Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-12-12

parted bnls life. Ihl5 time b nDal
summons came for Hon. j. Thompson
Baker, one of the three founders of
Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. Mr..
Baker was ~ years of age. Death &C.
Cured on Sunday, December 7, 1919,
at the St. Agnes hospital, Philadel-
phia, where he was taken about a
month ago from his Wildwood home.
Up to that time he appeared to be in
his usual health and attended to bust
ness. The body was brought to Wild
wood Monday evening owe the Wild
wood and Delaware Bay Short Line
railroad, the company Of which he was
president. Funeral services were held
Wednesday afternoon in the Episcopal
church, with Undertaken Ingersoll in
charge. Rev. Bailey conducted the
church service and there was a Mason
ic service.
The funeral was a large one and the
church was filled with friends and
neighbors gathered to pay the last
mark of respect for a prominent citi-
zen. Interment was made at Cold
Spring cemetery. He is survived by
three daughters and two brothers,
Philip and Latimer, four sisters and
the widow. The pail bearers were
Carl L. Siebert, Charles A. Douglass,
Adolf Andersen, 3. A. Laning, Robert
Bright, directors of the trust company;
Postmaster George N. Smith, e. G.
Slaughter and o. l. Blackwell, direc-
tors of the railroad company. The
most noted message of coincidence re-
ceived by the family was from Presi-
dent Wilson, reading as follows:
"Mrs. Wilson and / learn with the
keenest regret of loss you have sus-
tanned and our hearts go out to you
and yours in deep sympathy"
Mr.. Baker was no buried in Lewis
burg, where the family had a burial
lot, because a paper found among his
effects asked that he be buried "where
the people honor and trusted me so
much"
The deceased was the son Of a Union
county, Pa. farmer, being born near
Lewlsburg on April ID, 1S47. He at
tended the public school, and gradua-
ted from Bucknell University at Lew
isburg, Pa, with the degree of Master
Of Arts. If ever a nan was entitled to
this degree it was J. T. Baker. He
was truly the master Of many arts and
it was no empty honor conferred upon
him by his college. He made good.
His teachers were quick to zee the su-
perior intellectual qualities of the
youth.
He studied law and practiced his
profession in Lewisburg for about th1r-
ty years. During this time he was
identified with the active life OF Lewis
burg, was president of the Union Ma
tionaI Bank and one of the owners OF
the waterworks.
In the year 1904 he became a voter
in Wild wood for the first time, and
shortly after he built his present resi-
dence at the corner of Maple and At
lantic n and moved his family
here. Prior to this time his family
owned and occupied every summer the
cottage now owned by Koeneke Bros,
opposite the JOURNAL building. Mr..
Baker gradually released his grasp on
the affairs of Lewisburg and devoted
his entire time assisting In the develop
ment of wildwood. He was a leader
In board OF trade work and in demand
as a speaker on all occasions.
In 1912 when the Baker Brothers or
ganized the trust company the de-
ceased became its president. In 1910
Mr.. Baker was a delegate to the New
Jersey State Democratic convention.
Although new in the political game,
he was chosen to make one Of the nom
mating speeches in favor OF WOODROW
Wilson for Governor. His eloquece
carried the convention by storm and
won over manyl delegates to the sup
port of Wilson. 1t has been said that
this speech nominated Wilson for Gov
ernor of New Jersey and started him
on the way to the White House.
In 1912 MI. Baker was induced TO
accept the Democratic nomination Tor
Congress from thisldistrict. He MADE
an active campaign and covered all
parts of the district composed OF the
Counties of Cumberland, Atlantic,
Burlington and Cape May. In a three
cornered flight he defeated John ).
Gardner, the old Republican wal horse
who had been in Congress 20 years.
During, the 1910 and 1912 campaigns
he came into close touch with Wood
row Wilson, and he became one OF the
confidants: and advisers OF the GoVer-
nor and President.
n-A- a. In ~ Mr. RQKRT 10