We reveal the history of the community through the stories of its dead
individual record

id
first
middle
last
dob
dod
cod
5JuliaAnnBaker2/3/1881illness

veteran
exhumed
purchaser
cemetery
FALSEAdams Street

lot
plot
R12 G5 family pillar, south face R 12 6 "J.A.B" headstone Lot marker found to north of pillar says "104"
relations
James V. Baker (husband, b. 1 May 1809, d. 13 Feb 1865) Mary Baker Brown (daughter, b. c1829) E. B. Brown (son-in-law) Lyman Baker (son, b. c1832, d. 18 Feb 1887) Juliette Bevans Baker (daughter-in-law, married to Lyman) Lucy Baker Woodbridge (daughter, b. c1835) Roselle B. Woodbridge (grand-daughter, b. c1874 to Lucy) Rosa Jennie Baker Lyman (daughter, b. c1842) M. Frances "Frankey" Baker (daughter, b. c1848, d. 15 August 1858) Jacon Myers (brother)

comments
Julia Ann Myers Baker was the wife of quarryman James V. Baker. Their family was enumerated in Berea, OH, in the 1850 and 1860 censuses. For more on her husband and daughter, see entries for James V. Baker (no. 4) and Frankey Baker (no. 3). After her husband's death, she was enumerated in the village of Berea as Julia Ann Baker, age 61, keeping house. She had real estate worth $20,000 and personal property worth $500. She was born in NY. Her daughter Lucy was living with her, age 31, a milliner. Lucy was born in OH. Their neighbors were Wm. Humiston, a grocer, and C. McDermott, a stone dealer. In 1880, they were enumerated in the same place, on Elm St. Julia A. was age 72, widowed, living with her widowed daughter, Lucy B. Woodbridge, aged 44, and her grand-daughter, Roselle B Woodbridge, age 6. Roselle was born in OH, of a father from CT and mother from OH. She was not yet in school. A modern online memorial says this of Julia Ann Baker: "A woman good and true was Mrs. J. V. Baker. The family came in '49. Their house was an important station on the 'underground railroad'. The daughter, Mrs. Lucy Woodbridge, whose entire life was spent on the Reserve, used to aid in secreting fugitive slaves in the house where she still resides" ("Memorial"). Julia Ann Baker died in on 3 Feb 1881; Berea did not record her burial. An extensive obituary appeared in the Berea Advertiser on 10 Feb 1881: "Death of Mrs. J. V. Baker. Mrs. Julia A. Baker, widow of the late J. V. Baker, died last Friday at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. L. B. Woodbridge, in the 73d year of her age. In her decease, Berea loses one of its oldest residents and a most worthy citizen. Her loss will also be deeply felt in the M. E. Church of which she was a consistent and influential member. The funeral, which occurred at her late residence, was attended by a large concourse of relatives and sympathizing friends, among whom were her daughters, Mrs. Jennie Lyman of Mansfield, and Mrs. E. B. Brown, accompanied by hes [sic] family, of Cleveland, Mr. Jacob Myers of Elyria a brother of the deceased, Mr. B. S. Cogswell and son of Cleveland. The following is furnished to us for publication: OBITUARY. Mrs. Julia A. Baker was born in Cayuga Co., New York, Aug. 1808 and died in Berea, O., February 3d, 1881, being in her seventy-third year. At the age of twenty-one she was married to J. V. Baker, long and well-known in this community. About forty-eight years ago they came to Ohio, first settling in Carlisle, Lorain Co. Thirty-two years since they removed thence to Berea, where the family home has since been. To them were born five children, one of who died years ago. The surviving ones are, Lyman Baker, Esq., and Mrs L. B. Woodbridge, of Berea, Mrs. Mary Brown, of Cleveland, and Mrs. Jennie Lyman, of Mansfield, O., all honored and influential citizens where they reside. Seventeen years ago the father died, and now the mother, full of years, and 'as a shock of corn fully ripened is gathered in,' has peacefully entered her rest. The year after their marriage Mrs. Baker and her husband were converted and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which they remained consistent and efficient members until called to the church above. Mrs. Baker, during most of her life was a woman of great vigor and activity, always bearing her full share in the various charitable, benevolent and church enterprises. She was unwavering in her devotion to her church, and though a women [sic] of few words, she was not wanting in deeds. Her memory will be cherished by many an itinerant minister, who has been comforted and cherished by her kindly ministerings. The last Sabbath before her final illness she attended the morning church service, and in the class meeting gave her testimony to her faith in the Savior. During her sickness she gave repeated assurances that she was trusting in Jesus, and in this trust was comforted. The funeral services were held at her late residence, on Sunday afternoon, conducted by her pastor, Rev. E. Y. Warner assisted by A. Schuyler, W. C. Peirce D.D., and Rev. T. K. Dissette. 'Another race is run; Another pilgrim rests; Another crown is won; Another saint is blest.' E. Y. W." James, Julia, and Frankey Baker are still buried in Adams St. Cemetery. Their tombstones were described in 1904 as "Frankey Baker, son [sic] of Jas. V. and Julia A. Baker, d. Aug. 15, 1858, ae. 10 years" and "James V. Baker, d. Feb. 9, 1865, ae 55 yrs. 9 mo. 8 da." and "Julia A. Baker, d. Feb. 3, 1881 ae 72 yrs". In 1934, the stones were transcribed as "James V. Baker, died Feb 9, 1865, ae 55 yrs, 9 m, 8 d; Julia A., Feb 3, 1881, age 72 yrs; Frankey, died Aug 15, 1853, age 10 yrs". In 2007, the family pillar was found to be in good condition, of marble but very dirty and somewhat worn. The inscriptions were still legible. There are small individual headstones reading "J.V.B." and "J.A.B." and a lot marker with hand-carved inscription "104." Frankey's individual headstone, of white marble, is to the west and now appears to say "FRANKEY. DIED Aug 15, 1858. 6 yrs". A marble footstone says "FRANKEY" across the top; it was broken and reattached to the base with a black rubber cement. Mrs. Baker's name appeared in the Berea newspapers: "We learn that Mrs. Baker, while in Cleveland, met with an accident, by which she sustained a dislocation of the shoulder. Mrs. J.V. Baker, accompanied by her daughter, Mrs. Woodbridge, spent Christmas in Cleveland, with Mrs. Brown, who is also a daughter" (Republican and Advertiser, 2 January 1879). Julia Ann Baker has a limestone personal headstone. It is located at lot number 104 and row 12. No fizz test was performed and a magnifier was used to examine the grain. The marker was grey, white, and had a hint of green. The marker is 12 inches high, 20 inches wide, and 6 inches thick. The marker faces South and the carvings are on the top. The marker is not very decorative, just Julia’s initials. The tombstone was covered with lichens and moss, as well as being discolored. In general, it is dirty, discolored, and had a peculiar white substance covering the top initials. The initials are faded and discolored. The marker had relief carving. The marker states, “J.A.V.” "A woman good and true was Mrs. J.V. Baker. The family came in '49. Their house was an important station on the "underground railroad". The daughter, Mrs. Lucy Woodbridge, whose entire life was spent on the Reserve, used to aid in secreting fugitive slaves in the house where she still resides."

