Second Generation

3. ELISHA HARRISON³ was born about 1780 in Botetourt County, Virginia.⁴ He died in 1848 at the age of 68 in Estill County, Kentucky.⁴

The following narrative places John Baker and Elisha Harrison together.
Copied from Crystal Jensen's Baker Family Newsletter Volume 10, Pages 14 through 18.
FROM THE REVEREND JOHN J. DICKEY'S DIARY
ALLEN E. ROBERTSON - MANCHESTER, KENTUCKY - APRIL 15, 1898
[narrative about Robertson's family] ...He [his father David Robertson] hunted then with
John Baker, Sr. father of Julius "Bob", and "Durkham"John, George who married Esther
Robertson, my aunt and was a (Methodist crossed out, Baptist overwritten) preacher, and
James called "Clay Bank" a great fighter. "Clay Bank" was the father of Billy Baker. John
Baker, Sr. was called "Renta" had a brother Bowling Baker and a brother George Baker...
...The Bakers came from North Carolina to Madison County, and lived in forts there. Another of these hunters from the Blue Grass was William Morris, called "Cuddy" who settled in the forks of Goose Creek and Red Bird. These, "Renta" Baker, his three sons, George, John, and "Julius Bob", (William) Morris, Jack Harris, Elisha Harrison with my father David Robertson made the eight hunters who visited these regions.

Marriage Bondsman, James Baker. Consent by father of the bride - John Baker

In 1800 an Elisha Harrison was living in Nelson County, Kentucky - it is a tax list and may or may not be this man. He would have been only about age twenty.

1820 Madison Co KY Census; p.142:
Elisha Harrison: 2m -10 [George & Thomas]; 2m 10-16 [John & Jonathan]; 1m 45+ [Elisha]; 2f -10 [Polly & Altha]; 1f 10-16 [Susanna]; 1f 26-45 [Iffa]
and on p.178: living in Richmond is a Frederick T. Harrison, age 45+ [I don't know of any relationship]

1830 Madison Co KY Census. Only Harrison in the county. p.93
Elijah Harrison: 2m -5 [William & Nathaniel], 1m age 5-10 [Elisha], 2m 15-20[Jonathan & maybe Thomas], 1m age 40-50 [Elisha was about age 50]; 1f -5 [Sally], 1f 5-10 [Nancy], 2f 10-15 [Alitha & Polly], 1f 15-20 [Susanna], 1f 30-40 [Iffa was about 40].

I did not find Elisha in 1840 - perhaps they were living with one of the married children. They did not seem to be with the two eldest sons, John B. & George, who are found in Madison Co in 1840.

ELISHA HARRISON and IFFA BAKER were married on 28 August 1805 in Madison County, Kentucky.⁵ IFFA BAKER^6,7,8,9, daughter of JOHN BAKER and ELIZABETH ?TERRELL, was born on 8 August 1790 in North Carolina.⁴ She died before 17 March 1866 at the age of 75 in Jackson County, Kentucky.⁴

David Bunton gives her birth year as 1790, although I have seen it as 1782 in other places. She gave her age as 60 in the 1850 Census.

Name appears to be Ifee on digital copy of marriage record. Iva in 1850 Census. Itha in the 1860 Census. She had an Indian name - Sookotosh - according to family lore. Some of the family traditions say that John Renta Baker married an Indian woman after killing her husband and this child was hers (or theirs). Some say she was an adopted Indian child. She would appear to be much younger than his other children and probably too young to be a child of Elizabeth. However, there is a family letter stating that she was the daughter of an Elizabeth, probably Elizabeth Terrill or Pherrill. It is possible, too, that Elizabeth, mother of Iffa, was a much younger wife of John Baker. My own DNA studies for racial lines indicate that I have no Indian heritage whatever, but that I am descended from Iffa seems certain as I have a DNA matches to descendants of John Baker via different children. As the DNA results are being changed - 23andMe suggests (speculatively) that I have .1% East Asian/Native American heritage. Ancestry picks up as a trace region as southern Asia which is not the same as East Asian/Native American. FamilyTree DNA picks up none in Asia. Geno2, National Geographic's Genographic Project shows only the southwest Asian region - the Middle East - which is expected.

From Madison Co. Marriage License File No. 5, 1806-1807
Please to grant marriag lisons for Elishia Harrison
and My Daughter Ifee Baker
and oblige your Obient. Servt.
26 August 1805
To:
Col. Irvin Clark of
Madison County
(signed) John Baker [Seal]
Test: Jas. Baker, Susannah Baker

1850 Estill Co. Found in Census, Iva Harrison, age 60, born S. Carolina, living next door to son William. Living with her is Sally, age 20, Rachael age 15, Mathew age 2. Sally was the youngest daughter as far as is known. I'm not sure who Rachael is unless there was indeed another child. Mathew, quite possibly, Sally's child. If her birthdate as passed along from David Bunton is correct, Iffa was about 50 when Sally was born, and the chances of Rachael being her child are slim.

1860 Jackson Co KY - "Itha" lives with her youngest son William and his family.
According to records of David Bunton, Iffa lived out her old age with youngest son Bill Harrison and died at his home; his children remembered her and remembered the Indian name. They believe the Indian blood to have come from Iffa's mother, Elizabeth ?Terrill, who was possibly half Cherokee. [See earlier note - she probably was not.]

It should be noted that in 1850 and 1860, Iffa is noted as unable to read and write; probably could not write her own name, nor spell it. One of the reasons her correct name is impossible to determine. Nicknames were common in the families, time, and place in which she lived and I think we can safely assume she did use a nickname.

Ipha Harrison "Will"
This Article of an agreement made and entered into this
10th day of February 1866 by and between Wm. C. Harrison and Ipha
Harrison his mother each of the county of Jackson and State of
Kentucky witnesseth that I the said William C. Harrison doth agree
to take care of the above named Ipha Harrison and give her
all the comfort of nurshing and food & clothing necessary for
comfort that any ability will admit of during her live time
Wherefor the said Ipha Harrison doth agree to give unto unto
the Said William C. Harrison all the personal estate She now holds
to have and to hold as his own estate at her death
except one feather bed and blanket and one quilt which
She Bequeaths to Sallie Isaacs her youngist Daughter provided
However that Sallie Isaacs Satisfies a now existing Doctor bill in
favor of Green W. Holland in witness we hereunto set our
hand, day & date above written.
Signed: William C. Harrison
Ipha Harrison [did not show a "mark"]
Attest: H. H. Gabbard, Seth Hyett, James Wilden
State of Kentucky
Jackson County,
I J. M. Wood Clerk of the Jackson
County Court do certify that the foregoing Will or agreement was
on the 17th day of March 1866 produced in court & proven
by the Subscribing Witnesses and was lain over untill next court for
exceptions there being no exceptions the same was ordered to record
Given under my hand this 12th day September 1866
Signed: J.M.Wood Clerk of County Court

ELISHA HARRISON and IFFA BAKER had the following children: