Mountain Meadows Massacre Victims and Wagon Train Members

Mountain Meadows Massacre Victims - Page 2

William A. Aden (1838-1857) - Born in Tennessee about 1838, Aden left Tennessee bound for California in 1857. An artist, William sketched scenery all along the route and on his arrival in Utah, went to Provo, about 47 miles south of Salt Lake City. There, he did some scenic painting for the Provo Dramatic Association. However, when the Fancher Train arrived, he decided to join them on their trek to California. When the party was besieged by what they thought were Indians on September 7, 1857, Aden and another man were sent to Cedar City for assistance on September 9th. They were attacked by white men at Richard's Spring and Aden was killed. However, his companion returned to camp, at which time the wagon train figured out that the Indians were being helped by or instigated by the Mormons.

Wagon train in Utah.

Abel Baker (1838-1857) - Born in Jackson, Alabama to John Twitty Baker and Mary A. Ashby Baker, he was killed at the massacre, along with his father, and brother, George, sister, Sarah C. Baker Mitchell, and their families.

George Washington Baker (1830-1857) - The son of John Twitty Baker and Mary A. Ashby, George was born in Jackson, Alabama in 1830. By 1850, both George and his father John Twitty Baker were living in Carroll County, Arkansas. He married Manerva A. Beller and the couple had four children, Mary Lavina, Martha Elizabeth, Sara Frances, and William Twitty. They were also traveling with Manerva's younger siblings, Melissa Ann Beller and David Beller. George, his wife Manerva, their seven year-old daughter, Mary Lavina, and both of their wards were killed in the massacre. Their three younger children were spared because of their ages.

John Twitty "Jack" Baker (1805-1857) - Born about 1805 in either Kentucky or Tennessee, John married Mary A. Ashby in 1830. The couple had eleven children including John H., George Washington, Hannah, Sarah, Abel, Silas M., Mary Jane, Mariah, Peter, Roseana, and Pleasant. Though John Baker had a primary role in the formation of the Arkansas wagon train, and it was at first referred to as the Baker Train, but for whatever reasons, later became known as the Fancher Train. Baker was traveling with his sons, Abel and George, George's wife, Manerva A. Beller Baker, and their children, Mary Lavina, Martha Elizabeth, Sara Frances, and William Twitty Baker. Years later one of the surviving children of the massacre would say: "Captain John T. Baker had me in his arms when he was shot down, and fell dead."

Manerva A. Beller Baker (1832-1857) - Born in Alabama in 1830, Manerva married George Washington Baker and the couple had four children, Mary Lavina, Martha Elizabeth, Sara Frances, and William Twitty. They were also traveling with Manerva's younger siblings, Melissa Ann Beller and David Beller. George, his wife Manerva, their seven year-old daughter, Mary Lavina, and both of their wards were killed in the massacre. Their three younger children were spared because of their age.

Martha Elizabeth "Betsy" Baker [Terry] (1852-1939?) - Martha Elizabeth Baker was the daughter of George Washington Baker and Manerva A. Beller Baker, born in Carroll County, Arkansas on March 7, 1852. Five years-old when the family left Arkansas, she traveled with her parents and three siblings, Mary Lavina, Sara Frances, and William Twitty Baker. In the tragic massacre, her parents and older sister, Mary Lavina were killed, but Martha, and her younger siblings, Sara Frances, and William Twitty Baker would be spared due their ages. The children were split up and placed in the care of three different Mormon families. Martha was placed with the Amos Thornton family at Painter Creek, Utah.

Martha Elizabeth Baker Terry Two years later, the surviving children were returned to Arkansas. At the age of 22, Martha was living in Boone County, Arkansas when she married J.W. Terry on January 25, 1874. Through the years, Martha lived in both Arkansas and Missouri, but would spend her last days in her hometown of Harrison, Arkansas. Though the attackers of the wagon train thought they had eliminated anyone who might remember the affair, this was a "mistake," as there were several, including Martha, who would publish their memories years later. Martha wrote her own personal account and in her 86th year, she described the event in an interview with the Arkansas Gazette in 1838. She was pre-deceased by her brother, William Twitty Baker in 1937, but outlived by her sister, Sara Frances Baker Mitchell, who also provided an account American Weekly in 1940, as the last living survivor of the massacre.

