David Fletcher's account....

HI Sarah....

Well, from what I've gathered, the Barhams that came when they did were very much Cavalier. I'll paint a bit of a not-too-deep-but-just-enough-in-the-weeds picture. I've compiled the following from memory, and hope that most dates quoted prove correct:

Charles Barham was most likely born in 1626. He was the first in the family with that given name, and one suspects that it was in honour of the new sovereign Charles Stuart. His grandfather Barham, Robert Sr., had been a middle-ranked Exchequer official, starting as Clerk of the Nickels in the Pipe Office under Elizabeth, moving up to Comptroller of the Pipe Roll. He'd done well enough that, upon his parents' deaths (Thomas Barham in 1595 and Mildred Franklyn Barham in 1597), he undertook a full-scale renovation of East Hall, the family home in Boughton Monchelsea a few miles south of Maidstone, Kent. He additionally filed for Arms, linking him by pedigree to one of Kent's most ancient families.

Just a few generations prior, Robert Sr.'s line of the greater Barham family had been part of the great conclave of ironmonger Barhams centred in the Wadhurst/Lamberhurst area of the Kentish border with Sussex. One only needs to read the will of "John Berham, Ironmaster of Wadhurst" (2nd gr-grandfather of Charles) to see that forge owner John Berham/Barham had specialised and elevated the family fortunes via the thriving manufacture that was Wealden Iron in the early Tudor era, which would distinguish these Barhams from their distant cousins in Canterbury. The Barhams of Wadhurst--and later of Maidstone-area parishes--are believed to have spread from a group centered at Sissinghurst in the 14th C. The first manor at Sissinghurst is thought to have been built by the de Bereham/Berham family, and predates the tenure of the Bakers. The Barham lines of both East- and Mid-Kent are thought to be anciently derived from the Fitz Urse (or Fils d'Urse) family (literally "son of the bear")of Norman English knights who held court at manors adjacent to both Canterbury and Maidstone, and who modified the name to "de Bereham" during the reign of Henry II. Per the story, Reynald FitzUrse was one of the four who did Henry's bidding to "rid him of this meddlesome priest," Thomas a Becket, precipitating a bit of landmark English history. Brother Richard adapted the family name to "de Bereham," as in the Canterbury-area village Bereham/Berham/Barham ("place of the bear") and site of the family manor--some say from shame over his infamous brother's actions. It is from Richard de Bereham of Barham Court that the known lines of Barham families descend.

"Ironmaster" John Berham/Barham's son Thomas (the spelling changes with him) had singularly left Wadhurst and aimed for the gentleman farmer prospects of the Greensand Ridge, running from Sevenoaks to Ashford and beyond, an area populated by the seats of several families of Kentish gentry and petty nobles, including the Argall and Filmer families of East Sutton Park in that parish just east of Boughton Monchelsea and East Hall. Families in this area, situated between the North Downs and the Low Weald, had strong business ties to both Maidstone, seat of Kentish government and commerce, as well as London. Indeed, the views to the South into the Weald remain as impressive today as they must have been to those newly-arrived men of property and influence--often transplanted Londoners--for whom having a "house in Kent" shared in the cachet enjoyed by those for whom royal connections meant the acquisition and development of rural estates. Native-born Kentish gentry, with newly-enhanced ties to the capital, had additionally maintained an historically-grounded conceit of separateness, dating from the Saxon era.

