30. MALACHI BAXTER, (Malachi,3 Thomas,2), b. 19 June 1743,
in Yarmouth, Mass., blacksmith; came to Homes Hole in 1777, having seen
service in the Revolutionary War at Bunker Hill. He m. RHODA
MANTER (109) 24 Apr. 1777 [in Tisbury], who was b. Jan. 1760 and d.
28 July 1843 [of "old age."] He d. 27 July 1835.
[Banks notes in Vol. II that Malachi appears in
a 10 Jun 1780 letter from a group of early Tisbury Baptists. He appears
in the May 1829 Tisbury Returns of the Blind,
suggesting that he had lost his eyesight by this date: "Malisha Baxter
a revolutionary soldier drawing a pension from the general government aged
seventy one." Malachi appears in the 1830 census with a boy aged 15-19
(who could this be?) and a woman aged 30-39 (perhaps daughter Rhoda before
her marriage?) His widow Rhoda Baxter, aged 80, appears in the 1840 Tisbury Census of Pensioners.]
[In Old Houses in Vineyard Haven 1712-1830
(compiled by the 1971 Tercentenary Committee), a house is described which
is on the north side of Main Street, between Drummer and Colonial Lanes:
"Owner, Mrs. Frank Vincent. The house is obviously a very old one,
excellently kept up. The early part dates from the return of a Revolutionary
soldier, Malachi Baxter, after fighting at Bunker Hill. The present owner's
husband was a descendant of Baxter through his daughter and granddaughter.
Except for the addition of the piazza, there have been no structural changes
in the house since it was built here." I wonder which daughter they
refer to, and exactly which house?]
Children:
40. CYNTHIA, b. 19 Dec. 1777; m. MATTHEW LUCE (655) 8 Mch. 1802 [in Tisbury.] [She appears in the 1850 Tisbury census with Mayhew A. Luce, 71, and Sarah R. Luce, 19. She died of "old age" on 2 July 1863 in Tisbury. In Sketches of Old Homes in Our Village, Mrs. Howes Norris writes about a house on the northwest corner of South Main and Camp Streets: "Mathew [Luce]married Cynthia, daughter of Malachi Baxter who fought at Bunker Hill. Mathew's daughter, Polly, became the possessor, and then her son George"]
41. JOHN, b. 29 Feb. 1780
42. THANKFUL, b. (1781). [I have found no records of her.]
43. CHARLES, b. (1783). [I have found no records of him. Only one boy appears in both the 1790 and 1800 census of his parents, which could represent either Charles or John, but only John appears in later records. Perhaps Charles died young?]
44. SARAH ["Sally"], b. (1785) ; m. CHARLES DEXTER (41) (int.) 5 Mch. 1808 [in Tisbury.] [He d. 25 Aug 1870 in Tisbury. She is probably the Sarah Dexter, born 13 Jan. 1785, who appears in the 1850 Tisbury census with Richard Luce and Ellsworth A. Luce. Sarah Dexter appears alone in the 1860 census of Holmes Hole (probably Centre Street), and she died a widow of "old age" on 25 Aug 1870 in Holmes Hole.]
45. ABIGAIL ["Nabby"], b. 25 Sept. 1787; m. WILLIAM HARDING (24) 10 Nov. 1805 [in Tisbury.] [William died 23 Aug 1847 in Tisbury. She appears in the 1850 Tisbury census with George H. Harding (mariner; b. 2 Apr 1826); Thomas C. Harding (mariner; b. 21 Oct 1828); James Gray (36, mariner from Norridgewock, ME); Sarah B. Gray (b. 20 Apr 1820); Ephraim Harding (mariner; b.24 Oct. 1814); Abby Harding (b. 23 Nov 1837); and Rodolphus H. Harding (b. 19 Apr 1842). Abigail Harding appears again in the 1860 Holmes Hole census (near what is now the neighborhood of the Steamship Authority) as a widow living with her son George H. Harding and his family.]
46. RHODA, b. (1790); m. JAMES EARLE of New York. [I have found no records of them.]
47. BETSEY, b. 17 Jan. 1794 [in Tisbury]; THOMAS HARDING (25) 1808 [in Tisbury.] [She m. (2) ____ BUTLER, and appears in the 1850 census with her brother John. She m. (3) Edgartown yeoman ICHABOD NORTON (716) on 24 May 1857 in Tisbury, who was b. 27 Dec 1786 in Farmington ME and died in Holmes Hole on 22 Jan 1860. Betsey is probably the "Betsy Norton" who appears alone in the 1865 East Tisbury census. She died a widow on 8 May 1867 in Tisbury of "fever intermettums."][In Sketches of Old Homes in Our Village, Mrs. Howes Norris writes about a house on the west side of South Main St., about halfway between Causeway and Delano roads: "[It] was owned by 'Colonel Dexter's son, Joseph, who married Charlotte, daughter of Malachi Baxter, before referred to. Joseph was a seafaring man and died at sea. The house is now owned by Mrs. Sarah Legg." Who is she referring to??]
