The Press., 1897-05-20
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Death of .Wm. K. Baker, of Springfield.
 William Kingsley Baker died at his home at 112 Spring street Tuesday after noon after very brief illness with pleuro- pneumonia. The death is surprising in it's suddenness, and it's news will be hard ly credible to many who but few days ago saw Mir. Baker pursuing his regular business. The day before he was taken i'll, he was at the bank at usual. His ill- ness came in the form of slight indis- position week ago and it was at first thought that it was a mere affection of the cnest muscles. Later,. however, it developed into what was thought to be pleurisy and in 8 day or two more pleuro- pneumonia set in its worst form, both lungs being affected. In the death of Mr. Baker Springfield loses one of her. best citizens. He was known throughout the city as conscientious and upright busi- ness man. The latter part of his life had been devoted largely to the management of. the Chester W. Chapin estate, in which he has been remarkably jealous and singularly unselash. MT. Baker was 8 member .of the First church and was much interested in philanthropic affairs, to which he was liberal contributor.
 Mir. Baker had been connected with many important business enterprises, having been for many years previous to his death president of the Chapin national bank. MT. Baker was nearly 80 years old at the time of his death. He was born in Stafford Springs, September %, 1877, and being the oldest son of Henry Church and Eunice Kingsley Baker. In his youth he attended school at Ellington and Ashford. At IT he went to work in the country store at Somers, and after that went with Chester W. Chapin and Stephen c. Bemis into country store on Chicopee street. He then went into Col David M. Bryant's store at Chicopee Falls and after kept dry goods store on his own account in New Bedford.
 In 1842 he married Martha M. Watson at her home in Canton. Soon after their marriage Mir. Baker went into business enterprises in other cities until 1850, when he became postmaster for the Agawam Canal Co, which afterwards became the Agawam paper company. Three years later he was made treasurer for the same company and at this time he became the confidential clerk of MT. Chapin.
 Mir. Baker was active in the founding in 1872 of the Chapin banking and trust company, a state bank, which later be- came the Chapin national bank. Chester W. Chapin was the first president of the banking and trust company and MT. Baker was vice-president. The institu- tion became a national bank in 1879 and at the death of Mir. Chapin in 1883 Mir Baker became president and held that position up to the time of his death. He was also instrumental in organizing the Collins paper company at North Wilbra- ham and since that time had been treas urer of that corporation He was presi- dent and director of the Bemis & Call hardware and tool company, director and clerk of the Agawam paper company and the oldest director in the Mutual fire as- surance company. While a stanch re- publican he was not very active in politics. In 1863 he was alderman from ward 3, but this was the only political office he ever held.
 l. < MT. Baker was the oldest of five brothers, two of whom died in early man hood. Another, Gilbert H. Baker, died at Stafford Springs in 1887, and the last, Charles A. Baker, is now living in Fall River. MT. Baker leaves a widow and one son, Henry K. Baker, president of the Springfield foundry company His grandchildren are William F. Baker and Miss Rose Baker.