BAKER

Shortly after identifying Josiah Prickett as the father of Samira, I found a record that had Josiah Prickett married to a Polly Baker, 11/19/1817. I have seen a number of instances where a Mary has been called "Polly." Living with them in the 1850 census was a person I initially identified as Lara Baker, age 92. I subsequently changed my interpretation of the name to Sara. It is another example of a misread scripted letter, "S" initially being read by me as an "L." It's not unlike the problem encountered with the name Jesse. I guessed that this Sara Baker was the mother of Mary/Polly Pricket; subsequently, I confirmed this and I learned that Sara was the wife of Beal Baker.

Also in the 1850 census, living close to Jesse Carter/Samira Prickett was a John Baker age 65, with wife Rebecca, age 62. Was it possible that this John is related to Polly and Sara? A Bill Stephenson did a significant study of the 32 John Bakers found in the 1850 GA census; the result was that the John found in the Hall Co census was a son of Beal Baker. Sara Baker and John Baker are shown as being born in SC, as was Jesse Carter.

I found the Will of Beal Baker dated 1840 and the following is my paraphrasing: (item 2) left all to wife Sarah, and upon her death to be divided among John, Charles, Elias, Joshua Bakers heirs, Mary Prickett, Elizabeth Chambers, William Sanford (grandson), and Nancy Teddess; (items 3&4) cash to daughters Margaret Mabry and Sarah Williams; (item 5) to sons Joseph D and Ashley one half as much as to sons John, Charles, Elias, Joshua, Mary and Elizabeth my daughters and Nancy and William my grandson; (item 6) to son James G a full share with the above named (as in item 5). Because of the imprecise wording, several possibilities exist. Namely, that Mary Prickett is a daughter of Beal Baker or that she is the daughter of Joshua. A Genforum posting (#13072) which references a family Bible states that Polly Baker b 9/2/1788, a daughter of Beal Baker, married Isaiah Pricket 11/19/1817. (I saw where Isaiah was followed by Josiah within brackets.) John Baker b 10/15/1784, a son, married Amelia Brawner 10/24/1806. The same source states Beal b 2/9/1756, married 3/22/182 to a Sarah Brown, b 2/15/1759.