Iowa Sunday School Boy Dead at age 8

Question

Hi Wikitreers,

While we research and try to connect the family of the “Radio Doctor” Norman G. Baker a notable and con man. We find that the memorial on FindAGrave for Lew Boyend Baker (1888 - 1897) has Lew connected as Norman Bakers brother. 

I have not been able to find Lew’s death record or an obit with any details. Does he have a birth record showing parental lineage? 

How did a little 8 year year old Sunday School boy pass away so early in life and do we have the right parents connected. 

There is an article in the same year and timing of a train crash and also another of a Lew going to pick apples with others. I’ll post them articles soon for reference. 

Reference #1) unlikely? The Malvern Leader, October 28, 1897, Page 5. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-malvern-leader/135056867/ : accessed November 12, 2023), clip page  by user andrewguy1976

Any collaboration is appreciated 

Thank you

A bio in one the Familysearch trees has this: When Lew Boyden Baker was born about 1888, in Muscatine, Iowa, United States, his father, John L Baker, was 43 and his mother, Ida Victoria Rice, was 30. He died in 1897, in his hometown, at the age of 10, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa, United States.

Answer 1

The 1895 Iowa census lists this child Lew with his brother Charles and mother Ida who was married to a John L. Baker.  

"Iowa State Census, 1895", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VTQW-HXH : Sat Oct 07 00:06:57 UTC 2023), Entry for Ida Baker and Lew Baker, 1895.

Comments

Interesting fact! I’m thinking along the lines of this boys memorial is attached to the wrong parents?

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It is my opinion that the Find A Grave memorial for Lew is connected to the wrong father and sibings, but correct mother.

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Ah yes I see as I don’t believe John Baker was married twice. The manager of the FindAGrave memorial would have to make the correction.

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I agree this John Baker did not marry twice.  I seems that the Find A Grave connections for this John Baker and spouse Mary Anshultz are definitely comingled and misconnected to at least one other unrelated John Baker family from the same era.

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I agree. I updated his profile but can be improved upon with collaboration it’s appreciated for this child

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Currently connected on Findagrave as the son of John Baker 1846–1929 and Ida Victoria Rice 1859–1938

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One of the two articles I have on his profile mention in a heart felt clip

 …”The High Prairie M. E. Sunday school adopted the following resolutions on the death of Lew Baker…

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Profiles for his parents and sibling have been created and attached.

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Thank you it got a bit confusing makes sense now 

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This John Baker (abt. 1840 - abt. 1914) is likely a notable but is not little Lew’s poppa. I am curious if this John Baker does have a Memorial?

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He was wealthy and surley has a headstone somewhere to reference. However, a search for that John Baker on Find A Grave did not show one in Iowa, or Illinois where he reportedly died.  Have not yet checked Billion Graves.

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That’s what I figured very wealthy I wonder if the wife as she was a writer had any published works. I belive Norman’s wealth was at $10 million at one point I thought I read somewhere. In that time and era was a significant amount.

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I think it might be our John Baker the inventor mentioned

The Muscatine Journal, September 18, 1914, Page  3. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-muscatine-journal/135073774/ : accessed November 12, 2023), clip page  by user andrewguy1976

Answer 2

Ron deserves credit for a great catch.

Here's a short biography of what appears to be Ida's father in a local biography:

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Portrait_and_Biographical_Album_of_Musca/yFQ0AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22John+Baker%22+Muscatine+Rice&pg=PA575&printsec=frontcover

Comments

And here is an obituary for John W, RIce:

https://www.newspapers.com/article/muscatine-news-tribune-obituary/135097520/

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Thank you Roger

I’ll be working more on the connection soon this is so very helpful! 

I just added John W. Rice and Harriett Stoop would be nice to connect to the big main tree 

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It's not the strongest sourcing but I think that I have him connected through the Purnell and Hook families.