Mary Baker, Wife of John Twitty Baker

 

Be it remembered that on this 22nd day of October, 1860 personally came and appeared before me the undersigned, John Bunch, an acting and duly commissioned Justice of the Peace, and duly qualified as such within and for said county, Mary Baker, the widow of John T. Baker Deceased, to me, personally, well known to be the widow of said John T. Baker, deceased, and who after being duly sworn according to law, to testify the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, in regard to the matters in and about the ammount, kind, and quality of property which the said John T. Baker had in his possession, and owned in his own right when he left the county of Carroll and state of Arkansas in the month of April A.D. 1857. Deposed as follows, to wit:

 

My name is Mary Baker. I was lawfully married to John T. Baker in the county of Madison and State of Alabama on or about the ------- of ------ A.D. 1823; we emigrated to Arkansas in the year 1849, where we resided together as man and wife, and until the said John T. Baker left his home in Carroll County as aforesaid with a lot of cattle, horses, etc as herein often particularly specified; and I have been informed and truly believe that after the said John T. Baker had proceeded as far as a place in the west known as "Mountain Meadows." He, together with a large number of persons in company with him, were murdered, and their property all stolen and appropriated by the murderers; and I here state that I have not at any time incurred any pay, or return of any of the property that the said John T. Baker left here with as aforesaid. The object, my husband, the said John T. Baker had in going to California was to sell a large lot of cattle with which he started, and when he left here in April 1851 for California he was the owner of and started with the following described personal property that is to say:

• 138 head of fine stock-cattle

• 5 yoke of work oxen

• 1 yoke of work oxen, extra

• 2 mules

• 1 mare

• 1 large ox wagon

Provisions, clothing, and camp equipage for himself and five hands. The cattle were all good stock, and all three years old and upwards, were picked cattle and such as in this market at the date of his departure from this place were worth at the lowest cash price twenty dollars per head and which would amount to the sum of $ 2,760.00:

• The nine yoke of work oxen were worth in this market at the date of departure, fifty dollars per yoke. $ 450.00

• The ox wagon was worth $ 100.00

• The mules were worth each $125 $ 250.00

• The mare was worth $ 100.00

• He had in cash the morning he left, the sum of $98.00 in cash. $ 98.00

• The clothing, provisions, tents, camp equipage,etc, was worth here $ 350.00

• Fine rifle gun worth $ 25.00

• One Colt repeater. $ 15.00 $ 4,148.00

Amounting in all as far as I now remember to the sum of Four thousand one hundred forty eight in this market. I have placed this estimate of the cattle and oxen at low figures, as I know that such oxen as those my husband left here with could not have been purchased at a lower price than from fifty five to seventy dollars per yoke. The stock cattle had been bought with the view to make quick sales on arriving at California, and were a well selected lot of cattle. My husband was a good trader and would not, and did not puchase any inferior cattle for the outfit. I believe that the foregoing statement of amounts, numbers and descriptions of personal property, is a true and correct inventory of the property that the said John T. Baker left this county with in the month of April 1857 and I am fully persuaded and really believe that the said property was worth at "Mountain Meadows," where my husband, as I am informed and believe, was murdered, the sum of about ten thousand dollars.I can only make this statement from information received from others, and heresay of course, that I only form my opinion from "heresay." But be this estimate over, or under the amount that the property was worth at Mountain Meadows, I have stated in the above facts truly, and faithfully upon my own knowledge, and upon such information as I deem reliable, and I make this statement upon a full knowledge of the facts stated in the annexed schedule as being within my own knowledge, so help me God.

 

Her
Mary "X" Baker
Mark

Sworn and subscribed to before me this day and year first herein written, and I do hereby certify that the above statement of the said Mary Baker was made by her, reduced to writing in my presence, read over to her and by her sworn to and subscribed in writing whereof I have hereunto set my hand as such Justice, the day and year of foresaid.

 

John Bunch J P