Daniel and Niome had two children: Albert D. was born April 24, 1843, in New York. Albert D. Baker served in the 2nd Regiment of the Illinois Light Artillery in the Civil War at a rank of Recruit in Company L, Unit 2. He served from November 19, 1862 until he mustered out, discharged, on August 9, 1865 in Chicago, Illinois. He was a farmer. He was 5 foot 6 inches with blue eyes and brown hair. He resided in Polo, Illinois in the 1860s. In 1870, the Wet Mountain census has him with his parents. He went to Colorado Springs to work, but have been unable to locate any additional information. He died before 1900.
George Washington was born February 6, 1850 in Yates County, New York and died April 17, 1924 at the ranch on Greaser Creek, Gardner, Huerfano County, Colorado. He married Hulda Henriette Knuth in 1877 in the Wet Mountain Valley area, Westcliffe, Colorado, daughter of Wilhelm Knuth and Justine ‘Wilhelmina' Totz.
Daniel and Niome raised their granddaughter Sarah Rosetta Reed, daughter of Elizabeth Jane ‘Betsy' Hath. Sarah Rosetta Reed was born June 6, 1853 in Illinois. She married John Wesley Lappin on December 31, 1871 and died April 10, 1927 in Chama, New Mexico. It is believed that Aaron and Betsy Reed came to the Colorado Territory about 1860. In 1865 Aaron and Elizabeth Reed are found executing an unconventional land sale for part of their Section 18 in Ogle County, Illinois land holdings to none other than Elizabeth Jane's mother and stepfather, Niome and Daniel Baker. They transacted an absentee real estate deal from their distant residence in the rollicking gold camp of Central City, Gilpin County, Colorado Territory. Daniel and Naomi turned around and sold the same five acres of Section 18 to Azor and Martha Palmer, Niome's sister. The Bakers are thought to have arrived in Cherry Creek, Colorado sometime in 1865. Soon the Palmer family joined them. Both families later made the move to the Wet Mountain Valley with the Bakers preceding the Palmers.
Daniel arrived at the lower end of the Wet Mountain Valley in 1870 where the footprints of the Indians were numerous and fresh. Daniel settles on the land in February of 1871 and homesteads Township 22S or 21S Range 71 W Section 28,29, 32,22, 32, Northeast 27 east of Rosita Section 19, 20. On February 18, 1872, Baker was given the final Homestead Certificate on his ranch in the south end of the Wet Mountain Valley. Within the year, he had built a frame house of 15x 20 feet, a blacksmith shop, stables, corrals, irrigation ditches and fenced the land. Daniel Baker was issued his brand on November 30, 1871. The brand was B. Daniel withstood the hardships and privations of frontier life, fought Indians, robbers and bandits and finally when civilization began to arrive, he established himself a home, and settled down and began to prosper.
Several attempts in the early 1860s were made to locate gold mines in the Wet Mountain Valley. This industry began to develop about 1871 when Daniel Baker, a prospector, picked up galena specimens near Senator Mine close to Rosita while riding on the east side of the valley to look after his cattle. He didn't think much of it and put the gold in the cabin window to await results. The results showed it was hardly worth starting up a new camp. In September of 1872, the Senator claim was opened after paying Baker a few dollars for his claim. Dr. Wayne Anderson, a retired Geology Professor, noted that Silver Cliff including Round Mountain and Rosita was a volcanic area, explaining why there were mineral deposits in the area practically laying on the surface. On December 10, 1874, the Postmaster General ordered the appointment of Daniel M. Baker as Postmaster of Colfax, Fremont, County to replace Azor Palmer, who had died. He served until approximately September 30, 1875. In October 1877, The Grange was organized at the upper end of the Wet Mountain Valley with Daniel Baker serving as the treasurer.
George Washington Baker and Hulda Henriette Knuth Baker had six children:
Edgar S. was born January 20, 1879 and died July 11, 1897 from drowning in John Meyer's Lake at Gardner, Colorado.
John D. was born March 30, 1880 and died August 22, 1882 of diphtheria.
James was born October 19, 1881 and died August 22, 1882 of diphtheria.
Lillie Amanda was born September 15, 1883 in Westcliffe, Colorado and died March 24, 1971 in Brush, Colorado. She married Claud D. Stephens.
Naomi Gustine was born February 3, 1885 in Westcliffe, Colorado and died June 10, 1958 in Florence, Colorado. She married Charles John Schmidt on March 9, 1913.
Albert Daniel was born September 29, 1882 in Westcliffe, Colorado and died January 4, 1947. He married Mary Martha Williams and Mary Elizabeth Kiesler.
In 1885 census, Daniel Baker and Niome Baker were still living on their own in Custer County. As documented, on September 10, 1891 at 3:00 p.m., they transferred their home and land to George W. Baker, their son.
A few stories that have been passed through the generations, tell of the heart and soul of Daniel Baker and his family.
As stated in his obituary, on Sunday morning, May 4, 1902, at the advanced age of 83, at the home of his son in the south end of Wet Mountain Valley, surrounded by his family, Daniel Baker, or ‘Uncle Dan', as he was more familiarly known, after years of suffering from rheumatism, passed to the beyond. He was a pioneer of the state. No kinder-hearted man ever lived. The remains were interred in the Rosita cemetery Monday, May 5, 1902. One son, George Washington, and his wife Niome, now 83 years of age, survived him. At the grave the casket cover was removed and many old timers, especially of Rosita, gazed for the last time and in sadness upon the face Daniel who had long been a neighbor, companion and friend.
