The Baxters are of English descent and first appear in America in 1630. They were numerous in all the New England states, many settling in Cape Cod, where they were seafaring men and masters of ships. There was a numerous branch in Connecticut, but the emigrant cannot be stated. As far as can be learned, the progenitor of the branch herein recorded was Elihu Baxter, born December 18, 1750, at Norwich, Connecticut, died August 6, 1836, at Norwich, Vermont. He married, October 24, 1777, Triphena Taylor, born at Pelham, Connecticut, September 24, 1762, died at Norwich, Vermont, March 14, 1825. Children:
- William, a lawyer; married Lydia Ashley; had eight children.
- Ira, married Arsena Sprague; nine children.
- Elihu (2), a physician; married Sarah Cone; died at Portland, Maine, 1863; six children.
- Chester, married Hannah Root; died Sharon, Vermont, October 16, 1865; one child, Hannah.
- Triphena, married Josiah Root, brother of Hannah Root, who was the wife of Chester Baxter.
- Lavenia, died young.
- Erastus, of whom further.
- Lavenia, died in infancy.
- Elimena, twin of Lavenia, died Norwich, Vermont, aged twenty years.
- James, a merchant of Stamstead Plain, Canada, a member of the Canadian provincial parliament, 1829; member legislative council, 1832; married his cousin, Caroline, daughter of William and Deborah (Buett) Baxter, of Rutland; eight children.
- John, married Harriet Baxter.
- Zilpah, married Dr Sweet; died at Unionville, Vermont.
- Harry, married (first) Sophronia Steele (second) Avaline ————.
- Hiram, died young.
- Statira, married ———— Shepard.
Of the eight sons of Elihu Baxter reaching maturity, seven became men of great wealth for their day, although each started with little capital except muscle and brain.
(II) Erastus, seventh child and fifth son of Elihu and Triphena (Taylor) Baxter, was born at Norwich, Vermont, December 14, 1787, died at Gorham, New York. He married Lucy Freeman; children:
- John F., married Elizabeth Russell; died without issue.
- Caroline, born January 10, 1815; marrie Stephen Brown, of Thetford, New York; no issue.
- George, of whom further.
- James, born 1822; married Eliza Hazard, of Pennsylvania; six children.
- Statira, born 1825; married Charles W. Fish, of Weymouth, Massachusetts.
- Marcia, died unmarried.
- Mary, married Thomas McCullough, of Bangor, New York.
- Morris, married Julia Renwick, of Elgin, Wisconsin.
- Heartley, married Belle McIntosh, of Malone, New York; eight daughters.
(III) George, second son and third child of Erastus and Lucy (Freeman) Baxter, was born at Norwich, Vermont, September 14, 1818. He married, 1850, Adaline Peray, of Chateaugay, New York. She died at Goshen, New York, 1878. Children:
- Marice, born 1851;
- Charles M., of whom further;
- Lucy, born 1854;
- John, 1856, died January 18, 1871;
- William, 1858, died January 23, 1871;
- Henry, 1860, died January 8, 1862;
- Adaline, 1862;
- Ella, 1864;
- Bertha, 1865;
- Heartley, 1868;
- Elmer, 1871.
(IV) Charles M., son of George and Adaline (Peray) Baxter, was born at Fort Ann, New York, in 1852, died November 8, 1906, at Fort Edward, New York. He was a well-educated man and began business life as farmer, operating a farm near Fort Ann, New York. Later he purchased and conducted a hotel at Argyle, Washington county, for several years, after which he purchased a farm near there on which he lived for a time; later he lived at Fort Edward, where he enjoyed the life of a retired gentleman of wealth. He was a big, generous-hearted man and gave freely of his abundance to those less fortunate. He was a member of the Masonic order and was buried with full Masonic honors at Fort Ann, his birthplace. He was a Democrat in politics, and an attendant of the Baptist church, of which he was a most liberal supporter. He was highly respected by all who knew him and left a memory yet tenderly cherished. He married Jane Ann Allen, who died December 15, 1905. They had two children who died in infancy, and an adopted daughter, Mary J. Allen, whom they took when she was a young girl and reared and educated as their own. She married, but her husband only lived about a year, and she returned to the Baxter home and remained with them until both died. Although never taking the Baxter name, she was regularly adopted and had for her adopted parents the deepest affection and received from them the utmost kindness, Mr. Baxter also generously providing for her future.
(The Allen Line)
Mary J. Allen was a daughter of Samuel Allen and granddaughter of George Allen, born in England, a soldier in the English army. He came to the United States when a young man and settled in New York state. He married Charlotte McArthur; children: Mary, Jane Ann, John, George, Richard, Samuel and Abijah. George Allen, the father, was a tailor by trade, settled in Delhi, New York. Both he and his wife were attendants of the Scotch Presbyterian church, she being a member. He was a well-informed, intelligent man and stood well among his acquaintances. His wife was a native of Scotland.
(II) Samuel, son of George and Charlotte (McArthur) Allen, married Agnes, daughter of Colonel John Fulton, an officer in the British army, "The Queen's Own." He died near Ayrshire, Scotland, a pensioner of the British government. They had three children:
- Mary J., of whom further;
- a son who died in infancy;
- Ruth, born in New York City, July, 1879, died August 9, 1908, was adopted by a member of the Fulton family who reside near Washington, D. C.
(III) Mary J., daughter of Samuel and Agnes (Fulton) Allen, was born in New York City, April 15, 1872. When about twelve years of age she was adopted by Charles M. Baxter, who had married her aunt, Jane Ann Allen. She received a good education and remained with the Baxters until her marriage, November 11, 1897, to Oscar C. Burritt, born at Hydeville, Vermont, July, 1864, died at Argyle, New York, May, 1899. He was a civil engineer, being a graduate of a technical school, and later he took up railroad engineering, and while in the employ of the Delaware & Hudson railroad received an injury that caused his death six months later. He married (first) Mary Sadler, who bore him three children, two deceased, and Nelson Burritt, a resident of Saratoga, New York. Oscar D. was a son of Oscar D. and Abigail (Grey) Burritt. Children: Richard Nelson, Oscar D., Bertha and William L. The Burritts were early in New England, and Rev. Blackleach Burritt was a soldier of the revolution. Oscar D. and Mary J. (Allen) Burritt had one child (posthumous),
- Ruth J., born August 9, 1899, who resides with her mother in Albany, New York, in attendance at the public schools.
[From Addenda and Errata in Vol. IV, p. xlvii: "for narrative of Robert Fulton see p. 302"]