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James H. Baker was born in March 1848 in Shelby County,
Indiana, a son of George and Elizabeth (Hollis) Baker. When they moved
from Iowa to Johnson County, Missouri, he went with them, but soon was in
Kansas with brother William Wiley and Benjamin L. Baker.
He married Selena Leedy about 1874, probably in
Missouri.
When Benjamin went west and William Wiley went to
Nebraska, James H. stayed with the railroad. In 1880, James was
a telegraph lineman for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. When he died, he
had worked his way up to General Foreman Of The Telegraph Department. He
died as a result of injuries received in a railway accident while on the
job. Many Railroad officials from Chicago and St. Louis attended his
funeral in Sedalia.
He and Selena owned a house at 222 E. 4th in Sedalia where
they lived, but he spent most of his time in Kansas City where he worked.
James was buried in Sedalia City Cemetery and Selena is buried in Crown
Hill Cemetery.
The following are news stories of his accident and
death.
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DEATH OF JAMES H. BAKER
News story, KANSAS CITY STAR, 13 Dec. 1907
A FALL FROM A TRESTLE FATAL
The Death of James H. Baker, Wire Chief of The Missouri Pacific James H. Baker, 58 years old, wire chief of the
Missouri
Pacific Telegraph System, died last night at the Missouri Pacific Hospital from injuries received Monday in a fall from a trestle near Leeds, Mo. With R. A. Land, a lineman, Baker was making a short inspection trip on a railroad velocipede. While going around a curve the machine left the tracks and fell thirty feet from the trestle. Land received only a few bruises and was able to go to his home in Hallowell, Kas. Tuesday morning. Baker had lived in Sedalia Mo. more than twenty years and had been employed by the Missouri Pacific Railway Company thirty four years. His son, George Baker, and the widow arrived in Kansas City last night after they were notified of the death. Another son, Benjamin, lives in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The body was taken to Carroll-Davidson's undertaking rooms, where the coroner will hold an autopsy this morning. ++++++++ SEDALIA DEMOCRAT SENTINAL 12 Dec. 1907
JAMES H. BAKER'S FUNERAL
Will be conducted from the family residence Monday afternoon. The body of James H. Baker, who died at Kansas
City
Thursday afternoon, arrived here Friday afternoon and was taker to McGlaughlin Bros. undertaking rooms and later to deceased's former home 222 E. Fourth Street. Rev. S.S. Martin, pastor of the First M. E. Church will conduct the funeral services at the family residence at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning, and burial will be made in the city cemetery. Benjamin Baker, of Dewey, Okla., a son, arrived Friday, and George Baker, another son, of Santa Rosa, N. M. will arrive today. ++++++++ SEDALIA DEMOCRAT SENTINAL 16 DEC. 1907
THE FUNERAL OF MR. BAKER
Remains laid to rest in the
city cemetery today.
The funeral of James H. Baker, formerly General Foreman
of the Missouri Pacific Telegraph Department, was held from the family residence, 222 E. Fourth Street, at 10 o'clock this morning. Rev. S. S. Martin officiating. Burial was made in the city cemetery, the following serving as pallbearers: James T. Montgomery, Edward Shultz, Harry Mayer, L. C. Redmond, William Harris, and T. J. Higgins, a line man from Wichita, Kas. The services were largely attended. Every lineman on the different branches west of St. Louis attended, also the following officials: E. A. Chenery, superintendent of Telegraph for the Missouri Pacific; T. W. Jackson, representing a Chicago electrical firm, and J. C. Brown, general foreman from Little Rock, Ark. There were a number of beautiful floral offerings. |
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