Matthes Baker born c.1710 died 1788

 Matthes Baker, the son of Timothy and Susannah Baker was born circa 1710 at Maidenhead Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The earliest known record on him was made on August 27, 1738 when as "Matthis Baker of maidenhead, West Jersey" he married, at the Presbyterian Church at Newtown in Queens County, New York, Judith Wood.

At the time that Timothy Baker made his last will and testament on April 6, 1739, he gave his "son Mathis Baker" certain sums of money. In June 1740 "Mathias Baker of the County of Hunterdon" secured a mortgage from the Hunterdon County Loan Office for seven acres "Scittuate in Maidenhead Township" located on the West Side of.... Eight mile Run on the South side of the Kings road, where that now Crosseth the Run." He signed the document as "matthes Baker" and made payments on the load each year until April 1749, when it was paid in full.

In 1741 "Matthew Baker" was listed as a Freeholder of Maidenhead Township. Residing on the "Kings road" no doubt encouraged "Mathias Baker of Maidenhead" to become an "Innholder", and toward that end he secured his tavern license in May 1741. In May 1742 he again obtained a permit in order to operate a "Publick house". "Math Baker" was sued on a debt in the of L15 in the Hunterdon County Court of Common Pleas in April 1751, and in May 1752 he brought charges of debt against one Samuel Albirtis in the same court. This case remained in litigation until February 1753.

As Mathes Baker of Hopewell in the County of Hunterdon.... Cordwinder, he made a loan to Thomas Walters on April 26, 1753. Two months later on June 26, 1752 as "Mathias Baker" of Hopewell Township, he was assessed L0.1.11 "for repairing the Goal and Court House" of Hunterdon County. These two documents would indicate that, subsequent to making the final payment on his mortgage in 1749, Matthes moved north from maidenhead Township into adjoining Hopewell township, where he was no longer a tavern keeper but rather a shoemaker. In his new profession Mathew Baker" paid a Hopewell Township tanner for "Curring lather" in November 1755.

The charges made by Mathes Baker against Thomas Walters lasted in the Hunterdon County Court of Common Pleas through most of 1755. Matthes again appeared variously in the Hunterdon County Court in 1756 and 1757.

As Mathias Baker he was the "Suretie" of his brother Timothy when the latter applied for his tavern license in may 1762. In September 1762 he witnessed the will of Rebekah Titus...of Hopewell, signing the document as matthes baker.

The home of Matthew Baker, located on the Road from Trenton to Amboy near the Eight Mile Brook, is depicted on a map drawn up in 1762. He was a member of the jury in the Hunterdon County Court of Common Pleas Session of October 1766. Mathias Baker was a patient of a Hopewell Township doctor, Benjamin Van Kirk who prescribed various "Powders: for him from September 1776 until July 1777. During the Revolutionary War "Methias Baker" sold line and "stockens" to the Hunterdon County Commissioner of Clothing in December 1777, and offered 300 pounds of wheat toward the war effort to Contractor Joseph Inslee of Hopewell in April 1780.

The Hopewell Township assessment made in January 1781 notes that Mathias Baker owned 145 acres, the tax return for July 1785 describes him as in possession of the same amount of property. In May 1787 Matthias Baker initiated court proceedings against John Burrows, whom he sued for a debt in the amount of L300. This judicial action lasted until February 1788.

Matthis Baker died intestate about October 1788, and on the 27th of that month, Judith Baker and William Baker were appointed the administrators of his estate. Signing the administration bond along with them was Timothy Baker Junior. In an inventory of the goods of Matthews Baker Deceased made on December 27th, 1788, there was listed, among other things, "andirons brass tops", a gun, "Tobacco", "Cyer & Whiskey", and a "Negro Girl.

In some of the documentation to survive on Matthes Baker, it is evident that his give name was not Matthias as it was written by certain scribes. His father in his 1739 will stated that his son's Christian name was "Mathis" and in many subsequent attempts at the spelling of his name in the public records, his first name was written without the "a". And most importantly, he personally wrote his own name as "matthes Baker".

Unfortunately, neither a Family Register nor a public or private record seems to have survived detailing the immediate family of Matthes and Judith Baker. However in a comprehensive study of all the male members of the Baker family in Hunterdon County in the 18th century, and by comparison of their handwriting, their given names and their respective places of residence, as well as by utilizing reason and logic, making the best use of the prime sources available, and taking into consideration the "preponderance of the evidence," the children of Matthes Baker were able to be identified.

The eldest child was without a doubt was the only daughter of Matthes and Judith, whom they name in honor of her mother. Judith was born circa 1739, and was married to Robert Lanning. They resided in Hunterdon County, and were buried in Amwell Township. Their son William Lanning (and his son Robert) was referred as a "nephew" in the will of Judith's brother.

 The identity of the sons of Matthes and Judith is proven by the last will and testament of William Baker, who died in Hopewell Township in 1817. There proved to be but two men by the given name of William in the Baker family of the 18th century Hunterdon County. Inasmuch as the youngest one was born in 1778, he could not have been the William Baker who was appointed the executor of the estate of Matthes Baker in 1788. As Matthes' two brothers, Samuel and Timothy Baker, junior, both died testate, those Baker men referred to as the brothers of William Baker in his will of 1817, all of whom were of the third generation of the family in Hunterdon County and up until now unplaced, were clearly the sons of Matthes Baker, of the second generation. Consequently, the William Baker who signed the administration papers of Matthes Baker in 1788, was the son of Matthes and Judith, as proven by the identical signature William Baker on his will of 1817.

Based on William Baker's will, John Baker (my brother John Baker) was among the oldest, if not the eldest son of Matthes and Judith. Timothy Baker (my brother Timothy) who was named in honor of his paternal grandfather was probably the second son of Matthes and Judith. It is known that he was born circa 1743. The youngest son of Matthes was no doubt William Baker, who in his 1817 will refers to himself as "Senior" to differentiate himself from the younger members of the family by the same given name. The family of Matthes and Judith Baker, therefore, may be constructed as follows:

Matthes BAKER, son of Timothy and Susannah Baker, born circa 1710, at Maidenhead Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey; died circa October 1788, Hopewell Township, Hunterdon County; married August 27th 1738 Judith WOOD.

Children of Matthes and Judith are as follows:

• Judith born circa 1739, died June 2, 1829, married Robert Lanning
• John, born circa 1741
• Timothy born circa 1743
• William, born circa 1745