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 Personal Letter, re Family History of John Stanley Baker Jackson County 
 Missouri.
 Transcribed by Fred Smoot
 
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23 Oct 1992

Fred Smoot
5 Sausalito Blvd #3
Sausalito, CA 94965

Dear Fred
    Glad to have your letter of 10-6-92. I do have some information on the 
Bakers. Mary Agnes Baker Smoot I knew very well. We called her "Aunt 
May" -- don't know why she was called May when her name was Mary Agnes --  
shorter maybe. She was a darling person with a twinkle in her eyes & a 
great sense of humor & we all loved her. I never knew her husband and 
wasn't interested in family history at that time so didn't know of their 
divorce. Don't know where you checked for a record of the divorce but you 
might try Jackson Co, Mo.
    I may have some pictures of Aunt May but they would be of her younger 
days. She died when I was 22 (I just figured out). I remember Mother 
telling me about her cousin Ethel committing suicide. Her death date was 
8-28-11. Aunt May's son was John Herbert (Uncle Bert). She had another 
brother William. I dearly loved them both.
    It was a great family. Uncle Bert was a probate judge in Overland Park 
Kansas. He raised flowers. He lived there w/his sister Amy & they both 
cared for their mother who had a stroke -- she was confined to bed for 6+ 
years.. Aunt Effie and Aunt May lived in K.C. & came to Overland Park on 
weekends. My grandmother Eleanor Martha was another sister. I'll send you a 
family shot if you want.
    I corresponded some w/your Uncle Stanley a few yrs ago. Since I don't 
descend from May & Isaac I don't know how much you want. What I do have is 
John Stanley Baker & Martha Meanor Palmer & their family of six children.
    Are you a member of the LDS Church? I am. I went to the Temple at 
Oakland once when my daughter live there.
    You say Isaac went home to Warren Co-- that must be in Tenn?
    I just remembered my Mother telling me about Grandma Baker being a 
school teacher in Pennsylvania where the family lived & both Grandma and 
Grandpa Baker were born there. Mom told me about the family moving to 
McMinnville, Tenn (thats in Warren Co). She told me that people there gave 
Grandma a hard time because they were Yankees. Why they moved to Tenn about 
the end of the Civil War I can't imagine. One day Grandma opened her school 
& found human feces smeared all over here blackboard.
    I'll be happy to send you what info I have. I'd appreciate your doing 
the same for me.
    My Mother told me about how much she loved her Grandfather Baker.  I 
think he was not in good health after the war.
    Grandma Baker had been married once before Grandpa Baker. His name was 
Samuel Rank -- they were married only a short time.
    Glad to correspond w/you -- my sister and I are the only ones left. She 
& her husband live only about 25 miles from here. She is 5 years older than 
me.
    Best wishes ----

    Doris Russell
    111 W Leslie Lane
    Columbia Mo. 65202