Even as a child living in Metropolis, Illinois, I can remember wondering where I came from. And later in life thinking about doing research on my family, but heard it was very expensive, so didn’t pursue it. Many years passed, and in August of 1990, I was back in Metropolis at our Charles Otis and Stella Brent HEADLEY BAKER family reunion (my maternal grandparents). As I sat there watching families visit, the realization came to me that my grandparents had had thirteen children and nothing had ever been written down about them. I felt that if someone didn’t do something about it, this information would be lost forever. I left Metropolis that year with a few scraps of paper in hand, that had been filled out by my aunts and uncles on their families, plus a bit of information on my grandparents, and a spark of interest that would eventually lead me into "genealogy." Since that time, I have been in libraries, courthouses, graveyards, relatives’ homes I never knew I had, and towns I had never seen.

I discovered that my mother’s great great grandfather, William BAKER, with his wife and family, came from North Carolina and settled in Pope County, Illinois, in 1818. They lived there, raised their families there, and died there. Many descendents still reside there, and the graveyards there contain many. William’s son, Elbert Caswell, and Elbert’s son, Ammon Milo, and Ammon’s son, Charles Otis (my grandfather), were all born in Pope County. The fact that my great-great-great-grandfather, William BAKER, helped establish the First Baptist Church, of Metropolis, in 1841, and that I was born there 100 years later, was a "golden nugget" I will always cherish.

Another moment of excitement was when my mother and I were in Muncie, Indiana, standing at the corner where, in 1892, my maternal grandmother, Stella Brent HEADLEY BAKER, lived as a baby. We were there 101 years later, to the month. Stella came with her family from Muncie, Indiana to Wickliffe, Kentucky, in a covered wagon, in 1894, when she was only two. She lived to be ninety, and could tell stories of her life, that I wish I had paid more attention to. Don’t we all share that wish?

Then quite by accident finding the grave of my paternal great grandparents, in Rosiclare, IL. In August, 1994, while my mother and I were at the library in Harrisburg, IL, I picked up the "Hardin County Illinois, Past And Present, Volume I - 1987." I turned to the index as I always do, and found the name "BARTON". I handed the book to mother and asked her to look on page 62. Seconds later we were looking at a picture of my paternal great grandparents, Chapman Monroe and Margaret J. GROVES BARTON. I had never seen a picture of them before, but my grandfather, Samuel Andrew BARTON looked a lot like his father, Chapman. This article opened up many avenues to my BARTONS, and took me to Rosiclare, to the Stone Church where Chapman was a preacher, and adjoining Stone Church Cemetery where they both are buried. It also led me to a first cousin of my father’s I knew nothing about.

I am so thankful to God for allowing me to learn of my family. As we learn about our ancestors they become much more than just names on paper, they become alive to us. As my mother’s poem, "Our Family Tree," says, we learn of the paths they trod, their lives, their hopes, and their belief in God. This all helps us understand ourselves as we walk with their spirits of old. They gave to us our past as we shall give to our children their past. Let us be thankful and cherish "Our Family Tree."

My maternal great-great-great-grandfather, William BAKER, was born CA 1791, North Carolina. He married Margaret BEDLOE. He came from North Carolina to Illinois, eventually settling around Hodgeville, in Pope County, Illinois, around 1818. He remained there his lifetime and died there, 1 Sep 1861. They had one daughter and two sons that I am aware of:
(1) Lenora BAKER, b. 1818, Tennessee; d. 1910, Hodgeville, Pope County, Illinois; m. Benjamin Y. BAKER
(2) James Calvin BAKER, b. 1820, Franklin County, Illinois; d. 1889, Pope County, Illinois; 1st m. Martha Jane GLASS; 2nd m. Eliza Jane FORD WALKER
(3) Elbert Caswell BAKER, b. 1823, Pope County, Illinois; d. 1908, Pope County, Illinois; 1st m. Margaret Francina GLASS (my gg grandparents); 2nd m. Elizabeth A. (Lizzie) KELLY

Lenora and Benjamin had at least five children:
(1) William W. BAKER, m. Martha S. NOEL McMILLON/McMULLEN
(2) Mary Elizabeth BAKER
(3) Martha A. (Mattie) BAKER, later m. Bryant G. YOUNGBLOOD
(4) Margaret Ann BAKER, 1st m. Jefferson JACKSON, 2nd m. William (Allen T.) HOWARD ( KING and MANUS associated with this family)
(5) Amanda A. (Aditha) BAKER, married 3 times after age 53.

James Calvin and Martha Jane had eleven children:
(1) Joseph Milton BAKER, 1st m. Margaret Elizabeth GLASS, 2nd m. Eda Jane GLASS, 3rd m. Eliza J. GILLIAM
(2) Margaret Louisa BAKER
(3) Elizabeth Ann BAKER, m. William J. CULLEN
(4) Frances Angeline BAKER
(5) William Elbert (Bert) BAKER, m. Martha Emaline WALKER
(6) John Henry BAKER, m. Sarah F. JOHNSON
(7) Agnes Viola BAKER, m. William ABLETT
(8) Stillborn daughter
(9) James Aaron BAKER, m. Mary Elizabeth (Mollie) ABLETT
(10) Lydia Lenora BAKER, m. William Newton (Bee) COSSEY
(11) Martha Jane BAKER, m. Robert Lafayette (Fate) COSSEY.

