Marty and Karla Grant

!NOTES:I (Marty Grant) don't know how or if I'm related to Laban Baker, but he could easily be related to my ancestor Jacob Baker (1760/65) who also lived in Ashe County.

Laban Baker was born ca 1812/13 (per 1850 census). He was born in North Carolina, probably in Ashe County where he later lived before it became Watauga County. I'm not sure if he is related to the other Ashe County Bakers but it seems reasonable. He was the only one of the Ashe County Bakers to fall into the new county of Watauga when it was formed in 1849. It is entirely possible he moved to the area later from somewhere else (other than the northern part of Ashe County).

His name on the 1840 census was listed as "Labonin" or something like that. Perhaps his actual name was "Lebanon" or something similar. He was listed as "Laban" on the 1850 census.

I don't know who Laban's parents were. Census analysis shows several possible suspects.

Laban Baker would probably have been home with his parents for the 1820 census and listed in the "under 10" age group (born ca 1810/20). James Baker (1775/80) had four sons that age; James Baker (1794/1800) had three sons under 10; Jonathan Baker (1775/80) had two two possible matching sons; Thomas Baker (1760/65) had two possible matches; Zachariah Baker (1775/80) had three possible matches; Elijah Baker (1794/1800) had three matching males, and John Baker (1783) also had three matching sons. The 1820 census only helps a little since so many of the Ashe County Bakers had son approximately Laban's age.

Laban Baker would have been 17 by the time of the 1830 census, so he should be listed in either the 15-19 age group (born ca 1810/15). There are a few Bakers in Ashe County that year with sons in those age groups, so this does not help immensely in narrowing down the list of possible parents for Laban: Jacob Baker (1760/65) had one son 15-19; James Baker (1775/80) had two sons that age; Morris Baker (1780/90) had two sons that age; Zachariah Baker (1775/80) also had two sons that age; Thomas Baker (1760/65) had one son that age; John Baker (c1783) had three sons that age; Jonathan Baker (1775/80) had one son 15-19. Any of these could be his father.

Laban Baker married someone before ca 1839, presumably in Ashe County (no marriage record found). She was born ca 1810/20 per the 1840 census. His wife in 1850 was Nancy, aged 27 (born ca 1822/23). Nancy could be his second wife unless her age is off in either 1840 or 1850. Since her age doesn't match up I'm assuming Laban was married to someone else first, and married Nancy --- sometime after 1840 but before 1850.

Laban Baker was listed in Ashe County for the 1840 census. He was not listed near any other Baker families. Based on his neighbors (many of whom I'm related to also), he was already in that part of Ashe that later became Watauga County.

!CENSUS:1840 Ashe Co, NC pg 14 Labonin Baker 0000100000000-1000100000000
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 20-29 (1810-1820) Laban BAKER (1812/13)
1 Female(s) 20-29 (1810-1820) Wife? (1810/20) –> gone by 1850
1 Female(s) 0-4 (1835-1840) Sarah BAKER (1838/39) daughter


His first wife must have died and he married Nancy sometime before 1850 (assuming Nancy wasn't the same woman with him in 1840). I can't narrow down the date of his second marriage since their is no sizeable gap in the children's birth dates and I've found no marriage records for him.

In 1849 Watauga County was formed from a portion of several counties including the portion of Ashe County where Laban and family lived.

They were listed in Watauga County for the 1850 census. They were the only Baker family in that county.

!CENSUS:1850 Watauga Co, NC pg 113B # 88/90
Laban BAKER, 37 NC
Nancy, 27
Sarah, 11
Anna, 8
Elizabeth, 6
Delfa, 4
Malinda, 2;


!CENSUS:1860 Monroe Co., TN * next to Elizabeth Baker Burchfield.;

!CENSUS:1840 * Ashe Co, NC pg 14 w/Labonin BAKER age 20-29 (1810/10);

!CENSUS:1850 Watauga Co, NC pg 113B # 88/90
Laban BAKER, 37 NC
Nancy, 27
Sarah, 11
Anna, 8
Elizabeth, 6
Delfa, 4
Malinda, 2;

!CENSUS:1840 * Ashe Co, NC pg 14 w/Labonin BAKER age 0-4 (1835/40);

!CENSUS:1850 Watauga Co, NC pg 113B # 88/90
Laban BAKER, 37 NC
Nancy, 27
Sarah, 11
Anna, 8
Elizabeth, 6
Delfa, 4
Malinda, 2;

!CENSUS:1850 Watauga Co, NC pg 113B # 88/90
Laban BAKER, 37 NC
Nancy, 27
Sarah, 11
Anna, 8
Elizabeth, 6
Delfa, 4
Malinda, 2;

!CENSUS:1850 Watauga Co, NC pg 113B # 88/90
Laban BAKER, 37 NC
Nancy, 27
Sarah, 11
Anna, 8
Elizabeth, 6
Delfa, 4
Malinda, 2;

!CENSUS:1850 Watauga Co, NC pg 113B # 88/90
Laban BAKER, 37 NC
Nancy, 27
Sarah, 11
Anna, 8
Elizabeth, 6
Delfa, 4
Malinda, 2;

!CENSUS:1850 Watauga Co, NC pg 113B # 88/90
Laban BAKER, 37 NC
Nancy, 27
Sarah, 11
Anna, 8
Elizabeth, 6
Delfa, 4
Malinda, 2;