Sara Frances "Sallie" Baker [Mitchell] (1854-19??) - The daughter of George Washington Baker and Manerva A. Beller Baker, Sara was born on November 20, 1854 in Carroll County, Arkansas. Her parents and her older sister, Mary Lavina, were killed in the tragic event, but three year-old Sara, along with her sister Martha Elizabeth, and brother, William, were spared. After the massacre, the children were split up and Sara was placed with the Charles Hopkins family of Cedar City. Two years later, the surviving children were returned to Arkansas. Sara would be the last surviving member of the ill-fated wagon train. Before her death, she provided an account to the American Weekly magazine in 1940. (See HERE!)

William Twitty "Billy" Baker (1856-1937) - The son of George Washington Baker and Manerva A. Beller Baker, William was born in Carroll County, Arkansas on November 15, 1856. Just nine months-old at the time of the attack, both his parents and older sister, Mary Lavina, were killed in the massacre, but Wiliam, along with older sisters Martha Elizabeth and Sara Frances Baker, were spared. After the attack, the children were split up and William was placed with the Ingraham family of Pocketville, Utah. Two years later, the surviving children were returned to Arkansas. William lived near Harrison, Arkansas for many years before he moved to Marshall, Arkansas in Searcy County. He died in 1937.

Martha Cameron (1806-1857) - Born in Illinois about 1806, she married William Cameron and the pair moved to Alabama and then Arkansas. They bore eight children, Nancy, Tillman, Malinda, Isom, Henry, James, Martha, and Larkin. All but Nancy, who wasn't on the journey, and Malinda, who had taken the northern route from Salt lake City, were killed at the massacre.

William Cameron (1806-1857) - Born in Illinois about 1806, he married Martha Cameron and the pair moved to Alabama and then Arkansas. They bore eight children, Matilda, Nancy, Tillman, Malinda, Isom, Henry, James, Martha, and Larkin. The Cameron family, with the exception of Nancy, all left Arkansas with considerable wealth loaded in two heavy wagons. Also traveling with them was William's niece, Nancy. They headed to California with 24 oxen, 30 head of cattle, and a full blood race horse valued at $3,000, and another $3,000 hidden in a compartment beneath a wagon. Traveling with the inter-related groups of Jones, Tackitt, and Miller families, and a veteran trail hand named Basil Park. As they crossed the Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory, they were joined by William's daughter, Malinda Cameron Scott, her husband, Henry D. Scott, their four children, and Henry Scott's two brothers and a sister. However, once the family arrived in Salt Lake City, the group split up, with the Scotts believing that the stock could be better fed with taking the northern route. With the exception of just a few wagons, the rest of the train decided to take the southern route, and meet up with the Scotts later. But, alas, Malinda Cameron Scott, would never see her parents or siblings again. After waiting for them for seven days and hearing nothing, the Scott caravan continued on to California. Of the Cameron Group, only three children of Josiah Miller and Matilda Cameron Miller, survived. Malinda Cameron Scott Thurston charged in 1877 that Mormons, under the authority of Brigham Young; killed eleven of her relatives, kidnapped the surviving children, and stole the property of her family. As to the outcome of that charge, we could not find the final result.

Continued Next Page

Sara Frances "Sallie" Baker Mitchell

"You don't forget the horror of having your father gasp for breath and grow limp, while you have your arms around his neck, screaming with terror. You don't forget the blood-curdling war-whoops and the banging of guns all around you. You don't forget the screaming of the other children and the agonized shrieks of women being hacked to death with tomahawks. And you wouldn't forget it, either, if you saw your own mother topple over in the wagon beside you, with a big red splotch getting bigger and bigger on the front of her calico dress."

-- Sarah C. Baker Mitchell, 3 years-old at the time of the Mountain Meadows Massacre and last surviving member of the wagon train.

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