Date

Undated

Author

Susan Freeman Baker

Subject

Letter; Susie Baker; Susan Freeman Baker; Sarah Percival Baker; Brother; Slander; Voyage; Alpheus; Mother; Irish girl; Dress making; Service; Passage; New York; Franklin; Aunt Phebe; Phebe Baker; Boston Museum; Actress; Bertha; Board; Payment; C. C. Leary; Vessel; Charles C. Leary; Malden; Children; Whopping Cough; Aunt Lois; Louisiana C. Knowles; Iron

Description

A draft of a letter written by Susie Baker - she was Susan Freeman Baker, born in Eastham, on 6 Oct 1835 and was the daughter of Alpheus Baker & Bethiah Knowles Bangs. On 6 Aug 1863, in South Dennis, she married Reuben Ryder Whelden (born in South Dennis, on 8 Nov 1829 and son of Miller Whelden & Anna Ryder. He died in South Dennis, on 9 Mar 1865 of Consumption). On 16 June 1885, in Boston, she married Captain Joshua Harding (born in Chatham and the son of Thomas Harding & Betsey Taylor. He died in Providence, RI, on 2 Oct 1896). She never had children and died in South Dennis, on 15 Oct 1919 of arteriosclerosis. The letter was composed to Susan's sister-in-law, Sarah (Percival) Baker. She was born in Barnstable, on 5 Dec 1837 and died on 28 Nov 1925. She was the daughter of Isaac Percival & Catherine G. Stockwell (who later married a Bodfish). Sarah married Alpheus Baker Jr., brother of Susan F. Baker. They had 5 children. Sarah Percival Baker and Susan Freeman Baker did not get along and this letter demonstrates that. It was probably written in 1879, since father Alpheus died in 1880. After the death of Sarah's father, Isaac Percival, her mother (Catherine Stockwell) married a second time to a Bodfish from Barnstable. Catherine Stockwell was born on 28 Nov 1810 and died on 10 Dec 1895. She is buried in West Barnstable Cemetery. Aunt Phebe, mentioned in the letter, was Phebe Baker - b. South Dennis, 11 Jan 1809; d. West Dennis, 13 Jun 1900; daughter of Freeman Baker & Susan Lewis; m. 23 Dec 1830, Solomon Davis. She was Susie's aunt, the sister of her Father. The C C Leary, mentioned in the letter, was the vessel, the Charles C. Leary. It was the vessel on which Alpheus Baker Jr. was Master, and the vessel on which he died in the Pacific Ocean en route to Java, where he is buried. Aunt Lois, mentioned in the letter, was Louisiana "Lois" C. Knowles – probably a cousin to Susie's mother Bethiah Bangs. Lois was born in Eastham, and married, in Harwich, Isaac Howes. She later resided in Worcester.

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10766/13439