updated 05/02/2016

James Tracy and Clarissa (Champion) Tracy John S. Tracy and Melissa (Baker) Tracy

James & Clarissa Tracy homestead, ca1900 Their farm was in the northwest corner of Cass twp. The buggy in the photo belonged to George W. Roe, a photographer from Strawberry Point. The photographer was more than likely, Mr. Roe. The photo is from the Baldridge and Kenneally scrapbook in the Strawberry Point library. ~ contributed by Paula O'Donnell

Above left: This picture is thought to have been taken in the 1860's or 70's.  The family lived near Strawberry Point.
Seated in front are husband and wife, James Tracy and Clarissa (Champion) Tracy
Standing in the back are husband and wife, John S. Tracy and Melissa (Baker) Tracy 

~notes:
See also James Tracey biography and Clarissa Tracy obituary

Obadiah Ethelbert Baker was a brother to Melissa Baker. I believe that the two siblings were close to each other, because Obadiah E. wrote about his sister Melissa in his journals a few times.  Obadiah was an amateur poet, and he kept extensive journals during his life, writing poems about events, in particular about the Civil War.  Even to this day a few of those poems can be found in published in books about the war.  The following is a poem Obadiah E. wrote when he heard of the passing of his sister Melissa:

Fall River Mills, Shasta County, CA
April 19th, 1883

Written on receiving news of the death of my sister, Melissa S Tracy

Much lived sister, thou art gone     On earth I'll see thy face no more     May we meet beyond the river     When the toils of lie are o're! Dear, fond sister, when we parted,      But a few short weeks ago,      Thought I not, we'd meet no never      In this vale of tears below. But we'll meet beyond the river,      Nor the time will not seem long,      E're we'll meet, and praise the Savior,      In that land of prayer, and song. Thou hast gone to meet a brother,     He who fell to save our land,     Ah he fell with a rebel bullet     Piercing through his forehead grand. Thou will meet him my dear sister      Meet him with that patriot band      Slaughtered in our late encounter,      By the rebels of our land.

Thou will meet also a sister,      Not a year since gone before      She will greet thee, "Sister Janie"     At the portals of the door. Thou will meet also a father      Not five years ago he went,      Went to join the host of heaven,      And a message to was sent. At the same time, to our mother,     To be ready soon to go,     And she laid aside earth wrappings     Leaving us, to mourn below. May I meet you all in Heaven      Brothers, Sisters, dear ones all      Father, Mother, Gracie darling      Meet you all at the Saviors call.                                   .........Ethelbert

Obadiah E. Baker and his wife, Melissa Dalton Baker, had a somewhat famous son named Milo Baker.  A society in California is named after him. Milo Baker was born in Clayton county in 1868. Obadiah E. Baker biography

**~~**~~**~~

Walter D. Tracy Son of John S. Tracy and Melissa (Baker) Tracy, was born in Clayton County. Walter D. Tracy biography

Clara Ruth (Tracy) Toomey Clara Ruth (Tracy) Toomey, daughter of John S. Tracy and Melissa (Baker) Tracy, was born in Clayton County. She apparently was a genealogist in her day, and today has a few Tracy researchers working on the Tracy genealogy from her decendancy.  Clara did great work as she found a connection to an ancestor who participated in the Revolutionary War named David Corbin, and a Mayflower descendant named William White.

~unless otherwise noted, the photos and information were contributed by Joel Tracy, ggg-grandson of Walter D. Tracy.
~to contact Joel: his email address can be found in the Surname Registry under 'Tracy'

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