John Henry Baker
Born: March 23rd, 1848
Died: June 6th, 1913
Obituary
John Henry Baker, a Burlington bricklayer who had been working a the New Santa Fe Avenue Methodist church at Fort Madison for some time past, took his own life when on the northbound train out of there yesterday morning. He had been ailing for the week and was returning to spend Sunday with relatives.
Baker passed away at Mercy hospital at 3:50 o’clock Friday afternoon. Death was due to carbolic acid poisoning. As to the motive, nothing definite is known, except that he complained of ill health for the past week. He took the poison on the train from the south, between Fort Madison and Burlington. When the train arrived at the depot, an ambulance was summoned and he was taken to Mercy hospital, where physicians gave him attention at once. But the poison had done its work and the medical men were unable to do anything to stay the hand of death.
John Henry Baker was born in Maryland March 23, 1848, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Baker; came to Burlington with his parents years ago. He was a bricklayer by trade, a skilled mechanic. He had many friends, who will be grieved to learn of his death and will hold him in kindly remembrance. He leaves the widow, who is at Cold Springs, Okla., and six children, John N. Baker and Kate, Mary, Ella, Margaret, and Clara Baker, and the aged father Mr. Henry Baker, who is a nonagenarian.
Deceased was a member of the bricklayers’ union and of the Burlington Lodge No. 2, of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
The funeral will be held from the residence, 606 Cameron Street, at 2:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon and will be conducted under the auspices of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.