Elbert Caswell and Margaret Francina had six children:
(1) Francis Harriet BAKER
(2) Pinkney Logan (William) BAKER, m. Sarah F. GILLIAM
(3) Mary Ann (Margaret) BAKER, m. Benjamin F. BOWMAN
(4) Willis P. (Willie) BAKER, m. Emmaline (Emily) GILLIAM
(5) Ammon Milo BAKER, m. Sophronia Isabella GOLLEHUR (my g grandparents)
(6) Josiah (Osias) BAKER.

Both Margaret and Josiah died in delivery.
Elbert Caswell 2nd m. Elizabeth A. (Lizzie) KELLY. Elbert and Elizabeth had three children:
(7) Martha F. (Mattie) BAKER, m. Edgar Harachio WALKER ?
(8) George F. BAKER
(9) Addeen Luella (Addie) BAKER, m. William Perry BILLINGTON.

My paternal great-great-grandfather, James Monroe BARTON, born Dec., 1825 in Virginia. He married Margaret TAYLOR who was born in Kentucky. They settled in Rosiclare, Hardin County, Illinois. They had one son and four daughters that I am aware of:
(1) Chapman Monroe BARTON, b. 1 Apr 1847, Illinois; d. 11 Feb 1928, Rosiclare, Hardin County, Illinois, aged 80y 10m 11d; buried Stone Church Cemetery, Rosiclare, Illinois, 12 Feb 1828; m. Margaret Jane GROVES (my paternal great- grandparents).
(2) Mary Jane BARTON, b. CA 1852, Illinois; d. ??; 1st m. Verni CURTENER; 2nd m. John T. (Henry) SMITH
(3) Dosia Ann BARTON, b. 25 Feb 1855, Hardin County, Illinois; d. 27 May 1931; 1st m. Francis Green Berry GLASS; 2nd m. John V. HINDS; 3rd m. Daniel H. LOYD; 4th m. Henry SMITH ( John T. SMITH ??)
(4) Elizabeth BARTON, b. ?? Illinois; d. ??, Sikeston, Missouri; buried Hardin County, Illinois; 1st m. Burlin B. (Berlin Board) CURTIS; 2nd Married Esaw WITT; 3rd m. John DEMERRIS/DEMARRIS
(5) Lucinda BARTON; b. about 1832; d. ??, at about age 85 yrs ??; 2nd m. William Henry LITTLE.

Chapman and Margaret had at least four children:
(1) Mary J. BARTON, m. James R. MOORE.
(2) Melissa Evaline (Lissie) BARTON, m. Dorris Dolphus (Doll) GOWIN.
(3) Daisy M. BARTON, m. G.M. MOORE
(4) Samuel Andrew BARTON, m. Lou Ona HENDERSON (my paternal grandparents).

Mary Jane and Verni had at least five children:
(1) Minnie B. SMITH m. Ishman PATTERSON
(2) Cora E. SMITH m. ?? CLARK
(3) Harmon C. SMITH
(4) Anna D. SMITH m. ?? HARRIS
(5) Lela SMITH m. ?? McCORD

Dosia and Francis Green Berry had at least six children:
(1) James Robert GLASS m. Bertha May BLANCHARD
(2) William Jasper GLASS 1st m. Mable L. STONE PARRETT; 2nd m. Myrtle BLAKE
(3) Mabel G. GLASS 1st m. John Franklin SBARGER; 2nd m. Oscar JONES
(4) Effie GLASS 1st m. Edward F. HOGAN; 2nd m. Homer SWINFORD
(5) Mary Lee GLASS m. Wiley Henry WHITE
(6) Fred GLASS m. Edna COOK

Elizabeth and Berlin had at least six children:
(1) Thomas Jefferson CURTIS m. Anna Louise GOOLSBY
(2) Evelyn CURTIS
(3) Edward CURTIS
(4) William CURTIS
(5) Nancy CURTIS
(6) Aradel CURTIS

Elizabeth and John had at least four children:
(1) Charles DEMARRIS
(2) Lulu DEMARRIS
(3) John DEMARRIS
(4) Philip DEMARRIS

Lucinda and William had at least eight children:
(1) George B. LITTLE 2nd m. Mary Jane SHELDON
(2) Henrietta LITTLE m. Frederick DONETHAN
(3) Henry C. LITTLE
(4) Winfred LITTLE
(5) Hazzard P. LITTLE
(6) Sarah M. LITTLE
(7) Josephine LITTLE
(8) Sonora LITTLE m. William Lewis JOYNER