RR1. Box 17
Butler, Ohio 44822Dear Mrs. Burgess,
Always good to hear from folks who are interested in family history, especially Baber family. It was a hobby of mine for over thirty years. Trouble for me is that I waited until all my older kin folks died until I became interested. So much I have gathered don't link together. Pleasant Baber was brother to my great-grandfather James W. Baber, b. Jan. 1802 in Buckingham County, VA, married 1st 1827 Bedford Co., VA, Margaret McMullin. She died about 1832 leaving a daughter, Mary Elizabeth. Then James married 2nd Susan Jane McMullin, a younger sister to Margaret. They came to Ross County, Ohio about 1833-34 where Milly & Daniel Shepard lived. Daniel was a 1812 War Veteran. He died about 1830 in Ross County, Ohio. Milly & her family removed to Bluffton, Wells County, Indiana where her sister lived, Holman and Susannah 'Baber' Reynolds. Milly had several children. Harrison & Rubin Shepard have tried to locate descendants of that family as Milly and Sussannah were sisters to James W. and Pleasant. Another sister came to Ohio from Fluvanna County, VA when all were married or most of the girls. Sarah Baber had married John LeMay. They settled in Union County, Ohio. They are ancestors of Curtis LeMay of World War II. Another sister Judith married John Shepard. Lucy married Rubin Rowe, a minister settled around Pickaway(?) County, Ohio. Mary Baber married Samuel McNutt.
My 1850 Census Record, Miami County, City of Peru, Indiana :
#280 John Baber, Age 22, b. Pennsylvania, Elizabeth, wife, Age 25, born Ohio, her maiden name Holman. They had a son James age 1, b. Indiana.
#289 Pleasant Baber, Age 57 b. Ohio, which I am sure is wrong as I feel he was born in VA. Anna, Age 59, b. Ohio, (which I am sure is wrong as I feel she was born in VA)
Susan, Age 18
Elizabeth, Age 9I note that your dates differ from mine. Now John had a big (9) family. All lived around Peru, Indiana and that section of Indiana.
1. James G. Baber b. 1848, d 1904, married Rachel English. Children: Guy, Otto, Samuel, Amanda, Hattie, Ida, Susan.
2. Mary Jane Baber married 1st William Cornell. They had two boys. Wm. died. She married Bing Caldwell. Lived around Kewanna, Indiana.
3. Phebe Ann Baber No Issue.
4. Thomas Pleasant Baber, b. 1855, d. 1915 in Hampton, Iowa where he settled in 1885. 1888 went to Hensell, Iowa, in 1904, back to Hampton. Married Elizabeth Rachel Hostetler, she was born around Peru, Indiana, had children Bertha Rosetta b. 1880 and Myeta Anise b. 1881 Peru, IN, Chester E. Baber born in Iowa.
5. Daniel S. Baber, b. 1857, married 1878 Della Quick. Children: Bessie, Laura, Charles.
6. Lavina Baber, b. 1859, d. 1941, married 1878, Calvin Miller. Children: Laura, Pearl, Daisy, Mary, & Raymond.
7. John H. Baber, b. 1862, married Margaret Alma Sosher 1882. John was killed in Auto-train wreck Deedsville, IN in 1929. Children: Wilson, Rosco, Walter, Merrill died in infancy. A daughter Minnie Adelphia married James Wagoner, divorced him and married M. Whisler.
8. Marion Grant Baber, b. 1865, married Sarah Roder in 1883. Children: Raymond, Lewis, William, and Rosa and maybe another.
9. Eldora Baber, b. 1868 married 1887 William R. Nice.
Now there was a Christopher Baber who married and lived around Walton, Indiana. He was son of James and Elizabeth Hanowalt Baber of Madison Co., Ohio. They were cousins, don't the real connection. My great grandfather James W. Baber and Susan Jane, his wife, came to Allen County, Ohio, settled near Lima, Ohio around 1836 where Elizabeth and Isaac Boyer lived. Elizabeth was a sister to Susannah Jane. Great Grandfather was tall, over 6 ft. had black hair, dark blue eyes. My late uncle who was b. 1872 told me his grandfather James W. Baber had other brothers but didn't remember their names.
