Friermood (1824, married William Friermood),
Lucy Baker Harrouff (1826, married Adam Harrouff),
Maria Baker (1826),
Alexander Baker (1828), and
Samuel M. Baker (1830, married Malinda Ann Jenkins).
The family moved to Clark County, Ohio before 1824 when Catherine was born and they appeared in the 1840 and 1850 censuses in German Township, Clark County, Ohio. In 1840 the Peter Sayler was the next household.
From an Ohio newspaper in 1840.
In 1850 the household consisted of Martin age 80, Elizabeth age 60, Mary age 35, Sarah age 27, Lucy and Maria age 24, Alexander age 22, and Samuel age 20. The marginal note indicated that Elizabeth was "insane" as well as illiterate.
Martin died on July 20, 1854 in Clark County, Ohio.
In 1860 the household consisted of Elizabeth age 70, Maria and Lucy age 32, and Samuel age 29. They were still in Springfield, German Township, Clark County, Ohio. Again the marginal note indicated that Elizabeth was "insane."
Elizabeth died on March 6, 1870. Elizabeth and Martin were buried with their daughter, Mary, in Jerusalem/Friermood Cemetery in German Township.
Clark County, Ohio was formed March 1, 1817, from Champaign, Madison and Greene Counties. The first settlement was in 1796. The inhabitants of German Township were German Lutherans who came from Virginia.
In 1831 Page County, Virginia was
created from
Rockingham
and
Shenandoah
Counties. Originally it was part of Frederick County.
A tithable was a person for whom a head tax was to be paid. The definition varies over time and place, but generally included members of the potentially productive labor force.
A poll tax is a tax levied on every poll. The definition of a poll also varied, but was generally a man of legal age.
Many settlers in the Shenandoah Valley were Germans from Pennsylvania called the "Shenandoah Deitsch."
Coverlets (Coverlid) are woven bedcovers, used as the topmost covering on a bed.
In 1607 the London Company established Virginia as the first permanent New World English colony.
from Biographical and Genealogical History of Cass, Miami, Howard and Tipton Counties, Indiana
[Martin Baker] a weaver by trade, was born in Rockingham county [now Page], Virginia, June 16, 1770, of sturdy German stock, his father having come to this country from Germany.
His wife was born September 22, 1788. He was married in his native county to Mrs. Elizabeth Sailor, nee King, and their children were:
Mary, born August 13. 1813;
Elizabeth, November 27, 1814;
Anna, August 25, 1816;
Margaret, February 19, 1818;
William, August 13, 1819;
Sallie, July 2, 1823;
Catherine, September 10, 1824;
Maria and Lucy, twins, November 11, 1826;
Alexander, September 18, 1828, and
Samuel M., December 10, 1830.
All lived to good old ages, and five of them are still living, namely: Sallie, Catherine, Alexander, Samuel and Lucy. By her former husband, Mr. Sailor, Mrs. Baker had two children—Susan and Peter. Mr. Baker was a soldier in the War of 1812, moved to Ohio and settled in Clark county in 1823, cleared land and made a farm; and there passed the remainder of his days, being in his eighty-fourth year at the time of his death in 1855. He was a Presbyterian.
The first Europeans settled in the Northwest Territory in 1788. Migrants came from New York and New England. Ohio was admitted to the Union as the 17th state on March 1, 1803.
Samuel M. Baker, farmer; P.O. Dialton; is the son of Martin and Elizabeth Baker, who were natives of Virginia and moved to Clark Co. about 1823 and purchased 53 acres of land, where he remained until his death July 20, 1854; Mrs. Baker survived him until March 6, 1870. They were both consistent members of the Reformed [Lutheran] Church.
Samuel M., the subject of this memoir, was born Dec. 10, 1830, and assisted his father until his (father's) death, after which he managed the farm until 1869, when he purchased the farm where he now resides.
Sept. 26,1871, he celebrated his marriage to Malinda, daughter of David and Elizabeth Jenkins; this union was blessed with four children -
Viola G. and Sidney G. (twins), born June 22,1872, and
Asa N. and Charles O. (twins), born July 13, 1877.
Mr. Baker has never been an aspirant for office, but has served his township in the office of Trustee with honor to himself and his constituents. On the breaking-out of the rebellion, he volunteered his services, enlisting in Co. I, 44th O. V. I., Sept. 12, 1861, serving his country until the close of the war, receiving his discharge on Aug. 9,1865.
Mr. and Mrs. Baker are members of the Reformed Church, Mr. Baker having been Sabbath-school Superintendent and teacher for over twenty years, and has been honored with the offices of Deacon and Elder in the church for a number of years. They are surrounded with all the comforts of life, earned by the incessant toil of years.
Lutherans are Protestants who follow Martin Luther's religious teachings, especially the doctrine of justification by faith alone.
Jacob Dingledine, farmer; P. O. Tremont City; born in Virginia July 13,1810; is a son of Philip and Mary (Barrington) Dingledine, natives of Virginia. They became residents of Ohio, locating in Champaign Co., in 1844, where they resided till their death. His wife died in October, 1860; his death occurred Aug. 9, 1872. They were parents of twelve children, five now survive - Margaret, Jacob, Elizabeth, Mary and Sallie. Our subject remained with his father till 22 years of age, in the fall of 1832, he came to Ohio, and located in Clark Co.; thence in Champaign Co., where he resided about twenty-seven years; thence back to Clark Co., where he has since resided, and upon his present farm, where he now lives, he has resided about three years.
He was married Sept. 29, 1836, to Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel and Mary Baker, natives of Virginia, but who came among the early settlers of Clark Co. By this union they had seven children, three now survive - Samuel, John Emery and Rachel Ann. His wife died Jan. 18,1858.
His second wife, Sallie, daughter of Martin and Elizabeth Baker, natives of Virginia, he married April 12, 1859. Mr. Dingledine has held most of the important offices of his township, having been Assessor one term, Township Trustee eight or ten years, and Township Treasurer for three years. Has been a prominent member of the Reformed Church for twenty-five or thirty years. He has a fine farm of 103 acres, mostly in cultivation, with good improvements, constituting a very pleasant home and farmer's residence.
