Nathan was the son of Peter and Margaret (Bussey) Baugh and was born in Georgia.

In 1850, Nathan Baugh was found at the age of 21, living alone in the 17th District of Talbot County. Then he was working as a blacksmith and owned $300 in personal goods.
Intrestingly, just three houses away at the time, lived 16 year old Ann Elizabeth Calhoun, a daughter of Duncan and Sarah McNeill Calhoun, and the girl Nathan would eventuly wed some two years later.

The couple set up homesteading there in Talbot County, and according to the 1860 census, had by that time birthed three children, Sarah, Robert and Alice. Living with them was also Sarah F. Baugh, his 17 year old sister, whom Nathan was acting as guardian after the death of his parents and who lived with them until her marriage to Levi Lucas. Nathan at the time was still working as a blacksmith (wheelwright). They owned their own home worth $1000 and had over $8,000 in personal property.

Nathan mustered into the Confederate Army on 4 Mar 1862
in Talbot County Georgia.

In the 1870 census, Oneals District of Talbot Co., Nathan now 42, listed as a buggy and wagon maker, has not Ann but a 30-year old housekeeper named Amy living in the home. Also his children, Sarah, Robert, Alice, Alexander, Elizabeth, Julia and Nathan, who ranged in ages from 17 down to 1. Sarah, Robert and Alice were attending school. ((Note: The existence of Amy could possibly be an error on part of the enumerator in this census, since Ann continues to raise the children as can be confirmed by the 1880 census, which was taken after the death of Nathan.))

Eventually, Nathan and Ann Baugh were the parents of ten children, all born in Talbot County:

Sarah Margaret Baugh, b. 1853
Robert Calvin Baugh, b. 1855
Alice Viola Baugh, b. 1858
Alexander Stephen Baugh, b. 1862,
Ann Elizabeth Baugh, b. 1864
Julia Fleming Baugh, b. 1866
Nathan Thomas Baugh, b. 1868
Catherine Sophia Baugh, b. 1871
James Edward Baugh, b. 1874
Harriet Eugenia Baugh, b. 1876

((Note: Nathan was also guardian to his sister Nancy's two grandchildren, Bertha and Willie Riley who were the daughters of Georgia and Rudolph Riley, following the death of their father. It appears that Nathan, all of his life,carried a large share of family responsibilities. ))