It was in this ever-complicating social strata that Robert Barham Jr., eldest and heir to Robert Sr. and grandson of Thomas, ascended to esquire status as a gentleman farmer and landowner, having been sent to Oxford to read law sufficient to a man of rank but not destined to the profession. Further, he married well, in 1620 to Katherine Filmer, daughter of Sir Edward and Dame Elizabeth Argall Filmer of East Sutton Park. Both the Filmer and Argall families (the latter originally Cornish) had prospered in Tudor and Stuart London. The Filmers had arisen in the rural parishes east of Maidstone, though not uniformly to the rank enjoyed by Sir Edward, knighted by James I. The Argalls had prospered in the legal professions, and it was Thomas Argall of Lambeth, Surrey, who had achieved prominence first as Clerk to Thomas Cromwell and later as Registrar of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, and who subsequently purchased East Sutton from its financially distressed owners. Richard, son of Thomas, had married Mary Scott of that anciently landed Kentish clan of Scot's Hall, herself a granddaughter of Sir Bryan Tuke, Henry VIII's Clerk of the Wardrobe. Richard and Mary Scott Argall renovated and greatly expanded East Sutton, and it was their daughter Elizabeth who married Edward Filmer. Their daughter Katherine, one of Edward and Elizabeth's nine daughters and 18 children total, grew up in more genteel circumstances compared to the Barhams' East Hall. But, like most good suitors, Robert Jr. came to the marriage with sizable landholdings of his own, including an estate near Hastings purchased some years prior by Robert Sr. for the purpose of creating a wedding settlement for son Robert Jr. Terms of the settlement would place the Sussex farm in Katherine's name, and would be destined for Edward Barham, eldest son of Robert Jr. and Katherine, though events placed ownership of the property into the hands of younger children Charles, Richard, and Susan Barham by the time of the beginnings of the Stuart Restoration.

Grandfather Robert Sr. had died under curious circumstances in Staffordshire in 1631. By 1635, the Barhams had vacated East Hall in favour of St. Andrew, Holborn, London, where Robert Barham Jr. died in 1647. Charles' mother Katherine and brother Edward would die within a year of each other in the early 1660s at the home they shared in Gray's Inn, after which the surviving Barham siblings agreed to sell the Sussex property. Indeed, the estate had never been occupied by the Barham family, who used it as a lease property to generate income, most notably during Katherine's widowhood.

It is not likely that young Charles Barham was ever in the company of his noteworthy great-uncle Captain Samuel Argall, uncle of Charles' mother Katherine, as well as a privateer and one-time Governor of the Virginia colony who died while raiding off of Spain in 1626. He would, though, most assuredly have known his Filmer grandparents, as well as his several Filmer aunts and uncles--all siblings of Katherine Filmer Barham--including famous royalist Sir Robert Filmer, author of "Patriarcha" and other works. Older brother Edward Barham, sent to Gray's Inn to study law, remained close to his Filmer relations during the Commonwealth, including registration for travel between London and East Sutton Park as well as paying Compounding fees to the government. It is telling, then, to consider the timing--1653--for young Charles' first documented voyage to Virginia, in the company of another uncle, Henry Filmer, a Virginia planter and Burgess (assembly member). Not only was it unlikely for Charles to inherit from his father's estate (all apparently went to Katherine), but his membership in a family of noted Cavalier leanings would likely preclude any success in England. Another Filmer uncle, Samuel, had briefly been married to Maria Horsemanden, daughter of Warham St. Leger Horsemanden of Jamestown, Virginia, himself formerly of Kent and descended from the St. Leger, Neville, and Baker families. After Samuel's subsequent early death (no children came from the union), Maria Horsemanden Filmer remarried to William Byrd, becoming the matriarch to one of Virginia's longest-running dynasties.

It is apparent, then, that familial ties between the Barham and Filmer clans, plus the political climate of the English Commonwealth, guided Charles Barham's destiny as a Virginia colonist and planter. His only surviving brother, Richard, maintained a residence in Westminster while living off of investments, and at one time lent money to Charles for the purchase of land. Charles married one Elizabeth, possibly Ridley, while in Virginia, sometime before 1666, the year that he first appeared in English land instruments as "Charles Barham of Surrey, James River, in the Colony of Virginia." Upon the Restoration of 1660, and the deaths of brother Edward and mother Katherine in 1661 and 1662, respectively, Charles maintained a legal residence in London, where it is likely that he supervised the probate of the family estate. A monetary award was made to sister Susan Barham Gould, now wife of Michael Gould of London, after which title to the Sussex farm descended to remaining heirs Charles and Richard Barham.

