 1845 - 1921 (76 years)
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| Name |
Elizabeth Albright |
| Birth |
16 Jan 1845 |
Pennsylvania  |
| Gender |
Female |
| Death |
21 Aug 1921 |
Somerset County, Pennsylvania |
| Notes |
- Comments: You are in the ball park. William Enoch dies in the early 1880's. Exact date unknown at this writing. Eliza, of whom I have a couple of photos, is hired by Michael Baker to care for his ill wife.
At some point in 1884 or 1885 Michael’s first wife, Caroline becomes ill with small children to care for. Michael arranges for a widow named Elizabeth "Eliza" McKenzie to be a caregiver to his ailing wife and children. The details of this arrangement are unknown but what is known is that Michael and Elizabeth produce a son, James Michael Baker born May 25, 1885.
James is 10 years old when Michael’s first wife, Caroline, dies June 2, 1895. In 1898, Elizabeth and Michael marry. Needless to say, I am sure that the household was an interesting one.
Michael is listed on the Census of 1900 as a renter in a household owned by his wife Elizabeth "Eliza" on acreage surrounded by the McKenzie Family; in-laws to Elizabeth by her first marriage. Michael is employed as a farm laborer, likely on Elizabeth’s farm. Elizabeth is illiterate while Michael is literate and in their home is their son James and a boarder named William McKenzie.
There exists little direct evidence of the nature of the relationship between Michael and Elizabeth. What is known is that on the Census of 1910 Michael is unemployed, 74 years of age, and living with his son Albert and Albert’s family. Michael is listed as being married and in his second marriage.
On the same census a short distance away, Elizabeth is listed as also being in her second marriage, but living as head of household with her son James, daughter-in-law Loretta and two grandchildren: William A. Baker and Eliza M. Baker. James is listed as a fireclay miner at the Union Mining Company in Mount Savage, MD while Elizabeth is listed as a self-employed farmer. That Michael and Elizabeth are living apart indicates much.
Michael filed for a pension for his service in the Civil War and was awarded a pension of $13 a month for disabilities connected with his service. In his application he states that he is unable to work because of back pain and chronic abdominal cramping.
The 1910 Census returns and the pension application indicate that Michael had become unwelcome in his wife’s home and felt that his income and company would be more welcome with the children of his first marriage.
In the 1916 obituary for Michael, there is no mention of his ever having been married a second time, or of Elizabeth and James. There seems to have been friction between the extended family members.
Rob Wolford
jrwolford@frontiernet.net
Also, from Sheryl Kelso, 7-7-11: Elizabeth Albright McKenzie Baker was the wife of William Enoch McKenzie of Greenville Township, Somerset County, PA. She later married Michael Baker of Larimer Township. She was the mother of John McKenzie who married Amanda "Mandy" Clark, my great-aunt.
The following was received by the author from Sheryl Kelso in January, 2014:
Last Will and Testament of Eliza (Albright) McKenzie Ward Baker, first wife of William Enoch McKenzie, sent by Rob Wolford on January 29, 2014. I typed this exactly as it was written.
Page One
Know all men by these presents, that I Eliza Ward of Greenville Township Somerset County and state of Pennsylvania, being of sound mind and memory, do make and publish this to be my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills and testaments by me at anytime heretofore made.
AS to such worldly estate that I am intrusted and possessed of I disperse of the same as follows Viz:
I give and bequeath to my son James Baker all my real and personal property whatsoever situated in Greenville Twp., Somerset Co. Pa on the following conditions,
That he, my son James Baker shall maintain and provide a home and the necessities of life as long as I live he shall provide for my boarding, doctor bills, taxes, clothing and funeral expenses, all of which he shall keep an accurate account and if the expenses do not exceed the entire value of property, estimated at Four Hundred Dollars, then shall the following distribution be made as follows To Samuel Mckenzie $50.00 to John Mckenzie $50.00 one year after my death, to William Mckenzie $50.00 Two years after my death and to the living heirs of Catherine Mckenzie Deed. One Dollar each namely to Lawrence, Bessy, Eddy, James, Annie Maggie, and Leoda. Mckenzie.
[hand written at bottom of page 1, Estate #130 - 1921]
Page Two
I do hereby appoint and nominate A. E. Baer Esq. of Pocahontas, Pa. Executor of this my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I, Eliza Ward [handwritten above Ward in parentheses is Baker] the testator have to this my will set my hand and seal this 22nd day of March 1915 A.D.
Signed A. E. Baer and J. M. Peck
Eliza [her mark of X] Ward Baker
Eliza died on the 30th of August 1921 at 7 a.m. in Greenville Township.
Will was sent to probate on September 8, 1921
In a follow-up from the author to Sheryl Kelso in Januany, 2014, she replied:
I believe she must have married a Dorsey Ward between the time that William Enoch passed away (1881) and when she married Michael Baker (about 1898). I have located a Dorsey Ward in the 1870 census, age 25, living in Cumberland. Oddly enough I had his name attached to her as a spouse with no known marriage. I have no idea where I picked up that info, but it was a side note in her file. How the two of them ever got together is a mystery, but apparently they did, and we may never know what became of him. Of course, this time period falls in the dead census years from 1880-1900. Beth Ann Magruder is direct line descendant of this family and told me a few years ago that she had stacks of info on the line. I have written to her and am hoping she finds something in one of those stacks to clarify this Ward marriage. I have also been in contact with Michael Baker’s gr-gr-gr-grandson who actually lives quite close to us. He is the one who supplied the copy of the Will I sent you earlier. His information comes from cousins on the Baker side of the family. As the name Ward is prominent throughout the will, I am certain Eliza married this gentleman before her marriage to Michael Baker.