Now Rubin Shepard, son of Daniel & Milly had a large family, nine children, but I have never been able to contact any of them. I was born in Jay County, Indiana, 1905 & my mother was a Butcher and her mother was a Betz & they always held the reunion at Bluffton, Indiana. Mrs. Grace Birdway(?) who descended from Holman and Susannah Baber Reynolds has made a record of the Reynolds & sent copy to Indiana State Library. She said Holman and Susannah have over 700 descendants. She said Holman Reynolds gave a chattel mortgage to an Abraham Shepard in Fluvanna Co., VA. Both Abraham, Sr. & Abraham Jr. Shepard served in the Revolutionary War. If anyone is interested in the records, send $2.00 check to Librarian General at S. D.A.R., 1776 "D" St., Washington, DC. If anyone has joined the DAR in their name the Librarian would have a record of it.
I have records of voters named Baber & some marriage records of Baber marriage records of Miami County, Indiana. My grandfather, Isaac James Baber had a brother Fayette Baber who moved to Ohio to Peru, Indiana who had two sons who ran a jewelry store in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Also, my father had a cousin Freeman Baber who lived around Roan, Indiana & Perrysville, Ohio at one time.
Now it is of interest to know the maiden name of the wife of Pleasant Baber. Do you know where they died & are buried?
I feel that the Shepards were all related as these folks lived in Fluvanna Co., VA where my great grandfather's sisters were married. The father of James & Pleasant, I am told, is Thomas, his mother & father being Thomas & Elizabeth Baber, will read 1778 in Fluvanna CO, VA. Thomas, Jr. went to Bedford Co., VA. Thomas & Elizabeth has sons Obadiah, Elisha, Stanley, John, and a daughter Nancy who went to Clark County, KY. Stanley still has descendants in KY & also John. Most of Obadiah's family went to Ray Co. and Platte Co., Missouri. Stanley had a son Thomas who settled in Des Moines, Iowa and a son Duncan who settled at St. Joseph, Missouri. Some of Obadiah's children fought on both sides of the War Between the States. I have found Baber folks living is most all states & Canada & England.
Robert Baber was in Bedford Co., VA 1722. Him and Sarah was father of Edward & I feel our Thomas. Robert's will read 1749, his son's will read 1786. Babers have fought in all wars. I have some England Records. The old Baber county was Somersetshire near Bath. Would like to hear from you about what you have on Pleasant & Ann & their family. I have lots of data and Baber notes and letters, census record. All which you are welcome to see if we can pass information both ways.
I use to take the "Gateway to the West", the Genealogical Helper but have been retired almost 10 years from Peter Echrich & Sons, Inc. of Kalamazoo, Michigan. My wife is from these parts. I was married in 1927 in Kalamazoo and have a son Richard age 48 & daughter Gwen age 40 & grandchildren by them. By my second marriage to Vera Burkipale(?) we have two daughters age 21 & 23. Our 21 year old had her first baby Jan. 16th. They live in Butler. We have a great grandchild & expecting another on in March. Our granddaughter married an Army man & lives in North Carolina near Fort Bragg, NC.
By the way, Stanley Baber had a grandson Burgess Baber who lived in Trenton, Missouri at one time. Do hope you can make this out as I do lots of scratching. By the way, Jordon Baber, who lived in Bedford County, VA, at one time married in West Virginia, went to Niles, Michigan, then to St. Joseph, Missouri, and in 1850 to Oregon. I don't know how related, but he was dark complexion and am told we are of Indian-European extraction. I have black hair turning Gray and am age 72, 155 pounds. Use to weigh over 200, only 5'6".
Thanks for writing,
Freemond W. Baber
(This is a typed copy by Joe Baber of the original handwritten letter)
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