Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-30
take place this afternoon at o'clock
from the Hallowell Methodist church.

take pace InlS afternoon at CLOCK
from the Hallowell Methodist church.
Henry Knox Baker was born in Canaan
now wheggan-December 2, 1906. His
father, Amos Baker was a man who had
a sdWewhat varied career The Revolu-
tiOnary War broke out in his boyhood,
and he enlisted in the army, when he was
but ID years old, and served seven years.
When the war ended. he was one of
Washington's Life Guards. His home
during the early years Of his life was in
New Hampshire, but after the death of
his first wife, he came to Maine, where
he taught district schools and singing
schools, Here he married Miss Weston,
a member of the great Weston family,
whose branches extend through Somerset
county and a part of rhennebec. Henry
Knox Baker was the. first child born of
| this marriage. When he was a boy of 10
years, lis father, who bad re-enlisted in
| the army during theWarsof 1872. died sud
denly in camp near Buffalo, leaving his
wife Il widow with four young children to
support and care for.
The story OF the struggles and priva-
| tons Of those early years has been told
| by Mr.. Baker himself in series of in
teresting sketches written for the Halo
well Register, few years ago His
| mother was assisted III supporting her
little family by her brothers and by. the
Kudness of neighbors. At that time, in
| the beginning of the present century.
many of the comforts and Injuries which
have now become almost universal, were
comparatively unknown. People in farm
| ing communities nanufactured almost
everything they used. and We're content
was one luxury, however, which was even
| in that early time enjoyed in the Baker
family. Though the number of books
they owned was small-the Bible, Let
| tiers from the Dead" Jonathan Edwards
ION the WILL" and a few other volumes
| Mrs. Baker owned a share in small cir
from which books We're obtained for fam
| lily reading. Mr.. Baker remembered his
father and mother sitting up nights to
read aloud a book about Catherine of
Russia He himself had read the Bible
through before he was years old. and he
re-read it many times during his subse-
uuent life. Other books read by him be-
fore he left home at IA years old were
Shakespeare's plays, Humes history OF
England" Pilgrims Progress, and
from this taste for reading, thus early
acquired, that the larger part of Mr..
Bakers education, was gained; ms only
I'm In 1871, when he was about "A years old,
| he was sent to- Hallowell to learn the
printers trade III the office of Col. Mas
| ters. Here the .ehe, quiet, country boy
made few acquaffaa nces,s but spent his
/ leisure in his favUrite occupation OF read
ing Although the atmosphere OF MS
home had never been distinetly religious,
he early formed the habit OF church
going. attending the "Old south Cnurcn
under the ministrations of Parson Glllelt;
At different times he was amember or
| Sabbath School classes taught by Mr.
John Merrick and by Dr.. Amos Nourse,
| both Of whom We're men of education ana
| culture and had a kindly interest IN the
Young student who displayed such
| thirst for knowledge. .,
A year or two after Mr.. Baker came TO
| Haliowell he with other printer boys
| formed a club called the Franklin Jeoat-
| ing Society, which continued IN cXlstelce
| for four or five years. He was after-
| yards a member OF the Young Mems De
| batting Society formed by Mr.; John A
Vaughn, and later OF the aai a1ool hy
| ooiiares were neither so plenty nor so
| e3sy Of access as they now are, these ue-
batting societies were not oiiiy .ItiSS
| stronp moral forces as well. Mr.: Baker
| said Of the Franklin Debating Society:
III none Of US rose to be Great ateh men, ho'
AT II Years old Mr.. Baker began to
| write for the newspapers, eontriput lfR
| both prose and verse. He was not SUN II
cientIy imaginative to make his marx as
| A poet and in maturer years rt Gollilr, ,.
himself almost wholly 10 prose; ms ~ ~
| na,,er articles embraced q wide range OF
| pp,,hiaefs literary political, religious, ue-
1 ecrintiye and critical. His prose style
was strong. easy and correct. lie WIS
clear, logical thinker, not b eaTiias shams
| cor, ssrvative in his habits of thought, ys1
corabinfng with these qualities a a. raI ~
| hind and expression. He said OF h1nlselI:
| ~ am not a master of fine writing, p y
| endeayor. 70 write plain common sense,
In 1892 lwhen1 Mr. snaiI BOOK MI e entitled
Studies III Sacred Song THIS volu rli :
deserved; Swing was mot p pub
| a. vav az 40 bring it 10 the notice OF any
large circle of readers ., ,,asrs a,a no
| Isefore Mr.. Baker was Il years GU ~
| - ihaen( for two years employed as edl-
tor Of the HaIlowelI Gazette, Mnen ad
came of the Gazette was b alseon nerioan