G. Carson Baker's Cunningham Catalog — The Baker Family
Robert BakerBorn: January 12, 1800
Married: Alice Connell (b. 1815)
Children: John (1832), William (1835), Robert (1838),
Thomas G. (1840), Richard D. (1842), Henry (1844),
George (1846), James (1848), Joseph (1850), Georgia (1851),
Charles (1853), Eliza Jane (1856)
Died: February 10, 1880Robert Baker was born in Ireland, emigrated to Canada in the 1830s, and married Alice Connell (born in 1815). We don't know if they were married in Ireland, or in Canada, nor do we know if other family came with them from Ireland. In Canada, Robert and Alice started their family with two children, John (1832) and William (1835). Ten more would follow.
By late 1830s, Robert moved to the U.S. and their third child was born, Robert Jr. (1838), the same year James Cunningham founded Kerr, Cunningham & Co. Carriages. In 1840, the Bakers moved to Rochester and took up residence on High St. Two more sons Thomas (1840) and Richard (1842) were born there.
Robert and many of his children lived in this Third Ward neighborhood for the next 40 years, with one exception. In 1844, he and Alice briefly returned to Canada, where Henry (1844) was born. While they were in Canada, their house in Rochester was in the hands of a Thomas Baker (possibly a brother), until Robert returned in 1845.
Robert's occupation was consistently listed as "laborer" though we don't know where, and found no specific evidence he worked for Cunningham. But, because of his consistent listing of residence and occupation over many, many years in Rochester, we can assume he did find steady work to support his family.
From 1845-1849 the Baker's residence was listed as Adams "near High" which may have been the same house described differently, or one nearby. Here two more sons were born, George (1846) James (1848). In 1849, James Cunningham built his new carriage factory on Canal St. just one mile away.
For the next 22 years (1850-1873) Robert's home was listed as 52 Adams, and his occupation remained laborer. At this address, Robert's last crop of children were born Joseph (1850), Georgia (1851), Charles at child number eleven (1853) and finally Eliza Jane (1856). Robert was 53 when Charles was born, and probably quite proud of producing yet another son at this age, though he also perhaps enjoyed finally having a few daughters as well. The year after the last child was born the Bakers lost a son. William, at age 22, died as a result of a fall.
When the Civil War began in the 1861, four of Robert's sons joined the ranks. Richard and Thomas fought with the 22nd N.Y. Calvary; Henry and Robert Jr. fought with the 140th Infantry regiment. Three of the Bakers came home; Robert Jr. did not. He died of wounds received in the Battle of Gettysburg in July, 1863.
In 1864, Alice died at age 49. The oldest children were grown enough to manage for themselves, but most continued to live at home and help Robert care for the younger ones, including Charles at age 11 and Jane at only 8.
After the war, the brothers started working in the trades, and over the years their occupations at various times were listed as carpentry, masonry, blacksmith, and boat building. In1866, two of the veterans, Thomas and Richard, and two of the other brothers, George and James, were all listed as boat builders. Business and trades related to shipping and waterways were thriving in Rochester due to recent expansion of the Erie Canal. Richard (and possibly the others as well) worked for Cram and Knapp, located on the Ohio Basin of the Genesee Valley Canal, due east and parallel to Canal St. (quite literally, across the street from the Cunningham Carriage factory). Richard went to Alleghany to work on a boat project in 1867, and two of his brothers may have gone with him. Richard stayed there and married, the others returned to Rochester by 1870.
In 1870, Charles Baker of Adams St. was 16, and it was time for him to go to work. He began his career as a carriage painter at 3 Canal St. At this time his brother James also worked for Cunningham as a blacksmith, and over the next few years Joseph and George worked for Cunningham as well, as carpenters. Their house was within walking distance of the factory; a fairly easy commute.
In 1874, the Baker's house on Adams changed from #52 to #67. Either they all moved down the street, or perhaps the street numbering changed.
Charles continued to live with his father and work steadily as a carriage painter until 1874. But in 1875, he is no longer listed in Rochester. This matches the timeline in our oral history that Charles was married in Clyde N.Y. in 1875, which would explain this absence from Rochester.
In July, 1876 Robert Baker lost another son, who died from sunstroke while unloading lumber from a canal boat. Henry was 32.
On February 10, 1880, after a productive and prolific life, Robert succumbed to pneumonia. In his long life he experienced great sadness, but surely he experienced great happiness and pride as well.
The home at 67 Adams was passed down to Joseph. We have not yet discovered all the paths the other brothers lives took after this, but we do know when some came to their ends. In 1913, George died of gangrene at age 67. Thomas died in 1916. Richard the boat builder died in 1921 in Saugatuck, Michigan; his obituary named Charles as a surviving brother.
Robert is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, N.Y., with his wife Alice and six of their children.
Map of the City of Rochester in 1875 identifies the house owned by "Robt. Baker" at 67 Adams St. (lot 156) in Ward 3.