Note from Beth Ann McKenzie on June 10, 2011:
Yes his wife did marry a man with the last name of Baker, and she had a son with him by the name of Jim Baker, My grandfather.. who was William Enoch McKenzie's grandson.. told me the story of his grandmother, and his half/uncle Jim Baker.. William Enoch was born on 1/30/1842 and died on 1/6/1881 My G-grandfather William Henry McKenzie was born just one year prior to his fathers death.. I have a good bit of family information on the generations following William Enoch McKenzie, and I do know that Eliza Known in my family to have been Elizabeth.. she was born on 1/16/1845 and died in 8/1921 Michael Baker b.4/19/1836 d. 7/1916 and their son Jim Baker b. 5/25/1885 d. 8/23/1952 I have other information but not really much more on Jim or Michael Baker.. they are I believe buried close to where I grew up in the Finzel area of Maryland in Garrett co. If you would like more info please let me know... also I do have a photo somewhere of Eliza .. another interesting fact is that she was blind the story I had been told was that she was a great Gardner, they would put ropes to the garden for her to follow, and she would tend to the garden.
I have been told that many of the people of that family, such as Catherine, Conrad, Samuel, Mary, Maggie, and maybe even John are buried in Beal Cemetery that is located up from McKenzie hollow road just over the Mason Dixon line, I have not yet gone there but may make it a point to go over the weekend, My Grandfather was Murrell McKenzie he was born 7/27/1911 and he died 6/6/1990 just a few days after the birth of my son, whom to my regret he never got to see, and My father was Albert W. McKenzie also known to many as "Wayne" but there were two Wayne McKenzie's my father was born 4/11/1938 and died 9/23/1994 he was 56yrs. old at the time of his death. My g-grandfather William Henry McKenzie b. 12/11/1880 and d. 4/21/1949 he married Lavina Machin on 8/10/1902 and children born to their union are as follows: Bertha Regina b.6/6/1903 d. 4/17/1991 Robert "Bob" McKenzie b.4/13/1905 d. 3/31/1986 in Florida, Harold Lee McKenzie b.1/24/1907 d. 11/26/1984 Fredrick b.8/13/1909 d.5/18/1985 , Murrell Cleland McKenzie b.7/27/1911 d.6/6/1990 Lloyd b.2/1/1913 d. 7/1/1913 , Albert Leslen b.7/19/1915 d.8/24/200 Richard William b.1/20/1919 d.2/26/1994
Possible husband Dorsey Ward - have been unable to find any mention of this man and can find no burial record for him.
In a note from Rob Wolford on January 27, 2014:
The family register from 1976 and 1992 both state that Eliza's maiden name is Albright. Neither identify her parents. The family register that I completed in 2011 lists Eliza's parents as John A. and Elizibeth (Keefer) Albright. I am unsure at present where this data came from.
She died on 30 Aug 1921 at the age of 76 in Greenville Township, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania.
She was buried on 1 Sep 1921 in Beal Cemetery, Pocahontas, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania.
PA Death Certificate - died of acute heart problems; widow
Elizabeth was also known as Elizabeth "Eliza" Albright.
|
| Person ID |
I05140 |
McKenzie Genealogy |
| Last Modified |
29 Oct 2021 |
| Family 1 |
Michael Baker, b. Abt 1836 d. UNKNOWN |
| Children |
| | 1. James Michael Baker, b. 25 May 1885, Pocahontas, Pennsylvania d. 23 Aug 1952, Pocahontas, Pennsylvania (Age 67 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
|
| Family ID |
F02914 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
29 Oct 2021 |
| Family 3 |
William Enoch McKenzie, b. 3 Jan 1842, Greenville TWSP, Somerset County, Pennsylvania d. 6 Jan 1881, Greenville, Twp., Somerset County, Pennsylvania (Age 39 years) |
| Marriage |
1863 |
| Children |
| | 1. Catherine McKenzie, b. 9 Mar 1865, Greenville Twp., Somerset, Pennsylvania d. 4 May 1901, Greenville Twp., Somerset, Pennsylvania (Age 36 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 2. Conrad McKenzie, b. 7 Sep 1865, Greenville Twp., Somerset, Pennsylvania d. 8 Dec 1880 (Age 15 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 3. Samuel Bernard McKenzie, b. 9 Mar 1867, Greenville Twp., Somerset, Pennsylvania d. 24 Sep 1929, Somerset, Somerset County, Pennsylvania (Age 62 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 4. John McKenzie, b. 28 Aug 1869, Pennsylvania d. 7 Dec 1944, Greenville Twp., Somerset, Pennsylvania (Age 75 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 5. Mary McKenzie, b. 10 Mar 1873 d. 10 Mar 1873 (Age 0 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 6. Maggie (May) McKenzie, b. 25 May 1876, Pennsylvania d. 30 Nov 1880 (Age 4 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 7. William H. (Butch) McKenzie, b. 11 Dec 1880, Somerset County, Pennsylvania d. 21 Apr 1949, Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland (Age 68 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
|
| Family ID |
F00723 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
29 Oct 2021 |
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