sources
1870 United States Federal Census, Julia Ann Baker household, series M593, roll 1193, p. 432 1880 US Federal Census, Julia A. Baker household, series T9, roll 1009, p. 238 Excerpt from "Memorial to the Pioneering Women of the Western Reserve," Women's Department of Cleveland Commission, 1896; www.rootsweb.org Julia Ann Baker obituary, The Berea Advertiser, 10 February 1881, p.3 c.4 E. S. Loomis and D. T. Gould, "Inscriptions from the Old Berea Cemetery," 1904, Berea Historical Society "Cuyahoga Cemetery Inscriptions," Vol. I, compiled by the Western Reserve Historical Society "Number of Burial lots and prices," Adams Street Cemetery folder, Berea Historical Society. Lyman and Juliette Bevans Baker monument, Woodvale Cemetery, Middleburg Heights, OH. Republican and Advertiser, 2 January 1879 Julia A. Baker tombstone photograph, Jeremy Feador, 2007. Baldwin Wallace College History Dept. Cemetery Documentation Project, Julia Baker, Mahmoud Afaneh, 27 October 2007. "Memorial to the Pioneering Women of the Western Reserve, Published by the Women's Department of Cleveland Commission (1896), Edited by Mrs. Gertrude Van Reselaer, Juila Baker.