W H Baker of Barnesville, OH

photographer: W H Baker
Barnesville, OH

Reverse of the Card on the left

There were at least 50 photographers named Baker in the cabinet card era. There were four of them in Ohio.

William Henry Baker worked as photographer all his life, and all of it in Barnesville, OH. There is no city directory available for Barnesville so his working history is pretty thin based only on the US census and a few mentions in the Zanesville, OH, newspaper. Barnesville and Zanesville are about 50 miles apart. It is possible that Baker had studios in both towns but nothing has been found to document this. (See 31 Oct 1929)

To complicate searching a bit, there were several other men named W H Baker in Ohio during that time. They were policemen, farmers, judges, pastors and politicians making appearances in the newspapers more often than the photographer. There was also a jeweler named W H Baker living in the same town of Barnesville.

It appears that this photographer was well known for doing school class photographs. The event is documented a couple times in the newspaper.

William Henry Baker
(1859 - 1937)

1859 Jul 15
Ohio, US census, William Henry Baker is born to Henry Baker and Emeline Reed
1884 Sep 18
Belmont, OH, state records, W H Baker marries Minnie C Powers
1888 Feb 08
Barnesville, OH, state records, daughter Cornelia E Baker is born
1900 Jun 08
Barnesville, OH, US census, as photographer; no address shown
1910 Apr 25
Barnesville, OH, US census, as photographer; res 241 s Lincoln
1920 Jan 09
Barnesville, OH, US census, as photographer; res 241 s Lincoln
1929 Oct 31
Zanesville, OH, Times Recorder news item says Baker a “local” photographer is doing photographs for the high school annual including the organizations and the senior class

1930 Apr 08
Barnesville, OH, US census as photographer; res 247 Lincoln (possibly a misprint)
1930 Sep 20
Zanesville, OH, Times Recorder news item says Baker is doing photographs for the high school annual
1931 Oct 08
Zanesville, OH, Times Recorder news item says Baker is retiring due to failing health
1931 Oct 29
Zanesville, OH, Times Recorder news item says it is the first time since 1919 that the high school annual photographs will not be taken by W H Baker.
1937 Aug 26
Barnesville, OH, state records, William Henry Baker dies at age 78

The example here could have been taken any time between about 1888 and 1931. The design of the card would indicate it was close to 1900 as cabinet card popularity was decreasing after that time.

Zanesville, OH, Times Recorder - 31 Oct 1929


Zanesville, OH, Times Recorder - 20 Sep 1930

Zanesville, OH, Times Recorder - 08 Oct 1931

(Note: Baker was in the photography business much longer than 35 years)

Zanesville, OH, Times Recorder - 29 Oct 1931

Zanesville, OH, Times Recorder - 27 Aug 1937

photographer: C W Baker
Denver, CO
example from auction site
(No connection has been found to W H Baker of Ohio)

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name. All the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in LOST GALLERY are listed there.

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Aditional information and new examples are always welcome. Any additional information will help narrow the time that these precious antiques were made.

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