I postponed this trek into the Thomas Baxter family on Wednesday because there's a good deal of sorrow in it and I was in the mood for something else.
But there are some points of interest here and a lesson or two if you're a family historian, commencing with a double-barreled warning: Just because you find something in print or engraved in granite doesn't mean it's true.
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What caught my attention was Daniel M. Baker's brief tribute to a childhood friend, John Baxter, remembered by Dan as the first male child born in Chariton, published in The Chariton Leader of March 6, 1875. It reads as follows:
Died, at his father's residence in Chariton Township, Lucas County, on Wednesday, March 3d, John Baxter, eldest son of Thos. Baxter. To the sorrow stricken parents we extend our sincere sympathies. But a few days ago, John was in the prime of health and vigor, but by an unfortunate accident, broke his leg which was followed by a severe attack of fever ending in his death. Years ago we met him daily in the schoolroom and leaned to know him as a studious faithful pupil and a generous hearted boy. At the time of the accident he was preparing to locate in Nebraska where he had selected him a homestead upon which he had centered the fondest hopes of his youthful ambition. But man proposes and God disposes. The deceased was the first male child ever born in the town of Chariton and was about 24 years of age.
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Father, wife and daughters joined Thomas in Chariton during 1851 and son John was born two years later, probably in 1853 (his age is given as 3 in the 1856, 7 in the 1860 and 17 in the 1870 census enumerations of Lucas County).
Walker Baker brought his large family, including Daniel, from Indiana to Chariton during 1852, so as boys, the two young men could not have avoided knowing each other. Chariton was a tiny place, scattered cabins on the prairie in a town founded, named and platted during the fall of 1849.
Sadly, Mary Jane Baxter died two years after John's birth --- on April 8, 1855, and was buried in what we know today as Douglass Pioneer Cemetery. Her tombstone (top) survived the years of neglect that cemetery was subjected too and now is mounted in the memorial area.
Two months later, on June 10 1855, John married in Monroe County as his second wife Margaret Irvine, some 10 years his senior. I'm not suggesting that this was entirely a marriage of convenience, but her help in keeping his young family together would have been needed. Thomas and Margaret had a son of their own, William Baxter, a year later --- during August of 1856.
At some point after the second marriage, the family moved from Chariton to a farm a few miles east of Chariton in the "Ireland" neighborhood where they were living when son John had his accident and died. According to newspaper reports of the accident, he either fell on the ice himself or was astride a horse the fell on the ice --- The Leader reported one version, The Patriot, another.
John was buried in the nearby Bethel Cemetery, known at the time as McDermott (after William McDermott, who thought he owned the land where the cemetery was located) or Sargent (after my great-great-great-grandmother, who actually owned the cemetery and deeded it to the public). Bethel Church, source of the current name, hadn't yet come along.
And here's where the problem with data inscribed in stone shows up. The stones on the Baxter lot were erected during the early years of the 20th century, many years after both John Sr. and John Jr. had died; and if you continue to read here you'll discover that Thomas Baxter died in a 1902 house fire that destroyed everything he owned --- including most likely family records. So it looks as if when the time came to erect the tombstones came, family members made educated guesses --- and guessed wrong.
The inscription on John Sr.'s tombstone states that he died during 1866, age 91 years. But he was very much alive, age 90, and living with the Thomas Baxter family when the 1870 federal census was taken. If 91 is the correct age, his death year probably was 1871.
John Jr.'s tombstone inscription states that he died during April 1873, age 22 years. But we know from newspaper reports that he actually died March 3, 1875, aged about 22.
Continuing down this line of consideration, there's no reason to doubt the death date inscribed on Mary Baxter's tombstone at Douglass Cemetery, April 8, 1855. The tombstone appears to have been erected at the time of her death. But published references to her death state that it occurred during 1854, most likely because Thomas's second marriage, recorded in Monroe County, occurred only six weeks after her death.
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Margaret Baxter died on May 8, 1882, age 68 --- according to her tombstone inscription and affirmed by a newspaper report --- and was buried at Bethel beside her stepson and father-in-law.
Thomas eventually turned the farm over to his surviving son, William Baxter, and moved into Chariton, locating in a small house in the southwest corner of town and it was there, 20 years after his second wife's death --- on Nov. 10, 1902 --- that he died in a fire. Here's the report as published under the headline "Flames' Tragic Work" in The Chariton Patriot of Nov. 13. Be warned, newspaper editors of the day specialized in graphic descriptions.
