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Baker family

 Family

Biographical History

The Baker family (1810-present) is a pioneer family of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who originally hailed from London, England but eventually migrated to the Utah and California. They were best known for their musical abilities - skills which helped in building the morale for those moving to the Utah region.

Jean Rio Griffiths Baker was born in London, England on July 8, 1810 to John Walter Griffiths and Susanna Ann Burgess. After marrying her first husband Henry Baker, the two had seven children. While they were together, she garnered some success as a musician - where she traveled all across Europe to share her voice. However, after meeting missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints including future Presidents John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff, she and the remainder of her family (everyone except Henry Baker, who passed away in 1849) moved to Utah, where they settled in Utah.

While initially her family lived in the Ogden, UT region, eventually the family split up all over UT. While Jean, who was widowed and not satisfied with the crop conditions in Ogden, eventually moved to California with her second husband Edward Pearce, other members of the family including her son William George Baker moved to Richfield, UT initially to help fight against the Native Americans in wars including the Black Hawk War.

In spite of their move, the Baker family continued to contribute their talents while in the Utah region. While Jean, who also had skills in dressmaking, used her dressmaking skills in providing a supplementary income while dealing with crop shortages in Ogden, William used his skills in Music to establish the first choir in the Richfield, UT region.

Citation:
Ancestry, via WWW, Oct. 15, 2015 (Jane Rio Baker; Jean Baker; Jane Griffiths Griffiths; b. July 8, 1810 in London, England; parents: John Walter Griffiths and Susanna Ann Burgess; m. Henry Baker (1811-1849), Sep. 24, 1832, had seven children; departed England in Jan. 1851; departed for Salt Lake from Council Bluffs Iowa on July 6, 1851 in the Capt. John Brown company; arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley on Sep. 28, 1851; lived in Salt Lake, Ogden, and California; d. July 21, 1883 in Antioch, California; concert singer, musician, and dress maker; birth name: Jane Rio Griffiths)

Pioneer overland travel, via WWW, Oct. 15, 2015 (Jane Rio Griffiths Baker; b. May 8, 1810; d. July 21, 1883; member of the John Brown company; a widow; given name was Jean according to her diary)

FamilySearch, via WWW, May 31, 2017 (William Baker George; b. June 10, 1835; d. Oct. 1, 1901)

Ancestry.com, via WWW, May 31, 2017 (Married his second wife, Nicolena Marie Bertelsen, on June 1, 1867)

FamilySearch, via WWW, May 31, 2017 (Jean Rio Griffiths Baker, struggled to settle in Ogden; later moved to California after marrying her second husband Edward Pearce)

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:

Crystal and Glen Baker papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 1596
Scope and Contents

Financial records, correspondence, miscellaneous items, and histories of the Baker family. Also included are three volumes of Peterson family genealogy and history by Ruby Brown Bradfield.

Dates: 1883-1988

Gina T. Sopins letter

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230339951]
Identifier: MSS 78
Abstract

The folder contains a handwritten letter responding to a request by a person named Franklin to tell about the Ford, Black, and Baker families dated 1925. The author of the letter writes about such families in the gold fields in the Black Hills area and in the state of Colorado. The signature on the item appears to be that of Gina T. Sopins, but that is uncertain.

Dates: 1925

Filtered By

  • Subject: Agriculture and Natural Resources X

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Agriculture 1
Black Hills (S.D. and Wyo.) -- History -- Sources 1
Colorado -- History 1
Farmers -- Utah -- Salem -- Biography 1
Farms -- Utah -- Salem -- History -- Sources 1