Prince Baker of New Sharon

Prince Baker of New Sharon, Maine

Because there seems to be a lot of interest in this man, who was reputed to be the first settler of New Sharon, this information maybe helpful to folks looking for information on this man and his family members; because genealogical research is subjective, different people have different sources of information. If YOU have something to add, or comments to make about this family, please feel free to contact this site. Nancy Porter

Prince Baker, son of Joshua Baker and Sarah Cushing, was born probably in Pembroke Mass. Jan 18 1741/42

He moved to Coastal Maine – probably Damariscotta – sometime in the late 1760’s because he’s noted as marrying Experience Gould in Damariscotta Dec 15 1770. Whether she came with her parents, Elisha Gould and Experience Loring, I don’t know. But I would say it’s likely she did.

Prince and Experience settled in that area for a period of time as births of their children are found in random towns along the coast.

Prince Baker & Experience Gould had the following children:

Abel b. abt 1772

Sarah b. June 5 1773 in Bristol (Maine)

Prince b. abt 1775

Elisha b. abt 1777 in Damariscotta

Experience b. abt 1778

Daniel b. abt 1780

Snow b. abt 1783

William b. abt 1785

Amelia b. abt 1788

Elizabeth b. abt 1790

Joshua

John

There’s some speculation about the time Prince Baker arrived in New Sharon, but it definitely was prior to 1790. So the last 3 children, at least, were born in New Sharon.

Experience Gould’s death was prior to 1803, when Prince married for his 2^nd wife Thankful Mayhew Their marriage took place October 23 1803 probably in Chilmark on Martha’s Vineyard. The marriage is recorded there.

I have found no record anywhere for Experience’s death, nor have I found a buriel site for her. There is no stone in any of the local New Sharon cemeteries; Prince is buried in the Mercer Village Cemetery with his second wife, Thankful, but there’s no evidence of Experience being there, either.

Thankful Mayhew was the daughter of Ephraim Mayhew and Deborah Mayhew of Chilmark, on Martha’s Vineyard. She was born there Dec 21 1770.

Prince Baker’s Children:

Abel Baker b. abt 1772

Ma: Deborah Mayhew, sister of his father’s 2^nd wife, and dau of Ephraim

Mayhew & Deborah Mayhew of Chilmark.

Their whereabouts are unknown, but they had one child, Deborah who died

In New Sharon Mar 8 1809 and buried in New Sharon Village Cemetery

Age 5m 8d

Sarah Baker b. June 5 1773 in Bristol

One Sarah Baker ma: John Winslow

In the New Sharon VR’s, Sarah Baker ma: Abraham Williamson Sept 16 1813

Prince Baker b. abt 1775

Elisha Baker b. abt 1777 Damariscotta Maine d. Aug 17 1861 New Sharon. Buried in the Weeks Mills Cemetery.

Ma: Lydia Winslow Apr 16 1804 in New Sharon. She was "of Starks" at the time of the marriage.

Children:

Experince b. abt 1805

Gardner b. abt 1819 d. Feb 14 1839 and buried in the Weeks

Mills Cemetery in New Sharon

Abel b. at 1811 d. Mar 3 1840 @29y Buried in Weeks Mills Cemetery in New Sharon

Betsey b. abt 1807 d. Oct 13 1844 @37y Buried in Weeks Mills Cem in New Sharon

Gorham b. Oct 13 1815 prob New Sharon d. Sept 21 1898

Nicholas b. abt 1812

Sumner b. 1810

Russell

Infant

Experience Baker b. abt 1778

Ma: John Rowe Sept 2 1802 in Farmington

She died July 13 1851 @73y and is buried in New Sharon Village Cemetery

John Rowe d. Dec 2 1863 @92y 10m 21d Buried New Sharon Village Cemetery

There’s a John M Rowe buried nearby in the Cemetery, who may be their son.

Daniel Baker b. Nov 3 1780 in Bristol He ma: Betsey Prescott in New Sharon May 1803. She was the dau of Samuel Prescott and Betsey Whittier of Winthrop where she was born Apr 9 1785 Betsey d. in New Sharon June 14 1844 @59y Bur. New Sharon Vil. Cem.

Children: Augusta C b. Oct 18 1818

Hannah Whittier b. Jan 20 1820/Jan 10 1822

She ma: Dr. Parmenus Dyer Nov 18 1847 in New Sharon and is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Farmington

Daniel b. 1822

Nancy Prescott b. Jan 24 1817

Martha B b. December 24 1820 ma: Dr. Edwin Ellis July 17 1850 in Farmington

Note: there are two more Baker girls born in New Sharon I cannot identify

They may be daughters Daniel & Betsey. Juliann b. Mar 11 1821 and Phidelia b. Feb 22 1824

LDS says Fidelia Baker was born July 4 1808. Same Fidelia/Phidela???

Snow Baker abt 1783 ma: Nancy Plummer June 11 1809 and settled in Alna ME

William Baker b. about 1785 ma: Mar 1811 Polly Smith "of Farmington" at the time of marriage

Amelia b. 1788 ma: Moses Page in New Sharon Dec 6 1807

Elizabeth b. 1790

Joshua

John

From Old North Esk by W D Hamilton pub. 1988 - a genealogical study of residents of early New Brunswick Canada Baker, Prince b. abt 1798 d. Nov 1884 A father and son by that name who have tombstones in Mount Hope Cemetery in Bangor may have been the predesessors of the subject of this section, who was born in New Sharon Maine, about 1798, and died in North Esk in 1884. Prince was living in New Brunswick as early as 1840's, but he did not move to North Esk until the early 60's. (according to the footnote 406 on p. 386, the basis for this idea is that Josephine Victoria Russell b. Oct 5 2862 was the daughter of Prince Baker and the widow Sarah (Whitney) Russell, according to the St. James Presb. Church in Newcastle NB) The census enumerators noted in 1871 and in 1881 that he was a widower of English ethnic origin who was affiliated with the Methodist church. He was a millwright and operator of the sawmill in North West Millstream, where he lived. Children of Prince Baker listed in North Esk NB are: Henrietta b. abt 1831, Naomi Metcalf b. abt 1838 Prince (already mentioned), Charles b. abt 1850 Information provided by Joette Marks

Gorham Baker, son of Elisha Baker was born prob. in New Sharon Oct 13 1815 and died in New Sharon Sept 21 1898. He married Harriet Stowers December 18 1839 in New Sharon. Both are buried in the Weeks Mills Cemetery in New Sharon. CHILDREN: Katharine E b. Feb 17 1841 in New Sharon Elisha G b. 1842 prob. New Sharon Benjamin F b. 1844, Mary E b. 1849, John M b. 1849, Amos L b. 1851, Hattie F.

Elisha G Baker, son of Gorham Baker was born 1842 prob. in New Sharon. He ma: Melvina J (may have been Melcina Moore b. Nov 12 1841 in Pittston, dau of Henry & Sarah Moore) Children: Eddie S. b. abt 1867, Nellie M b. 1870 (may have been more)

Thankful Mayhew, 2nd wife of Prince Baker (subject) had the following children:

Thomas Jefferson b. Nov 12 1804, James Sullivan b. Nov 12 1804, Thankful Mayhew b. Oct 31 1808

Then we have Tyler B Hilton who in one source who has been put into the same list with Thankful's other children. I don't think that's the case at all. In the Chesterville Vital records.