After her husband's death, Niome went with her daughter Elizabeth Jane Hath to Pine River Valley in the San Juans and later moved to live on a farm south of Ignacio, Colorado. She died March 18, 1917 in Ignacio, Colorado
Daniel and Niome had two children: Albert D. was born April 24, 1843, in New York. Albert D. Baker served in the 2nd Regiment of the Illinois Light Artillery in the Civil War at a rank of Recruit in Company L, Unit 2. He served from November 19, 1862 until he mustered out, discharged, on August 9, 1865 in Chicago, Illinois. He was a farmer. He was 5 foot 6 inches with blue eyes and brown hair. He resided in Polo, Illinois in the 1860s. In 1870, the Wet Mountain census has him with his parents. He went to Colorado Springs to work, but have been unable to locate any additional information. He died before 1900.
George Washington was born February 6, 1850 in Yates County, New York and died April 17, 1924 at the ranch on Greaser Creek, Gardner, Huerfano County, Colorado. He married Hulda Henriette Knuth in 1877 in the Wet Mountain Valley area, Westcliffe, Colorado, daughter of Wilhelm Knuth and Justine ‘Wilhelmina' Totz.
Daniel and Niome raised their granddaughter Sarah Rosetta Reed, daughter of Elizabeth Jane ‘Betsy' Hath. Sarah Rosetta Reed was born June 6, 1853 in Illinois. She married John Wesley Lappin on December 31, 1871 and died April 10, 1927 in Chama, New Mexico. It is believed that Aaron and Betsy Reed came to the Colorado Territory about 1860. In 1865 Aaron and Elizabeth Reed are found executing an unconventional land sale for part of their Section 18 in Ogle County, Illinois land holdings to none other than Elizabeth Jane's mother and stepfather, Niome and Daniel Baker. They transacted an absentee real estate deal from their distant residence in the rollicking gold camp of Central City, Gilpin County, Colorado Territory. Daniel and Naomi turned around and sold the same five acres of Section 18 to Azor and Martha Palmer, Niome's sister. The Bakers are thought to have arrived in Cherry Creek, Colorado sometime in 1865. Soon the Palmer family joined them. Both families later made the move to the Wet Mountain Valley with the Bakers preceding the Palmers.
Daniel arrived at the lower end of the Wet Mountain Valley in 1870 where the footprints of the Indians were numerous and fresh. Daniel settles on the land in February of 1871 and homesteads Township 22S or 21S Range 71 W Section 28,29, 32,22, 32, Northeast 27 east of Rosita Section 19, 20. On February 18, 1872, Baker was given the final Homestead Certificate on his ranch in the south end of the Wet Mountain Valley. Within the year, he had built a frame house of 15x 20 feet, a blacksmith shop, stables, corrals, irrigation ditches and fenced the land. Daniel Baker was issued his brand on November 30, 1871. The brand was B. Daniel withstood the hardships and privations of frontier life, fought Indians, robbers and bandits and finally when civilization began to arrive, he established himself a home, and settled down and began to prosper.
Several attempts in the early 1860s were made to locate gold mines in the Wet Mountain Valley. This industry began to develop about 1871 when Daniel Baker, a prospector, picked up galena specimens near Senator Mine close to Rosita while riding on the east side of the valley to look after his cattle. He didn't think much of it and put the gold in the cabin window to await results. The results showed it was hardly worth starting up a new camp. In September of 1872, the Senator claim was opened after paying Baker a few dollars for his claim. Dr. Wayne Anderson, a retired Geology Professor, noted that Silver Cliff including Round Mountain and Rosita was a volcanic area, explaining why there were mineral deposits in the area practically laying on the surface. On December 10, 1874, the Postmaster General ordered the appointment of Daniel M. Baker as Postmaster of Colfax, Fremont, County to replace Azor Palmer, who had died. He served until approximately September 30, 1875. In October 1877, The Grange was organized at the upper end of the Wet Mountain Valley with Daniel Baker serving as the treasurer.
George Washington Baker and Hulda Henriette Knuth Baker had six children:
Edgar S. was born January 20, 1879 and died July 11, 1897 from drowning in John Meyer's Lake at Gardner, Colorado.
John D. was born March 30, 1880 and died August 22, 1882 of diphtheria.
James was born October 19, 1881 and died August 22, 1882 of diphtheria.
Lillie Amanda was born September 15, 1883 in Westcliffe, Colorado and died March 24, 1971 in Brush, Colorado. She married Claud D. Stephens.
Naomi Gustine was born February 3, 1885 in Westcliffe, Colorado and died June 10, 1958 in Florence, Colorado. She married Charles John Schmidt on March 9, 1913.
Albert Daniel was born September 29, 1882 in Westcliffe, Colorado and died January 4, 1947. He married Mary Martha Williams and Mary Elizabeth Kiesler.
In 1885 census, Daniel Baker and Niome Baker were still living on their own in Custer County. As documented, on September 10, 1891 at 3:00 p.m., they transferred their home and land to George W. Baker, their son.
A few stories that have been passed through the generations, tell of the heart and soul of Daniel Baker and his family.
As stated in his obituary, on Sunday morning, May 4, 1902, at the advanced age of 83, at the home of his son in the south end of Wet Mountain Valley, surrounded by his family, Daniel Baker, or ‘Uncle Dan', as he was more familiarly known, after years of suffering from rheumatism, passed to the beyond. He was a pioneer of the state. No kinder-hearted man ever lived. The remains were interred in the Rosita cemetery Monday, May 5, 1902. One son, George Washington, and his wife Niome, now 83 years of age, survived him. At the grave the casket cover was removed and many old timers, especially of Rosita, gazed for the last time and in sadness upon the face Daniel who had long been a neighbor, companion and friend.
After her husband's death, Niome went with her daughter Elizabeth Jane Hath to Pine River Valley in the San Juans and later moved to live on a farm south of Ignacio, Colorado. She died March 18, 1917 in Ignacio, Colorado
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