The estate was sold by 1669, after which there is no legal record of Charles Barham in England. He acquired lands in both James City County and Surry County, Virginia, serving as a militia captain as well as a term as High Sheriff in the latter. With wife Elizabeth he fathered four children--including sons Charles and Robert and daughters Elizabeth and Priscilla--and would die in James City County in 1683, survived by his widow and all four children. It has been stated in many places that the vast majority of Barhams in America descend from "Captain" Charles Barham of Surry, a claim which seems likely in that most of those lines trace themselves back to 17th C. Virgnia. Charles II of England referred to Virgina as his "oldest dominion," as its largely Cavalier-dominated colonial government recognised his Restoration prior to Parliament. It was to this universe of transplanted gentry, tobacco plantations and shipping interests to which Charles Barham devoted himself in his last decades, no longer as "Charles Barham of Kent," but now "of Virginia." This was an oft-repeated story for many a Kentish family, and indeed much of the south of England, as the Colonial-era Chesapeake beckoned to those willing to strive for a chance to reinvent the fortunes of a family lost to European turmoil, or to simply start out afresh.

Dan Dee Williamson's story

Rhonda and I believe that both of us are descended from families who lived in Kent, England in the early 17th century. The Barham family, from a small community of Kent by the same name, is believed to be one of the origins of Rhonda’s father’s family. My mother’s maiden name was Baker, and we believe that the roots of our Bakers and the Barhams were from the same general areas of Kent near Cranbrook, Maidstone, Wadhurst, Pluckley and Hothfield.

Last summer, we were delighted to visit with Sarah Talbutt, who escorted us to visit these areas of Kent where the Barham and Baker families had their origins. We also visited Sissinghurst Castle, where possible, my Baker roots may have come into play. In a possible match to my line, I had the opportunity to stand in St Margaret’s Church in Hothfield where, Thomas Baker, whom I believe may have been my seven times great grandfather, was baptized October 11, 1618. We even visited the Baker homestead (now in different family ownership) where I stood across the road and felt particularly moved to be able to feel the gentle breeze on my face and to look across rolling hills, where perhaps my Baker ancestors had cast eyes upon the same view a few hundred years before. Ironically, the farm of my grandfather (Amaziah Eugene Baker) in northeast Texas (in Chireno, near San Augustine) has grassy rolling hills of the same variety and appearance, where I have frequently felt the wind on my face and gazed out across a rolling, grassy landscape in the same manner.

Some others have published online some fairly well researched accounts that the Thomas Baker (son of Thomas Baker and Frances Downe, born in Hothfield, Kent, September 29, 1618) whose baptismal place we visited, came from Southeast England to America in about 1639 and was enrolled as a free planter in Millford Connecticut, one of the original townships of the New Haven Colony. After about a decade, he purchased land in East Hampton, Long Island. In this area of North America, the Baker family began to sprout and spread out. I believe that this was the clan of Bakers in America from whom I am descended.

Oral tradition in my family has it that two Baker brothers travelled across the sea from England to begin their search for a better life in America. At this point, whether it was this Thomas or a brother, John, who was my ancestor, I am not quite sure, because the linkage gets a little convoluted and unclear in those early years, and I need to do some deeper research to clear up the exact line. Nevertheless, whether or not I have the exact linkage right just yet, with more time to work on it, I will get to the bottom of it.

Why would these brothers come from England to America, you may ask? I suspect that they came for numerous reasons. Religious freedom was probably somewhere high on the list. I believe that there were significant pressures in England at that time that made life uncomfortable for those who were not in good standing with the religious powers in charge. Going to a place where you could practice your belief as you chose without fear of reprisal was probably very attractive. One of the heirlooms I have from my mother’s estate is a Baker family alter. So, I know how important matters of faith have always been to the family.

