Jackson Baker’s parents lived in middle Tennessee. They came to Arkansas and settled near Little Rock on White Rock River. They became dissatisfied and moved back to Tennessee. Meanwhile Jackson had fallen in love and was engaged to marry Luella Smith. His father asked him to go back to Tennessee with him and make one more crop with him. In return, he would give him a horse, bridle and saddle plus twenty-five dollars in money. Jackson went back with his father, but the end of the year his father refused to give him the horse, bridle and saddle and the money. He wanted him to stay another year, but he refused and left home immediately with just a few clothes tied up in a handkerchief. That was the last he ever saw any of his people. He had several brothers. Jackson returned to Arkansas and married his sweetheart, Luella Smith. They lived in Arkansas one year and made a crop. At the end of the year he swapped his crop for a wagon and a yoke of oxen and moved to Waco, Texas. He lived there awhile and then moved to Austin where he helped build the town. He moved to Coryell County and settled on a farm. The closest town to him was Belton which was twenty miles south of where they lived. In the meantime, his mother died in Tennessee and his father came to Arkansas thinking he was still there. He sent his son word to come after him as he was going to make his home with him. The Civil War broke out and Jackson had to go to war and when the war was over he never heard from his father again. At the outbreak of the war, Jackson Baker was called serve in the Confederate forces and it was four years before he returned home again. He had been captured by the Northern soldiers and carried to Illinois to a prison camp. One day he managed to escape and started the long journey home. He floated down the Mississippi River on a skiff. When he left the river, an old man gave him a mule and a bridle and saddle. It took him 32 days to make the trip home. He arrived at night and had an awfully hard time getting in the house. His wife did not recognize him. When he left to go to war he had been clean shaven, but when he returned had a long beard and long hair down to his shoulders. He was also very thin from a lack of food and in a very weak condition. He lived in Texas for several years, but did not regain his health. He was subject to chills and fevers and felt that he was about to die. He sold his farm and decided that he would take his family and go back to Arkansas. On the way, he met a man named Hancock who invited him to ‘stop over’ at his father’s home which the family would pass on the way to Arkansas. This man lived about seven miles from Grapeland. Jackson Baker and his family stayed with the Hancock’s for a week. While there, a man by the name of John Davis treated Jackson Baker for his chills and fever. Davis got some herbs and boiled them and made a tonic for Jackson to take. The medicine cured the chills and fever and Jackson was so delighted that he decided to settle in this area instead of going on to Arkansas. The land adjoining the Hancock’s was free land so he pre-empted it and built his family a log house. Jackson Baker (b. 5-24-1825, d. 1-27-1909) lived on this farm the rest of his life. His wife, Luella, (b. 6-2-1827, d. 6-29-1904) died at the age of 77, several years later; he married a Mrs. Eliza Jane Green (b. 12-25-1828, d.1-27-1909). He and his second wife both died the same night of pneumonia and were buried in theParker Cemetery. Jackson Baker had fourteen children, but only eight lived to be grown. His children were: 1. Katherine died young. 2. John died. 3. Betty married Tom Carpenter. Their ten children were Albert, Daisy, Tan, Jack, Allyne, Cheber, Love, Rhodie Ann, Stokes, and Bertie. 4. Jane married Jim Easley. 5. Mary married Harve Easley. Their three children were Fanny, Gerald and Annie. 6. Jim married Mary Pellham. They had seven children who will be listed in the next paragraph. 7. Billy died young, 8. Allen married Emma Ray. Their thirteen children were Reagan, Owen, Esther, Alice Maud, Warren, Rae, Hazel, Jack, Wright, Elwin, Elbert, Mac and Loyetta. 9. Jack married Lula Smith. Their twelve children were Willie, Leon, Lum, Estel, Artheu Lee, Lilia Frances, Bertie Jewell,Clifton, Nolan, lrene, Edwena and Odell. 10. Rhodie married Richard Finch. 11. Etta married Lee Finch. Their three children were Gladys, Willie Louis and Leathie Bell. 12. Millie died young. 13. Nina died young. 14. Anna died young. Jim Baker, fifth child of Jackson Baker, married Mary Permelia Pellham on January 1, 1882. There were seven children as follows: 1. Lula married Onomous Caskey. They had Adelle who married Hilly Simms; and Preston who married Myle Saxton. 2. Reuben died at the age of 21 with pneumonia. 3. Alton married Tonnie Collens. They had Alva Loyd who married Vera Long; John L. who married Rownea Cook; Bernadine who married Henry Rousin; Helen Faye; Lura D.; Kellene; and Tennie Alyne. 4. Pearl married Jim Musick. Their descendents are listed under the Musick family. 5. Ola married Major Harris and had Mary Evelyn. 6. Marvin married Bernice Beasley. 7. Nathan married Olive Bridges. Their children are Hulon David who married Peggy Holland and had Marie Anne and David Layne; Mary Lou Baker who married Gene Huff and had Martha Lynn (married Wayne Montgomery and had Leslie Nicole), and Larry Gene Huff (married Beverly McLeod and had Larry Glenn Huff and Tracey Huff); Sandra Jean Baker who married Bobby Roy Wilson and had Robert Scott Wilson; Sereta Nell Baker who married John L. Platt had Julie Ann Platt, (see Platt history) and Lisa Kay Platt; Donald Sam Baker who married Virgit Rackley and had Mark Dougles and Leah Diane.