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I've not found an earlier record, than the one below, for our Patriarch Andrew Baker (b. btw 1710-1715).... There is a good possibility that he was the brother (or kin) of Mary Baker (b.abt 1715) Calloway w/o Thomas Calloway I, (b. abt. 1712). Thomas & Mary Baker Calloway's grandson Dr. James Calloway (s/o Elijah Calloway) say that Mary Baker & Thomas Calloway I married abt. 1735.
I'm hoping someone out there has an earlier record.
In the early 1750s Andrew Baker, Sr.,John Cox, Enoch Osborn and several other neighboring families in Pennsylvania set out on a westward journey. This journey eventually led them into the Yadkin River Valley, in present day Wilkes County, North Carolina. This small group of Pennsylvanians would be among the first to settle in the area.
Some of these people settled along the Yadkin River, others of the more adventurous nature, crossed the Blue ridge Mountains and settled along New River in what is now Ash and Allegheny Counties, North Carolina. No white man had attempted settlement here before. New River was known at the time only by it's Indian name "Saxphaw". It was here, along the south branch, Andrew Baker made his first home.
Andrew Baker remained in the area of New River until about 1753, He then decided to push even deeper into Indian country. He moved down New River into what is now Grayson County, Virginia, very near the North Carolina line. Here Andrew staked out a large track of land he called his "Peach Tree Bottom" track. But the next summer, he and his family were run out by the Indians. He returned to his prior settlement on New River, where he would remain for the next ten years or so. He did, however, make one other attempt to settle his "Peach Tree Bottom" track. This was in 1767 or 1768. This time he encountered another problem. In Andrew's long absence, Dr. Thomas Walker, a surveyor for the Loyal Land Company, had staked and claimed the "Peach Tree Bottom" track, for his employers. He had to now purchase a 1000 acres of his original claim before he could resettle on it again. It seems that it just wasn't meant to be. The following year, he was once again forced out by the Indians and back to his old settlement. One might wonder why Andrew was so determined to settle this particular track of land. The answer lay in what was on and in this land, more so, than the land itself. For you see, one of the largest iron ore deposits in this area was discovered on the land. I think Andrew Baker, and at least one of his sons, were involved in the Iron business. His son James Baker and he built several large iron furnaces along Cranberry Creek, a tributary of the south branch of New River. The remains of some of these Iron Furnaces can be seen even today. They were at their peek production during the Revolutionary War." Thanks.Best regards, Jim
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