Also, as a reason for coming to America, the opportunity to “get ahead in life” was probably very high on their list. After settling first in Connecticut, then to New York and then to Pennsylvania, the Baker family began branching out to the far reaches of the settled areas of North America. As far back as I can remember, all the Baker’s and Williamson’s for that matter, have been industrious and hard-working people who wanted a better life for their themselves, their children and their grandchildren. They were always looking for that next opportunity that would propel the families to greater ability to thrive and be happy. Hence, the families can be tracked to move from place to place in search of better and better living circumstances and cumulative happiness.

As a case in point, I will give the story of my great, great grandfather, Amaziah Eugene Baker (Senior), who was born in New York in 1803. He was the eighth and last child born to Thomas Baker and his first wife Eleanor Secord. Eleanor died when Amaziah was an infant, and therefore, his aunt, Eve Poppledurff took him in to live with her and Amaziah’s uncle Nathan. Amaziah’s father, Thomas, married again to Harriet Bolson, and they moved to Ithica, New York and later to Pennsylvania, sometime around 1835.

When Amaziah was 12 years of age (1815), his father Thomas took him to be bound with a Quaker family to learn a trade. That family was Abraham and Lizzie Miller, who had several other boys bound to them to learn the weavers and dyers trade. According to family records, Amaziah saw his father only once after that, when he visited his father sometime around the early 1820’s. That visit came about when Amaziah’s brother, Peter R, Baker, who was a boat builder, lost everything in a fire. Amaziah walked over 200 miles from the Bronx to Ithica, New York to give his brother $100.00 to help him recover from his loss of possessions. (Amaziah had inherited $12.50 from his grandfather Daniel Secord and $87.50 from his mother’s sister.) Amaziah stayed with his father for a short time and then walked home. Amaziah continued living with the Millers doing odd jobs for a while longer.

In 1826, at the age of 23, Amaziah married Permalia Treadwell. They lived close to the Treadwell family and were listed in the New York City directory from 1827 until 1831 to be living at 103 Laurens Street, the same street where the Treadwells lived. Also on this street lived other Bakers, Secords and Palmers. Amaziah was listed in the directory as a “cart man,” and he peddled fruit, vegetables and other small articles on the streets of the Bronx. He and Permalia had a son named Joseph T. Baker, and later a son named Alonzo. Alonzo died in infancy in 1830 and Permalia died the next year on March 17, 1831.

On November 24, 1831, Amaziah remarried to Finetta M. Palmer in Fairfield Connecticut. In 1832, Amaziah “went to sea” and almost drowned off the coast of Texas (only saved by hanging on to a bale of cotton, according to notes from Aunt Lizzie). After seeing Texas, Amaziah returned to Connecticut. A daughter, Elizabeth Antoinette was born to the couple on August 23, 1833 in Connecticut. Apparently, Amaziah and Finetta then decided to go to Texas to try to “make their fortune,” and possibly a second reason was to try to find Finetta’s father, Martin Palmer.

Records show that Amaziah, Finetta and some friends came by steamship to New Orleans and crossed over to Texas by land to where they could come up the Brazos River and then landed in San Felipe in south-central Texas on the 24th of December, 1833. Amaziah began working in a bakery that very day. (This fact comes from notes written on the back of a family photograph.) Family stories tell that the children were left back in Connecticut while Amaziah and Finetta travelled around Texas for a few months to find where they would like to settle. They then returned to New York to get supplies. They quickly returned to San Felipe in July, 1834 to open a business (recorded by Stephen F. Austin’s Register of Families). In 1835, Amaziah applied for and was granted a league of land situated on Cummings Creek, located near Austin in the present-day Fayette County.

