Mercy Rachel Baker

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 2 2017, 5:43:20 UTC

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GEDCOM Note

Did not marry.

Mercy Rachel Baker— Mercy Baker Laid at Rest in Mendon — Mendon, March 12, Funeral services were held for mercy Baker Monday at 11:30 in the Mendon ward chapel. There was a goodly number of friends present to pay a tribute of respect. The services were presided over by Bishop Bird. The ward choir sang the opening and closing numbers. Mr. Baugh sang twice during the services and Sister Retta Walker gave a vocal solo. Several speakers bore testimony to the good character and useful life of Sister Baker. They were her uncle, Daniel Richards of Salt Lake City, Dr. Baker of Ogden, Dr. Thomas of Logan, President William C. Parkinson of the Hyrum Stake, J. Z. Stewart, Prof. Hickman of Logan and Bishop Bird. Prof. Linford offered the opening prayer. The services were beautiful and impressive throughout. Sister Baker had not made her home in Mendon for many years, yet we knew her well, from our intimate acquaintance with her in her younger days when she was engaged in teaching one of our schools, from her occasional visits and the good reports of her life and labors in Salt Lake City. Sister Baker had a high aim in life, and did not get weary of trying, until she had reached the object in view, that object we take it to be as well educated in her chosen line as any other person. Although handicapped in the beginning by many obstacles that would have deterred many from struggling on, she was able to overcome all of these and step by step ascended the stairs of fame until complete success crowned every one of her efforts for higher education. Sister Baker was a splendid daughter, good to her mother. When her mother most needed assistance, after losing her husband and being lift with a family of young children in those times Mercy being one of the older children was there with the goods and rendered valuable aid in keeping the family and home together. If space would permit pages could bee filled reciting incidents in the life and labors of this good sister. We are glad she was born and reared in this community and was pleased to be called one of us. We always knew when she represented us, we were well represented. Her dear old mother as well as brothers and sisters have the heartfelt sympathy of us all in this their hour of bereavement. It seems hard indeed to see this woman lose so many of her sons and daughters after reaching maturity. May our kind Father help her and her family to see a light in this dark hour. [The Journal, March 13, 1918, page 1 & 6]

Mercy Rachel Baker— Mercy Rachel Baker, the first child of Jarvis Young Baker and Rachel Richards, was born 29 September, 1865, in Mendon, Utah. She received her early education in the public schools of Mendon, and at Logan. After graduating from Brigham Young College at Logan, she took up the profession of teaching. She was of great assistance to her brothers and sisters in helping them get their education. First she taught for a year in College Ward, and then in 1888–89 in Petersboro, and the following year in Mendon. Her brother John would go down to Mendon and study with her at night. After teaching at Mendon, she was employed as critic teacher in the Normal Training Department of the Brigham Young College. Many of her summers were spent in Summer School. The summer of 1895–96 she attended the University of Utah. In the fall of 1896 she went east and entered the Emerson College of Oratory and the Posse gymnasium at Boston, Massachusetts, and later entered Dr. Sargent's Sanitary gymnasium at Cambridge. She also studied at Harvard University in the summers of 1898–99, and in 1901 she graduated with high honors from the Emerson College of Oratory. She was an instructor of education and physical education, and also a public reader in Boston and Cambridge. After graduating she spent some time in visiting the leading schools, colleges and universities of the east. In 1902–03 she returned to Utah and took charge of the department of oratory and physical education in the Oneida Stake Academy at Preston, Idaho. In 1904 she established a private school in Salt Lake City, known as the Baker School of Oratory and Dramatic Art and School for Stammerers, located first on the sixth floor of the Templeton Building, across from where the Hotel Utah is now located, and later on the second floor of the Constitution Building. She conducted the school for twelve years, rendering useful service to many people in Salt Lake City. In 1916, for the sake of her health, she decided to close the school and move to Moulton, Idaho, with her brother Simon, where she taught school for a year and a half. She died of pneumonia 6 March, 1918, and her body was brought back to Mendon, where she was buried in the Mendon Cemetery. [Emma Baker Sorensen, compiler & Frederick Chester Sorensen, editor, Simon Baker and His Descendants (Utah Printing Company, 1964) page 583–584]