Arthur Alpheus Baker was born in New Hanover County, North Carolina to James (1790-1852) and Mary Bordeaux BAKER (1792-1868). Mary was the dtr. of Isaac BOURDEAUX and unknown mother.

Arthur arrived in the Northern Territory of Florida in January 1829 (Jefferson County, FL) together with his parents and siblings to wit: Isaac Bordeaux (1817-1855), James Wesley (1818-1893), Azilpha Wesley (KNIGHT) (b. 1821), and John Franklin BAKER (1827-1877). Upon their arrival in Florida, another brother, William Jackson BAKER (1829-1913), was born.

The FL Dept. of Military Affairs, Special Archives, Publication # 68, Seminole Indian Wars, Vol. 2, pp. 40-41 lists A.A. Baker (at age 16) on the Muster Roll of Capt. R.D. Bradley's Company of Volunteers of the Florida Militia, commanded by Lt. Col. Wm. Davenport. He was discharged on 11 Apr 1840 at Ft. Jackson.

FL Dept. of Military Affairs, Special Archives, Publication # 68, Seminole Indian Wars, Vol. 2, pp 44-45 lists Arthur (at age 18) in the Muster Rolls of Capt. R. D. Bradley's Company of the 1st Regiment, Florida Mounted Militia, commanded by Col. W.J. Bailey, which was ordered into service from 14 Mar 1841 to 14 Jun 1841 & paroled at Charles Ferry, East FL.

Arthur's family moved from Madison County, FL to what is now the Brooksville/Lake Lindsey, FL area. Territorial Papers of the United States, Vol. XXVI, pp 575-575 show on 1 Dec 1842 Arthur (A.A. BAKER) signed a Petition To The President And Congress By Citizens Of The Territory. On 13 Dec 1842 Arthur made an Application For Permit #105 under the Armed Occupation Act of 1942. In his application he states he is a single man over eighteen years of age, able to bear arms, and a resident of Florida since January 1829. The description of his settlement is as follows:

Beginning at a corner on a Stake Running due West Forty chains to a corner thence running due North Forty chains to a corner thence due East forty chains to a corner thence due South forty chains to the place of beginning, in the East End of the Anuttaliga Hammock and about a mile west of the Road leading from Fort Izzard to Tampa Bay – and about two miles South of Lake Lindsey.

Permit # 105 was issued on 22 January 1843. In the Application to Agent, dated 26 January 1849, Arthur's land is more formally described as:

The Northwest ¼ of Southwest ¼ & Southwest ¼ of Northwest ¼ of Section 2 and Southeast ¼ of Northeast ¼ & Northeast ¼ of Southeast ¼ of Section 3, Township 22 South, Range 19 East containing 160 acres.

On July 4, 1844, married (1) Susan HAYMAN (b. 28 March 1827), daughter of James and Delila MARTIN HAYMAN. Arthur was 21 years old and Susan was 17. On 9 Jan 1849, Susan gave birth to twins. The twins died on 11 Jan 1849 and Susan followed in death on 18 Jan 1849.

On 26 May 1845 Arthur voted in Florida's first election. He was listed as living in the Chuccocharts District.

The 1850 Census shows Arthur as living in the Annuttaliga settlement in Benton County (n/k/a Hernando County), Florida.

On 30 Jan 1851, Arthur married (2) Emily C. WHITEHURST (1834 - 1871), daughter of Daniel Scott and Jincey FLETCHER WHITEHURST. Together they had an Unnamed Daughter (b. 23 Oct 1851) who was stillborn, an unnamed Son (b. 12 Oct 1852) who only lived six hours. On 10 Nov 1853 my great great grandfather, Thomas Jefferson BAKER, was born in Hillsborough County. Following were Susan Flourentine (1855-1870), Martha Josephine (1858-1938), Julia Francis (1860-1950), Robert E. Lee (1862-1947), James Andrew (1864-1870), Emily Celestia (1866-), Alpheus Marian (1868-1929), and John Wesley BAKER (1870-1875).

On 21 Aug 1872, Arthur married (3) M.E. Coleman in Hillsborough Co., FL. In a visit with Thelma BAKER, widow of William Bryan BAKER, I was told Arthur divorced M.E. because she would not take care of his young children. They did not have any children together.

On 1 January 1873, Arthur A. BAKER was issued Deed No. 6339, Internal Improvement Fund, Act of the General Assembly of the State of Florida. For one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, the deed describes the following property:

The South West quarter of the South West quarter of Section Thirteen in Township Twenty-eight South of Range Twenty East containing forty acres and lying and being in the County of Hillsborough in said State of Florida.

On 27 Apr 1876 in Hillsborough County, FL, Arthur married Elizabeth CARTER BLANTON. Elizabeth had two children: Giles B. BLANTON (b. 1862) and Susan BLANTON (b. 1865). Together Arthur and Elizabeth had: William Oscher (1877-1920), Fredrick Albert (1879-1964), Estelle E (b. 1880), and Eva Lena (1881-1943).

On 13 June 1883, Arthur A. Baker was issued a United States Patent, Certificate No. 2625, for the following described property:

West half of the Northwest quarter of Section Twenty-Four in Township Twenty-eight South of Range Twenty East of Tallahasse Meridian, Florida, containing seventy-nine acres and seven(?) hundredths of an acre.

On 15 Feb 1886 Arthur Alpheus BAKER died. He is buried next to his second wife, Emily C. WHITEHURST BAKER in Bethlehem Cemetery in Dover, Hillsborough County, FL.

On 7 Sep 1909, Elizabeth BAKER, widow of Arthur, applied for a Widow's Pension Claim under the Act of 1909. She states in her application she was born 18 Mar 1841 in Henry County, Alabama; she is the wife of Arthur BAKER who resided in Seffner, Hillsborough County, until his death; in 1863 Arthur enlisted in the Confederate States Army and served in Capt. L.G. LESLEY's Company, Mounted Volunteers, C.J. Munnerlyn's Battalion; he was honorably discharged at surrender in 1865. S.E. SPARKMAN and Hugh GALLAGHER are Elizabeth's witnesses and both declare they served with Arthur.

PVT Co B 1 BN Florida Cav US Army Confederate States Army