Gypsy Heart
Gold Member
Samuel Baker's Hidden Money
John BAKER and Susannah LAMPKIN Family
John BAKER a large landowner lived in the Caldwell, Christian and Trigg County triangle.. He and Susannah had several children, but we have only identified the following, Samuel, John, Peter, Nancy who married Robert ROGERS, Jr., and a daughter who married David Jennings. Samuel BAKER became a notorious slave trader.
Samuel BAKER was the son of John and Susannah BAKER. By 1830, he either had bought or was given most of his father's land. Samuel BAKER was well-known in western Kentucky as a slave trader. It is thought that, for this reason, John BAKER, his father, set his slaves free and gave them a farm and all his household belongings when he died. Many family tradition stories have been passed down regarding Samuel BAKER. Some have said that Sam BAKER was 6 feet 6 inches tall, and wore silk stockings and silver buckles on his shoes. His fiery red hair covered a short fuse, and it is said that slaves in the area were terrified of him. Stories passed down suggest that slave owners threatened that if the slaves misbehaved, they'd be sold to Sam BAKER.
In 1854, Samuel BAKER began an ill fated journey to Natchez, Mississippi to sell a load of slaves from western Kentucky. On the way home, the weather became particularly bad, and it is said that Samuel almost froze to death. After returning to western Kentucky, he became ill, and apparently had a stroke or seizure. Although he remained alive for some time, he was unable to tell his family where the money from the sale of the slaves, reported to be thousands of dollars, was stashed. He took this secret to his grave. The family searched for the family's money, but was unable to locate it. They held onto the property for awhile, and then began liquidating it. It is reported that one of the buyers of the property may have located the stash, for they later bought a fancy, new home in Princeton.
John BAKER and Susannah LAMPKIN Family
John BAKER a large landowner lived in the Caldwell, Christian and Trigg County triangle.. He and Susannah had several children, but we have only identified the following, Samuel, John, Peter, Nancy who married Robert ROGERS, Jr., and a daughter who married David Jennings. Samuel BAKER became a notorious slave trader.
Samuel BAKER was the son of John and Susannah BAKER. By 1830, he either had bought or was given most of his father's land. Samuel BAKER was well-known in western Kentucky as a slave trader. It is thought that, for this reason, John BAKER, his father, set his slaves free and gave them a farm and all his household belongings when he died. Many family tradition stories have been passed down regarding Samuel BAKER. Some have said that Sam BAKER was 6 feet 6 inches tall, and wore silk stockings and silver buckles on his shoes. His fiery red hair covered a short fuse, and it is said that slaves in the area were terrified of him. Stories passed down suggest that slave owners threatened that if the slaves misbehaved, they'd be sold to Sam BAKER.
In 1854, Samuel BAKER began an ill fated journey to Natchez, Mississippi to sell a load of slaves from western Kentucky. On the way home, the weather became particularly bad, and it is said that Samuel almost froze to death. After returning to western Kentucky, he became ill, and apparently had a stroke or seizure. Although he remained alive for some time, he was unable to tell his family where the money from the sale of the slaves, reported to be thousands of dollars, was stashed. He took this secret to his grave. The family searched for the family's money, but was unable to locate it. They held onto the property for awhile, and then began liquidating it. It is reported that one of the buyers of the property may have located the stash, for they later bought a fancy, new home in Princeton.
