George Baker m. Wilhelmina Catherina Jurgensen 1841

[baytree1970]

I'm trying to trace the first marriage and parentage of George Baker who married Wilhelmina Catherina Jurgensen in 1841 in Simon's Town, Western Cape, South Africa. George is listed as a widower on the marriage cert.

From the baptisms of their children George is first described as 'overseer of roads' in Muizenberg, and later simply as a 'mason'.

My expectation is that George's line traces back to Somerset, England - maybe one or two generations before this?

On familysearch George has a person page - MJNW-TKY

Any help much appreciated.

[Milliepede]

George is listed as a widower on the marriage cert.

How old was he? 

[baytree1970]

Don't know. He had a daughter baptised on the same day in 1841 he got married, but she was actually born in 1824. A second daughter, Wilhelmina, was born in 1826. As his wife was Wilhelmina, I'm inclined to think she was the mother, in which case George was possibly already widowed by 1826.

[maddys52]

There are a (very) few newspaper extracts on eggsa. They include your marriage of George BAKER and Wilhelmina Catherine JURGENSEN (on 15 Feb 1841)
https://www.eggsa.org/newspapers/index.php/south-african-commercial-advertiser/sac-1841-jan-mar

Not sure if these relate to your George BAKER:
A marriage of George BAKER and Mary DE VISME 3 Nov 1828
https://www.eggsa.org/newspapers/index.php/south-african-commercial-advertiser/sac-1828-oct-dec

A death of Ann BAKER, aged 62, wife of George BAKER on 25 Sep 1826
https://www.eggsa.org/newspapers/index.php/cape-of-good-hope-government-gazette/cape-of-good-hope-government-gazette-1826-3-july-to-september

[TreeSpirit]

Reg his age ...

George Baker sr would have died after Jun 1841 and before Jun 1855. He might have signed a daughter's 1848 marriage cert, so that would narrow things down even more.
I suspect that he is the George Baker who was buried on 15 Dec 1851 in Old Angl (Section), Old Burying Ground, Seaforth (Simon’s Town). This guy was 60y (or 64?) at the time of his death.

Burial Info:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTW5-Z52?i=6 (#98)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSVY-Y9Y7-Q?i=72

[TreeSpirit]

A marriage of George BAKER and Mary DE VISME 3 Nov 1828
https://www.eggsa.org/newspapers/index.php/south-african-commercial-advertiser/sac-1828-oct-dec

maddys52 might be on to something:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DCJF-FV6Z
South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa, Parish Registers, 1801-2004
Name: George Baker
Spouse's Name: Mary De Visme
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 3 Nov 1828
Event Place: Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa
Digital Folder Number: 008154833
Image Number: 00187
(FYI: There is an image available, but you’ll need to visit an FHC to view it: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/25427?availability=Family%20History%20Library)
-
Via Eggsa some more info:
3 Nov 1828
George Baker
status: widower of Exeter
and
Mary de Visme
status: spinster of Middlesex
Source: Cape Town, English Church (from 1847 St George's Cathedral) (Anglican), Cape Town, Western Cape. marriage register, 1811-1839. Repository: Western Cape Archives, 72 Roeland Street, Cape Town. Transcribed by Charles Fison.


https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DX26-L3T2
South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa, Parish Registers, 1801-2004
Name: Mary Baker
Age: 44
Death Date: 1833
Birth Year (Estimated): 1789
Spouse's Name: George Baker Senr
Event Type: Burial
Event Date: 6 Dec 1833
Event Place: Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa
Digital Folder Number: 008019236
Image Number: 00486
(FYI: There is an image available, but you’ll need to visit an FHC to view it: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/25427?availability=Family%20History%20Library)

Note:
It is an issue that these events were not taking place in Muizenberg or Simon's town where the children were born. I'm wondering whether all these children did have Wilhelmina as their mother i.e. born out of wedlock. Apparently this was quite normal in Cape Province in those days for various reasons.

[baytree1970]

Thanks everyone, this really helps.

My thoughts, though not conclusive, are as follows (apologies for not giving credit in each case to those of you who first spotted these facts, I'd like to acknowlege that you've all been awesome unearthing this stuff!):

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A Baker family arrived in 1820 on the 'East Indian' from England in the Parker Party - parents George (age 46) and Ann (age 47), sons Richard (16) and George (13). They seem to have been from Exeter:

https://www.1820settlers.com/genealogy/settlersearch.php?mylastname=BAKER

also here: http://www.eggsa.org/1820-settlers/index.php/related-records/settler-returns/1954-parker-s-party



A Richard Baker (https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/GZZH-9CB) marries Hannah Burnett in 1828 and he is said to come from Devon.

Death records for the same Richard in 1874 confirm first wife Hannah (a child has the middle name Burnett) and second wife (Hendrica Wilhelmina Catharina Hellet). Richard's father is George Baker. Richard is from Exeter.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9LS-59WK-C?cc=2573604&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQLF4-8T34
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2VSM-FWY


In 1828 George Baker of Exeter marries Mary de Visme at English Church, Capetown – the same place Richard and Hannah were married, and George is also said to be from Exeter

Then in 1835 a George Baker jnr marries Alma Engels at the Dutch Reformed Church - he is said to be from Exeter


I'm speculating that the Richard and George from these marriages are the sons of George and Ann who came over on the 'East Indian'


Could the younger George be the same George who married Wilhelmina Jurgensen? I don't think so - a. he married Mary de Visme but also he would have been too young to be having his first child (Elizabeth) in 1822.


There is a 1826 burial at English Church Cape Town (cf. marriages of Richard and George above) for Ann Baker, wife of George, aged 62. I think this must be the mother or Richard and George.

The burial of Mary Baker in 1833 (age 44) wife of George Senior - could this have been George's second wife after the death of Ann in 1826? I can't find a marriage record though.


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the George Baker buried in Seaforth cemetery in 1851 aged 60 looks very likely to be the George I'm interested in as the family generally seem to have been interred at Seaforth which is the local burial ground for Simon's Town


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I also found a baptism for George Baker, 31 Oct 1802 - parents Robert and Margaret Baker, father was part of 34th regiment and baptism happened in Cape Town. Since I can't find any other Baker families amonst the list of settlers which fit with the George I'm looking at, maybe his origins are military rather than civilian? That was listed on the eGGSA site using the baptismal search.


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Of the other George Baker burials on LDS https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSVY-Y9Y7-Q?i=72&cc=2790463, there is George who died age 72 in 1898, and that I believe is the son of George and Wilhelmina (b.1828, m. Alida) The other two George Baker burials I'm not sure about, but as one is 1886 and the other 1890, I'm thinking that George who married Wilhelmina is likely to be the one who died in 1851. The 1890 death was for a sailor, and George was a mason.


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Where this leaves us is unclear. I think the George Baker who arrived from Exeter is pretty well described in the records and I don't think he's our guy.

Could it be George b.1802? Well the 1851 burial at Seaforth (which sounds likely to be correct) gives his birthdate as 1790, so maybe not.

[baytree1970]

I found the burial for Wilhelmina Catherine Baker in Simon's Town, 1872, aged 66.5 years. That's the wife of George Baker.

Makes sense to me - he's older, has a first marriage, remarries a younger spinster, her first child age 19.