Several transients of this family resided on the island. John Baxter has
been referred to (Vol. II Annals of T. p. 28).
Another one of the family, Simon Baxter, carpenter, b. 1716 "on Martha's
Vineyard'", according to the muster roll of a Westchester Co., N. Y.
regiment 1762 has a connection with the Vineyard not revealed by any other
existing record. If his parents resided here in that year they left no trace
behind them. From him descends the late Hon. James Phinney Baxter, of Portland,
Me., mayor of that city several terms, and president of the Maine Historical
and the New England Genealogical Societies for many years.
41. JOHN BAXTER, b. 29 Feb. 1780 in Tisbury; m. POLLY DEXTER (42) 27
Jan. 1805 in Tisbury. John appears in the 1830 Tisbury census with a man
aged 20-29 (probably his son John Jr.) and a woman aged 50-60 (presumably
his wife Polly.) John appears in the 1840 census with his wife. Polly d.
13 Dec. 1847 in Tisbury, aged 63. John appears in the 1850 Tisbury census
as a 70-year-old mariner living with his sister Betsey Butler. He d. 19
July 1858 in West Tisbury of heart disease. His death records refer to him
as "Capt." although the town records his occupation at death as
"farmer." They are both buried at West Tisbury Village Cemetery.
Children:
101. JOHN JR., b. 7 Oct. 1806
102. CHARLES, b. 11 Mar. 1808
101. Capt. JOHN BAXTER JR., b. 7 Oct. 1806 in Tisbury. He m. FAUSTINA GRAY (71) on 24 Aug. 1835 in Tisbury,
who was b. 22 Aug. 1808 in Tisbury. John seems to be represented in the
1830 census of his father, and has his own census entry in 1840 near his
father and brother Charles. John and Faustina appear in the 1850 Tisbury
census, where John's occupation is listed as "mariner," and in
1860 and 1865 West Tisbury where he is called a "farmer." The
family again appear in the 1870 and 1880 Tisbury censuses, where is occupation
is again given as farmer. He was undoubtedly the John Baxter who died in
Tisbury on 13 Jun 1884, and Faustina died on 8 Nov. 1891 in Tisbury. They
are both buried at West Tisbury Village Cemetery.
Children:
110. WILLIAM F. BAXTER, b. 3 Jun 1841 in Tisbury; m. EMILY N. MANTER, dau. of Daniel and Mary Manter of Tisbury, on 7 Mar 1866, who was b. 23 Jun 1844 in Tisbury. He appears with his parents in the 1860 and 1865 West Tisbury censuses, occupation "mariner" and "seaman" respectively. He is listed as "at sea" in the Sept. 1862 Tisbury citizen enrollment list, and he appears with his parents in the 1870 Tisbury census, occupation mariner. His marriage record calls William a Tisbury mariner. He and his wife appear in the 1880 Tisbury census, occupation "laborer." The 1897 directory of Tisbury lists him as a West Tisbury laborer. In 1907, two "William F. Baxter"s appear in the West Tisbury directory, including one farmer of that name living on Dewey St., West Tisbury. (Did he have a son, William F. Baxter Jr.?) He m. (2) ANN E. (DAGGETT) CONARY on 1 Jan 1917, who d. 11 Mar. 1924 in Tisbury. This marriage record calls him a farmer. I have no further records of William.
111. SARAH B. BAXTER, b. 3 Oct. 1848 in Tisbury; m. WILLIAM WALLACE SMITH, son of Thomas and Nancy Smith of Edgartown, on 13 Nov. 1864 in Tisbury, who was b. 6 Dec. 1836 in Edgartown. Sarah appears with her parents in the 1860 West Tisbury census. The marriage record calls William an Edgartown farmer. They appear in the 1865 census of West Tisbury with Sarah's parents; William is listed as "seaman." "Sarah B. Baxter" appears with her parents in the 1870 Tisbury census without William Smith, and I have no further records of either.
102. CHARLES BAXTER, b. 11 Mar 1808 in Tisbury. He m. (1st) EMILY
R. NORTON on 31 Dec. 1826, who was b. 17 Sep 1808 in Tisbury. She died on
9 Feb. 1865 and is buried at West Tisbury Village Cemetery. Charles appears
in the 1830 and 1840 Tisbury censuses near his father and brother. The 1860
West Tisbury census calls him a farmer. He m. (2) Mrs. RHODA (LEWIS) LUCE,
dau. of Freeman and Eunice Lewis and former wife of Edward Luce (1812-1859),
on 1 Mar 1870 in Tisbury, who was b. 26 Apr. 1811 in Tisbury, d. in 1892,
and is buried at Vineyard Haven Village Cemetery. His second marriage record
calls him a farmer, as does the 1870 Tisbury census. They appear again in
the 1880 Tisbury census. He died 22 Sep. 1881 in Tisbury. Rhoda died 9 May
1892 in Tisbury.
