The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-27

kansas newspaper men. He was in
his ninetieth year and for many years
he was closely identified with Kansas
journalism, beginning in the sixties.
He retired from active newspaper
work when he sold the Common
wealth in 1888. Three sons and
daughter survive him, Clifford c. Ba-
ker of Lathrop, Mo-, I. N. Baker of
Bay City, Mich, N. R. Baker of Fres-
no, Cal, and Mrs. H. w. Sharp of
Newton. Mrs. C. c. Baker and Mrs.
Sharp were at the bedside when the
end came.
The funeral will be held at II
o'clock Saturday morning. Rev. ]. H
Jones of Unity church will speak at
the house and Topeka lodge No. II
of Masons, of which he was a life
long member will have charge of the
funeral.
funeral. The funeral will be held at
the residence of c. c. Baker, Sixth
avenue and Tyler street.
His EventfuI Life.
Mr.. Baker was born in New York
state, where he attended the country
winter schools, only three months in
the year, after which he taught school
for short time At an early age he
went to Michigan, which was then
considered "out west" but stayed only
one year, returning to New York.
Here he operated line of packet
boats and stage lines, and made mon
ey, but lost it in an attempt to fulfil
q contract to build a section of the
Hudson river railroad. He next went
to Wisconsin, but remained but a
short time before seeking his fortune
, in strange lands. Going to Panama,
he crossed the isthmus and sailed for
San Francisco. Pausing there but a
short time. he went to the Sandwich
Islands. He had been in the Islands
but three weeks when he received an
appointment as crown attorney and
clerk of the district court in Hawaii.
For Is months he held this combina-
tion job, and then decided that the
United States was a better place to
live. He chose Missouri as the first
stop, and lived in that state five years,
coming to Topeka in 1863. He be-
gan the publication of the State Rec
ord, and became prominent in Repub-
lican politics He continued the pub
lication of the Record until 1871,
when it was consolidated with the
Four years later he returned to the
newspaper business, purchasing the
Commonwealth and publishing it un-
til 1888, when it was absorbed by the
Capital. Mr.. Baker and his two sons
then tablished the KansasNewspape
Union which he conducted until 1885,
when his eyesight failed. For two
years he was almost totally blind, and
then an operation restored the sight
of one eye. and in 1898 he was ap-
pointed postoffice clerk in charge of
Station "B" at Washburn college. He
resigned this position because of fall
ing health.
Mr.. Baker was first married in 1874
to Eliza Wilson. who died in 1S49. In
1850 he married Orinda Searle, of Ra-
cine, Wis, who survives him.
Incidents of His Life.
In the early days when friendships
bwere warm and enmity was bitter.
Father Baker was not far behind the
other Kansas editors when it came to
editorial assault. In 1882, the position
of government forester for the district
west of the Mississippi and east of the
Rocky Mountains was created, and F..
P. Baker got the job. His political
faction was then in power, and his
good work in putting it there was not
forgotten. The position carried a sal
ary of practically $4,000 according to
Bakers political and editorial enemy.
General ]. K. Hudson. OF the $4,000.
$1,000 was mileage. to be used by the
forester in his tours of inspection.
General Hudson referred to the ap-