Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1902-10-15
DEATH OF
SAM BAKER
ANOTHER PIONEER PASSES
IN HIS CnECkS
Biography Dictated by Himself
Years Ago

where recorded In his paper, was
born in Belfast, Ireland, December l, |
1929. He came to America, sailor |
boy, at the age of fifteen, landing in
New York, and was soon among the
| most ardent lovers and faithful citi-
zens OF the great republic. AS a ma
riner he sailed in American ships
| across the Atlantic ocean, visiting the
principal seaports IF Europe and
! America and was III the war with
! Mexico. He was on the L. S. trans
port ship Monterey, of Vera Cruz, at
! the time Of the siege, this was in
i1S4e. ...-..
November 8. IS4S, re sailed from
New York for California ON the u. S.
transport ship Iowa, in company with
eight other transport ships, having $50
U. S. troops on board under command
OF General Bennett F. Riley, the first
provisional Governor OF California,
under the acquisition of that territory
by the United States, his flag ship
and head quarters being the Iowa.
with himself and the regimental band
on board. The feet made the voyage
propitiously by way of Cape Horn.
touching at Rio Janeiro and Valpa-
raise, and arriving at San Francisco,
March IA, 1S49.
Subsequently Baker sailed in coast
ing service tor short time between
San Francisco and Santa Cruz, then
struck out for the California gold
diggingS up the sacramento river
reaching Suffers Fort in June of that
memorable year. He travelled up to
Smiths Bar onthe American river,
just below Dcten's Bar, where he met
with merely average mining success.
and for about twenty years he was
backward and forward between the
) mining region and salt water. He
visited Oregon in 1851 and for about
year after he got back was employed
AS overseer at the California State
, prison at San Quentin.
In July 1860. he came to Nevada
from Benecia as wagon master with a
+, train of thirty-five U. S. government
wagons, loaded with supplies for Fort
Churchill. Subsequently he went
p with the California column, $500 sol
! diers to Arizona, where he was post
e wagon master at Tuscon, for seyera
: months. For about four years he
G rode pony express between Fort Yuma
I; and among hostile Indians and OF
q his return to California took a wager
d train out to Star City, Humboldt coun
= ty, in this State, for Co, c. F. Snow
e den and Major Kyle.
y In August 1863, Baker came to tn,
d Comstock lode, and soon got into reg
n ular employment as brakeman at tn,
IS hosting works of the Gould & Curry
q Savage, Yellow Jacket and other lead
Y. ing mines, following this occupation
n for about ten years. Then by way O
81 variety, he turned his attention to tn
= police department and became cit
.e jalier at Virginia.
r At an early hour in the morning o
y August IA, 1872, he with others o
a the police, detected burglar on tn
n roof of c street saloon and in try
ID ing to climb up an awning post ate
: the fellow. Baker accidentally Eel
is striking heavily on his shoulders an
ID back. Partial paralysis was the RI
n suit, seriously affecting his limbs an
=, q lower part OF the body, and so col
at tinuing to te time of his death.
lie He recovered sufficiently in abou
C a year after his accident to serve a
~ Waterman in the U. S. Mint Carso
or for two or three years, and subseq
IN emily kept small cigar and variet
ct store
He married at Benecia in 1858 an
u.s. leaves a son, formerly yard master Q
III the S. P. R. r. at Wadsworth, an
Z. a daughter. married at Butte, Mon
lie also five grand children, all born i
u.s. Carson City.
ce His last desire was that he shOul
~ be buried under the auspices CT tt
10 old Pacific Coast Pioneers, and N
rs tive Sons of the Golden West.
The foregoing biographical obitua
~ sketch was written from his own d
mr. tation, heading and all, about eig
lie years ago, at the earnest request
N, old Sam himself, who evidently #
,as that his day of dissolution was 4
on far away, and wished to leave hi
OF self satisfactorily recorded. He di
with that continued happy assuran
and his surviving relatives may a
be happily assured that his last da
p ended amid homelike surroundin
'er peacefully and WEI.