The Baker Family 

(Spoilers included: If you haven't read
the book you'll want to read it before reading this)

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New Information on Ralph Baker

After releasing the book, I was contacted by the great-niece of George and Ralph Baker (Tammy Fryar Kingen) with details on Ralph Baker.  Contrary to what had been recorded in Donna Morton Morgan's book on the Lookout Mountain Morton's, Ralph Baker did not die in prison. He was released from prison around 1935-1936. He was Tammy's (aka Tama) favorite uncle and described how he turned his life around. She said, "he was a totally different man ... he really enjoyed doing good things for people."

Ralph Baker

Ralph Baker in 1958

Ralph Baker with Tammy's father "Brooxie" in 1948

Ralph moved to New Mexico, went on to become a psychologist, and married a woman named Sally. He and Sally never had children. Ralph was fascinated by the mineral springs as well as massage therapy. He became a very different man and always regretted what happened. Here is an account as told to me by his great niece Tammy Fryar Kingen:

"According to Uncle Ralph, Uncle George came up with the idea of robbing the train, Uncle Ralph didn't want any part of it but he didn't want Uncle George going by himself, so they rode the train from Flintstone where the family were from, but during the mean time Uncle George got drunk, according to Uncle Ralph he said Uncle George was 'making an ass of himself.' 

Uncle Ralph did in fact take the gun from George, when they reach the depot in Durham, the conductor of the train ordered them off the train. That is where they ran into Joe Morton. Uncle George got in a confrontation with Joe Morton about coming to arrest him, George pushed Joe Morton, George fell. Joe Morton started shooting and of course that is when Uncle Ralph pulled the gun and shot Joe Morton. Uncle George never had the gun. Of course they never robbed the train but that was the start of the conversation between Uncle George and Uncle Ralph before they got on the train. 

They did in fact hang the wrong man. Up to the day Uncle Ralph died he never got the picture of Uncle George out of his head of the day of the hanging ... and he always regretted that day. He always said that he wished he could change it, but it was done and he couldn't do anything about it, but move forward and do the best that he could..."

I've also been contacted by other Baker relatives since the book's release and was given the following details on the Baker siblings:

• Lawrence Baker (no children)
• Carol Baker (no children)
• George Baker (no children)
• Ralph Baker married Sally (no children)
• Faye Baker had 3 boys and a girl - Roy, Ralph, Ray and Ruby Joe. (Faye was Tammy Fryar Kingen's great grandmother)
• Carimae Baker Chandler had 2 girls and a boy (Jackie, Vera and Joel) (She went by Mae.) 
• Vera Baker (no children)
• Ted Baker had one daughter (Patricia).

There are no Baker males in this line to carry on the family name.