Shortly thereafter, the battles to liberate Texas from Mexico began. By early 1836, General Santa Anna was marching across Texas, chasing General Sam Houston, to put down the Texian rebellion. This initiated the “Runaway Scrape,” which was a massive refugee migration of American settlers fleeing from the army of Santa Anna. During this flight, so as not to leave anything for the Mexican army, the businesses and suppliers in the town of San Felipe were ordered burned by General Sam Houston. This included Amaziah’s store, merchandise and ammunition stocks. Amaziah got a promise from Sam Houston that he would be compensated for the value of his property lost in this burning. On March 2, 1836 after the defeat of Santa Anna, the Republic of Texas was formed with its Capitol at Washington on the Brazos, and Sam Houston was elected President. When Amaziah asked for compensation for his loss of private property, Sam Houston denied having ordered Captain Moses Baker to have the town of San Felipe burned. I don’t think he was ever compensated for the loss.

In 1836, Amaziah moved to San Augustine, which was just up the King’s Highway (El Camino Real) from San Felipe. He wrote his family to join him, and they did in 1837. He met them at Shreve’s Ferry on the Red River 60 miles east of San Augustine. While establishing himself there, he acquired 100 acres in Angelina County, ¼ Leage in Orange County, and 440 acres in Smith County. He did this by claiming so many acres for his family, stock, etc. and then putting up $1.00 for a title with the County. Later when he saw a piece of land he liked better, he would go to the tax office and “float the title” to that other piece of property and release the original property. (This was legal at the time and the land was free to anyone who wished to settle on it. The County was only interested in the taxes.) Later when neighbours were asked who owned the land, they knew nothing about the title floating and they would reply that the land was owned by A.E. Baker. This would go on for a few years and then Amaziah would start paying taxes on the property. Thus, the prosperity of A.E. Baker grew.

In San Augustine, Amaziah established a commercial store and saloon and also dealt in real estate. In 1840, his first son with Finetta, Charles Eugene was born. A ledger from the store, dated 1857-1858 that is in possession of Willam Bernard Duke contains daily records of what was bought by whom. The Bakers lived in a house that was located next to the Methodist Church. In 1845, Amaziah was recorded as holding the position of Justice of the Peace. Amaziah continued his business until after the Civil War. He was also listed as the Mayor of San Augustine in the U.S. Census of 1880. According to the tax rolls for San Augustine, Amaziah was very well off. He owned valuable land, businesses, and on July 7, 1880, Amaziah and his wife Finetta sold 800 acres of land, 4 miles west of Chireno on the “Stage Road,” to their son Charles Eugene Baker and their daughter Elizabeth Baker Phillips for the sum of five dollars (a common practice to provide real estate as a gift to children).

Finetta, Amaziah’s wife, died in 1881. In 1883, Amaziah was too old to live by himself, so he went to live with his son Charles Eugene. During the winter of 1892, Amaziah Eugene (Senior) died while his son was away from home, working in Austin to help build the State Capitol. He was discovered by his granddaughter Lydia and grandson Amaziah Eugene II. Although Amaziah had told his daughter in law that, upon his death, he desired to be buried beside his wife in San Augustine, the roads were impassable due to high water. So, he was buried in a private cemetery 500 yards west of Charles Eugene’s homestead. When Charles Eugene, died in 1917, Amaziah Senior’s remains were dug up and taken for re-burial beside his wife Finetta in San Augustine. My mother told me a story that when Great Grandfather Amaziah was exhumed, the casket was opened, and the body was examined. It was said that for an instant you could see the visage of his face, but then a wind blew and that his countenance blew away as ashes in the wind. Hence, the truth in the Biblical saying, ”from ashes to ashes, and from dust to dust.”

So, this long story is told to demonstrate how adventurous and bold the families were. Moving on to do better for the family was a given of the age. Facing adversity and overcoming was both the necessary and accepted way of life. The welfare of the family was all-important! It most certainly was part of the spirit that originated from the people who came from Southeast England.