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Thomas Baxter, a well known resident of Chariton and Lucas county since 1851, met with a terrible fate Monday night by being burned to death at his home in the southwest part of the city.
The unfortunate man lived alone and was well advanced in years. Miss Nettie Tuttle, who is engaged in abstract work at the courthouse, was on her way home accompanied by Mr. W.G. Smith of Brookville, Ohio. Her residence is near the Baxter house and in passing they noted an unusually bright light therein, which up investigation showed the house to be on fire. Mr. Smith found it impossible to enter the house because of the flames and smoke, went round to the rear and broke in a window in the kitchen.
This was about 8:15 o'clock p.m., the fire was burning fiercely and the whole inside a roaring furnace. No trace of the occupant --- Baxter --- could be seen. They at once spread the alarm, but being so far from the engine house the building was pretty much destroyed before the arrival of the company. Every effort was made by the neighbors to check the fire but all were doomed to failure.
As soon as it was possible to examine among the debris they were horror stricken to find the body of Thomas Baxter burned to a crisp and partly entirely consumed. The head was gone, arms and legs burned off and all that was left was the blackened charred trunk of a hapless fellow mortal. It was a gruesome sight and one of the most sickening tragedies ever before happening in our little city.
William Baxter, son of the deceased living on the home farm in Lincoln township, was notified of the dreadful occurrence by telephone and came into town at once, and preparations were made to remove the body, which was taken to the undertaking rooms of N. Melville.
The only personal belongings of deceased found among the ashes in the cellar was his heavy gold watch, which was taken possession of by his son. There were some unpleasant rumors afloat as to the possibility of foul play but upon full examination by the officers, were found to be without warrant of any kind. There was a story that Thomas Baxter had, on the day of his death, drawn a large sum of money from the bank --- some $400, but which upon inquiry dwindled to $15, drawn on two separate checks of $5 and $10, respectively, possibly, one or both of them drawn on the day preceding this death.
There was not the slightest evidence that deceased came to his death otherwise than as herein described. In view of the facts the county attorney and other officers wisely determined that an inquest was not demanded by the circumstances surrounding the sad occurrence, which was evidently a deplorable accident solely.
The remains were prepared for burial and on Wednesday, November 12, at 2 p.m. the funeral services were held at the residence of the son, Wm. Baxter, in Lincoln township, after which all that was mortal of Thomas Baxter was taken for interment to the McDermit (McDermott, now Bethel) cemetery in Cedar township, where his father, wife and son were laid to rest long years ago.
Thomas Baxter was born in Ireland, where he grew to manhood, married, and afterward with his wife and children came to seek his fortune in America, and had been a citizen of Lucas county since 1851.
At the time of his death he was in his 78th year and grown somewhat feeble. He was twice married. Three children survive him, Mrs. Mary Ann Brokaw, of What Cheer, Iowa, Mrs. Maggie McKay, living in Nebraska, and a son, William, living here. One son, John, and both his wives, preceded him to the grave.
He was an honest man in all his dealings with his fellow men. His industry of a long lifetime was rewarded with competence in his old age. He was a good citizen, and a helpful considerate neighbor, and in this dark hour of his tragic taking off, we can well draw the mantle of charity over his failings, which were personal and injured only himself, leaving him to that infinite mercy which judgeth all things well.
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The Chariton Herald of Nov. 13 also contained a report of the fatal fire and this report provided a few more specific details of his life:
"Thomas Baxter was born in County Down, Ireland, on the 25th of December, 1824. In the year 1849 he came to Pennsylvania, leaving a wife and two small children, with an aged father, behind. He landed in Chariton in 1851, sending for his famly sometime during the year. His wife died in 1854, leaving four small children. On June 10, 1855, he was married to Margaret Irvine she dying June 8th, 1882. One child, William Baxter of this county, was born to them Aug. 26, 1856, with whom he has made his home for several winters past and during the summer living in his own home."
The fire was front-page news in The Democrat of Nov. 13 as well (yes, Chariton had three weekly newspapers, all published on the same day, during 1902). The Democrat speculated that an affection for strong drink might have been a factor in the fire:
"Mr. Baxter was over 80 years of age and was a gardener. He was a hard working man and was quiet, peaceable and industrious. Unfortunately he was addicted to the use of stimulants and it is thought that at this time he might have been in an intoxicated condition and upset the lamp which set fire to the building and was unable to help himself. This is the only theory that has been advanced. About 12 years ago Mr. Baxter narrowly escaped death under about the same circumstances. He upset a lamp and the building caught fire, but he was rescued although badly burned."
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