Notes for George Baker/Rhoda Ann Thompson

Family Group Sheet

Notes for George Baker/Rhoda Ann Thompson

Record submitted by a member of the LDS Church
Search performed using PAF Insight on 01 May 2007
Life of George Baker & Rhoda Ann Thompson
Paternal grandparents of Lucille Baker who is Mother to Paul Monson
George Baker, son of George and Diana Borden Baker was born May 28, 1814 in Northwealthy Nottingham England. He was the second child in the family of twelve. His father was a blacksmith by trade. George worked with his father and learned from him the trade of blacksmithing which was his occupation in later years.
At the age of 22 he left England to come to America and was on the ship for 11 weeks. There was a call at that time for mechanics and understanding blacksmithing he listed in that labor. While in Pennsylvania he put up a blacksmith shop. Above the door he placed a very unique Jews Harp that he had made from a large horseshoe and it was known as the “Jews harp Shop.” A young man by the name of Edward Thompson came one day to get some blacksmithing work done, and in passing said to George that he had a sister that he would give for pay and upon his invitation visited the Thompson home which resulted in frequent visits and finally the marriage of George to Rhoda Ann Thompson, October 25, 1849. To this union 12 children were born, 6 boys and 6 girls as follows:
Ezra Thompson Baker April 21, 1842
Amanda Baker February 4, 1844
George Thompson Baker February 20, 1847
John Thompson Baker February 20, 1847 (twin to George Thompson Baker)
Roxy Ann Baker April 30, 1849
Orange Thompson Baker September 1, 1851
Parthenia Baker April 23, 1856
Lois Mae Baker December 22, 1858
Rhoda Ann Baker January 15, 1853
Joseph Thompson Baker January 15, 1861
Sarah Persinda Baker August 25, 1864
Steven Thompson Baker October 19, 1866
The two older children, Ezra and Amanda were born in Utah after their arrival in the year 1850 having previously joined the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For a short time he made their home in Salt Lake City then moved to Tooele and was one of the first families that settled in Tooele, from there, they moved to I.T. a small settlement 5 or 6 miles north of Tooele. George worked here in the salt industry, the art of boiling the water from the salt.
It was while in Tooele that they suffered with the rest of the pioneers in having their crops taken by the grasshoppers. I remember hearing Grandmother say that they had a patch of wheat just ready for cutting the next day. On arising the next morning the ground was perfectly bare. In the fall of 1865 they came to American Fork, bought land from Jasiah Nicholes, built an abode house and made this their permanent home.
George used to hitch up his ox team and go for five miles to gather sego roots to cook. Then ground some of the wheat they had gleaned, through a coffee mill, cooked and thickened it for gravy to go over the segos.
Alphonzo Green used to keep a corral down where Erastus Green now lives for the accommodation of the stage drivers where they changed horses on their trip. The horses needing shoeing were brought to George’s blacksmith shop. George making the shoes and nails to do the horse shoeing. He is credited in making the firsts nails made in American Fork.
George used to speak of the grasshoppers so thick as to darken the sun. One day like a cloud they went to fly over the lake, when a north wind came and they settled right in the lake and the waves washed them to the shore. He says he has seen them for miles along the shore almost six feet high.
Rhoda Ann Thompson Baker was the daughter of Ezra and Amanda Powell Thompson born October 28, 1818 in Lavona city, Lavona Co. New York. She was one of a family of nine (3 boys 6 girls). Her Father was a mill wright and moved from place to place to work at his trade. While he and his family were in Pennsylvania, Rhoda Ann met and married George Baker. Being one of a large family she had been taught thrift and economy and so was better equipped to meet the needs and duties of a pioneer and she did her part well. She made lye out of ashes with which she made soap. She took the wool from the sheep, washed and spun it ready to be woven into cloth. She spun the yarn that she knit stockings with for her large family, made candles, etc. She was a help mate in every deed.
Her greatest joy was in her home and family. Her son John died when 6 years old, but she lived to see her remaining eleven children married and nearly all followed her example in having large families.
She died at her American Fork home at the age of 74 years, September 4, 1892. Hardly 3 months later George followed her, November 25, 1892. In the year 1876 Ezra, their oldest child died from injuries received in American Fork canyon leaving at their death 10 children and many grandchildren.