Isaac G. Baker (Immortal 32 Gonzales Ranger)

The DeWitt Colony Alamo Defenders,

The Immortal 32 Gonzales Rangers:

Isaac G. Baker, 21 was born 15 Sep 1814, probably in Lawrence County, Alabama. He was a Private in the Gonzales Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers. According to land records, he arrived single in the DeWitt Colony 13 Aug 1830 and received title to a quarter sitio of land on the Guadalupe River in northwest Guadalupe County. He also owned 4 lots in the west outer town Gonzales between the Guadalupe and San Marcos Rivers in the outer Gonzales town tract near those owned by his father Moses Baker and brother John Baker. On the Gonzales County Tax rolls of 1839, J.D. Clements (husband of Rachel Baker), brother-in-law and son-in-law, respectively, of Isaac Baker and Moses Baker is listed as administrator of their estates. Various historical entries vary in respect to the age of Isaac Baker. The entry in his brother John Baker's journal giving Isaac Baker's birthdate as 15 Sep 1814 notes that he fell in the Alamo fighting in the cause of Texas 6 Mar 1836 at "age 20 years, 6 months and seven days." If the birthdate is correct, the calculation should have been "21 years, 6 months, 22 days." If birthdates and land records concerning Isaac Baker's arrival are correct, he would have been under 16 years old at the time of his arrival prior to that of his parents. This date would place him at age 17 when he received title to his land grant in 1832. Heirs of Isaac Baker received bounty warrant 4038 for 1920 acres in DeWitt Co for service 24 Feb to his death on 6 Mar 1836 and donation certificate 451 for 640 acres in Gonzales Co for having fallen in the Alamo.

Source 1: http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/gonzalesrangersa-e.htm

Source 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Alamo_defenders

Source 3: http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/dewitt.htm

At dawn on the first of March [1836], Capt. Albert Martin, with 32 men (himself included) from Gonzales and DeWitt's Colony, passed the lines of Santa Anna and entered the walls of the Alamo, never more to leave them. These men, chiefly husbands and fathers, owning their own homes, voluntarily organized and passed through the lines of an enemy four to six thousand strong, to join 150 of their countrymen and neighbors, in a fortress doomed to destruction. Does American history, or any history, ancient or modern, furnish a parallel to such heroism? ......They willingly entered the beleaguered walls of the Alamo, to swell the little band under Travis, resolved "never to surrender or retreat." In after many years it was my privilege to personally know and live near many of their widows and little ones and to see the latter grow into sterling manhood and pure womanhood. I never met or passed one without involuntarily asking upon him or her the blessings of that God who gave the final victory to Texas----John Henry Brown in History of Texas.

Source 1: http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/ccbn/dewitt/gonrelief.htm

Source 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo

Source 3: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzales_Ranging_Company_of_Mounted_Vo...

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Texas Census, 1820-90 about Isaac G. Baker

Name: Isaac G. Baker

State: TX

County: Bexar County

Township: Alamo-San Antonio 6mar

Year: 1836

Database: TX Tax List Index, 1830-1839

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Texas Land Title Abstracts about Isaac Baker Grantee: Isaac Baker

Patent Date: 14 Jun 1832

Acres: 1107.10

District: Bexar; Gonzales

County: Guadalupe

Patent #: 721

Patent Volume: 13 Class: Title

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Texas Land Title Abstracts about Hrs. Isaac Baker Grantee: Isaac Baker

Certificate: 457

Patentee: Hrs. Isaac Baker

Patent Date: 2 Jan 1846

Acres: 640

District: Gonzales

County: Gonzales

File: 30

Patent #: 138

Patent Volume: 1

Class: Gonz. Bty.

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Texas Land Title Abstracts about Hrs. Isaac Baker Grantee: Isaac Baker

Certificate: 23

Patentee: Hrs. Isaac Baker

Patent Date: 22 Sep 1845

Acres: 369

District: Bexar; Gonzales

County: Guadalupe

File: 208

Patent #: 174

Patent Volume: 4

Class: Gonz. 1st

Per information on his Father's (Moses Baker) Find a Grave page:

Isaac arrived single in DeWitt Colony on August 13 1830 and received a quarter sitio of land just south of his father's tract on the west bank of the Guadalupe River.

From Find a Grave page for Isaac: Alamo Defender. In 1830 he settled in Green DeWitt's Colony, near Gonzales, Texas. On June 14, 1832, he received title to his property in Gonzales. After the out break of the Texas Revolution he joined the relief force from Gonzales and arrived at the besieged Alamo on March 1, 1836. He died in the battle of the Alamo five days later.He was born in Arkansas in 1804.His parents were Moses and Elizabeth (Starkey) Baker.

Note by Sylvia: Elizabeth Starkey is the step-mother of Rachel, Issac, John, and Margaret. She presumably died prior to the family leaving Alabama and her name is unknown.