Children (by first wife):
120. DENNIS D. BAXTER, b. 5 Aug. 1827.
121. JOHN P. BAXTER, b. 16 Oct. 1829 in Tisbury. He died of a hemorrhage on 18 Jun 1853 in Tisbury, and is buried at West Tisbury Village Cemetery. His death record calls him a single mariner.
122. GEORGE F. BAXTER, b. 12 Jul 1831.
123. VALENTINE N. BAXTER, b. 8 Jan 1835 in Tisbury. He died of consumption on 23 May 1858 in West Tisbury and is buried at West Tisbury Village Cemetery. His death record calls him a single machinist.
124. LYDIA DEXTER BAXTER, b. 11 Sep 1843 in West Tisbury. She died of consumption at age 16 on 20 Mar 1860 in West Tisbury.
125. FRANKLIN N. "Frank" BAXTER, b. 13 Jan. 1851.
120. DENNIS D. BAXTER, b. 5 Aug. 1827 in Tisbury; m. SOPHRONIA
C. DAVIS of Chilmark on 23 Jul 1854 in Chilmark, who was born 1 Nov 1829
in Chilmark. They appear in the 1860 West Tisbury census; Dennis' occupation
is listed as mariner, and in the 1865 West Tisbury census, occupation "seaman."
He is listed as "at sea" in the Sept. 1862 Tisbury citizen enrollment
list, and appears in the 1870 Tisbury census, mariner. They appear in the
1880 Tisbury census, where his occupation is given as "sailor."
In the 1897 directory of Tisbury there is a listing for a "Sophonia
Baxter" who winters in Dennis and had an address in West Tisbury, and
in 1907 at High Street, West Tisbury.
Children:
130. EMELINE J. "Emma" BAXTER, b. 24 Nov. 1859 in Tisbury. She appears with her parents in the 1860 and 1865 West Tisbury and 1870 Tisbury censuses. In 1880 she appears with her parents in Tisbury, occupation "music teacher," in the 1897 directory of Tisbury as a West Tisbury "teacher."
122. GEORGE F. BAXTER, b. 12 Jul 1831 in Tisbury. He appeared
on a Tisbury juror list in 1858, and served as a Tisbury Highway Surveyor
in 1863. He m. MARTHA A. D. LUCE, dau. of Stephen Jr. and Abigail Luce,
on 5 Jan 1854 in West Tisbury, who was b. 7 Oct. 1832 in Tisbury. The marriage
record calls him a blacksmith. They appear in the 1860 and 1865 West Tisbury
censuses, where George's occupation is given as blacksmith, and in the Sept.
1862 Tisbury citizen enrollment list. They appear again in the 1880 Tisbury
census, where his occupation is given as farmer. Martha died 24 Sep. 1883,
and I have no further records of George. They are both buried at North Tisbury
Cemetery.
Children:
140. EDSON F. BAXTER, b. c. 1858 in Tisbury. He appears with his parents in the 1860 and 1865 West Tisbury censuses, and again in the 1880 Tisbury census, occupation "farm laborer." He m. ANNIE W. LOOK on 26 Dec 1887 in Tisbury. In the 1897 and 1907 directories of Tisbury he appears as a carpenter living on Centre Street. They appear in the 1910 Tisbury census on Spring Street. He died 22 Aug 1920 in Tisbury and his death notice appeared in the 26 Aug 1920 Vineyard Gazette. She died 19 Feb. 1918 in Tisbury.
141. ABBIE J. BAXTER, b. c. 1867-8 in Mass. She appears with her parents in the 1880 census. She m. LEONARD A. CATES of Boston on 7 Aug. 1899 in Tisbury. I have no further records of them.
125. FRANKLIN M. "Frank" BAXTER, b. 13 Jan. 1851 in
Tisbury; m. ABBIE L. MITCHEL, dau. of William and Dency Mitchel of Chilmark,
on 19 Dec 1874 in Tisbury, who was b. 22 Jun 1849 in Chilmark. He appears
in the 1860 West Tisbury and 1870 Tisbury censuses with his parents, "no
occupation." His marriage record calls Frank a farmer. They appear
in the 1880 Chilmark census, where is occupation is given as "butcher."
The 1897 Martha's Vineyard directory lists him as a resident of Chilmark,
and in the 1907 directory as a Chilmark butcher living on South Road. His
death notice appears in the 10 Feb. 1921 Vineyard Gazette.
Children:
150. DANA WALKER BAXTER, b. 26 Jan. 1876 in Tisbury. He appears with his parents in the 1880 Chilmark census, and as a butcher living on South Road in the 1907 directory of Chilmark. He m. KATHRYN MADELINE KENNEY on 6 July 1940 in Tisbury. Dana died 26 Feb. 1942 in Tisbury.
151. LILLIE H. BAXTER, b. c. 1876-7 in Mass. She appears with her parents in the 1880 Chilmark census. I have no further records of her.
Return to Dukes County Genealogy.