"Hard though the struggle was, he never let down his ideals an iota."
Philip Pontius Baker was born January 14, 1846 on a wheat farm in Cowan, Union County, Pennsylvania. When he was nine years old his father died. Being the eldest of eight children the responsibility of the farm fell on his shoulders at an early age and shortened his formal education.
In 1869 he and his brother, Latimer, moved to Vineland, New Jersey, where they established a prosperous mercantile business. In 1876, at the age of 30, Mr. Baker married Lizzie J. Noyes. They became the parents of six children -- five daughters and one son. The son, Curtis Thompson Baker, was appointed in 1911 at the age of 33 to be Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Cape May County. Curtis died in 1913. Four of the Baker's daughters married. They were: Bessie Noyes Tomlin, Rena Hoyt Kaler, Marie Katherine Robeson and Nettie Dayton Moffett. Jane Pontius Baker remained single. After the death of their father, Jane took care of her mother until she died in 1928.
In 1882 Philip P. Baker was elected to the State Assembly, and in 1886 he was elected to the State Senate. It was largely through his efforts in the Senate that the New Jersey Training School for Feeble-Minded Children and the State Institute for Feeble-Minded Women were established, both located in Vineland. Mr. Baker served as President of the Board of Management of the Children's Training School for 30 years. He was known and loved by the children, and for many years the Baker Club, comprised of the older boys, looked to Mr. Baker for guidance.
In the mid-1880's the Baker Brothers bought a large tract of land on Five Mile Beach and developed what is now the City of Wildwood. Then, beginning in 1904, Philip P. Baker directed the founding of Wildwood Crest. This was his major business interest during the last 16 years of his life. He was the first Mayor of Wildwood Crest, the first President of the Fire Company, the first President of the Fishing Club, and a Trustee of the Presbyterian Church in Wildwood, in addition to membership and participation in many other organizations.
Mr. Baker died on August 14, 1920 at the age of 74, and was buried in the family plot in the First Baptist Cemetery in Cape May Court House along with his son Curtis. (Later his wife Lizzie, and daughters Bessie and Jane, joined him there.)
Courtesy of the Wildwood Crest Historical Society
Philip Pontius Baker was born January 14, 1846 on a wheat farm in Cowan, Union County, Pennsylvania. When he was nine years old his father died. Being the eldest of eight children the responsibility of the farm fell on his shoulders at an early age and shortened his formal education.
In 1869 he and his brother, Latimer, moved to Vineland, New Jersey, where they established a prosperous mercantile business. In 1876, at the age of 30, Mr. Baker married Lizzie J. Noyes. They became the parents of six children -- five daughters and one son. The son, Curtis Thompson Baker, was appointed in 1911 at the age of 33 to be Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Cape May County. Curtis died in 1913. Four of the Baker's daughters married. They were: Bessie Noyes Tomlin, Rena Hoyt Kaler, Marie Katherine Robeson and Nettie Dayton Moffett. Jane Pontius Baker remained single. After the death of their father, Jane took care of her mother until she died in 1928.
In 1882 Philip P. Baker was elected to the State Assembly, and in 1886 he was elected to the State Senate. It was largely through his efforts in the Senate that the New Jersey Training School for Feeble-Minded Children and the State Institute for Feeble-Minded Women were established, both located in Vineland. Mr. Baker served as President of the Board of Management of the Children's Training School for 30 years. He was known and loved by the children, and for many years the Baker Club, comprised of the older boys, looked to Mr. Baker for guidance.
In the mid-1880's the Baker Brothers bought a large tract of land on Five Mile Beach and developed what is now the City of Wildwood. Then, beginning in 1904, Philip P. Baker directed the founding of Wildwood Crest. This was his major business interest during the last 16 years of his life. He was the first Mayor of Wildwood Crest, the first President of the Fire Company, the first President of the Fishing Club, and a Trustee of the Presbyterian Church in Wildwood, in addition to membership and participation in many other organizations.
Mr. Baker died on August 14, 1920 at the age of 74, and was buried in the family plot in the First Baptist Cemetery in Cape May Court House along with his son Curtis. (Later his wife Lizzie, and daughters Bessie and Jane, joined him there.)
Courtesy of the Wildwood Crest Historical Society
"Hard though the struggle was, he never let down his ideals an iota."
Philip Pontius Baker was born January 14, 1846 on a wheat farm in Cowan, Union County, Pennsylvania. When he was nine years old his father died. Being the eldest of eight children the responsibility of the farm fell on his shoulders at an early age and shortened his formal education.
In 1869 he and his brother, Latimer, moved to Vineland, New Jersey, where they established a prosperous mercantile business. In 1876, at the age of 30, Mr. Baker married Lizzie J. Noyes. They became the parents of six children -- five daughters and one son. The son, Curtis Thompson Baker, was appointed in 1911 at the age of 33 to be Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Cape May County. Curtis died in 1913. Four of the Baker's daughters married. They were: Bessie Noyes Tomlin, Rena Hoyt Kaler, Marie Katherine Robeson and Nettie Dayton Moffett. Jane Pontius Baker remained single. After the death of their father, Jane took care of her mother until she died in 1928.
In 1882 Philip P. Baker was elected to the State Assembly, and in 1886 he was elected to the State Senate. It was largely through his efforts in the Senate that the New Jersey Training School for Feeble-Minded Children and the State Institute for Feeble-Minded Women were established, both located in Vineland. Mr. Baker served as President of the Board of Management of the Children's Training School for 30 years. He was known and loved by the children, and for many years the Baker Club, comprised of the older boys, looked to Mr. Baker for guidance.
In the mid-1880's the Baker Brothers bought a large tract of land on Five Mile Beach and developed what is now the City of Wildwood. Then, beginning in 1904, Philip P. Baker directed the founding of Wildwood Crest. This was his major business interest during the last 16 years of his life. He was the first Mayor of Wildwood Crest, the first President of the Fire Company, the first President of the Fishing Club, and a Trustee of the Presbyterian Church in Wildwood, in addition to membership and participation in many other organizations.
Mr. Baker died on August 14, 1920 at the age of 74, and was buried in the family plot in the First Baptist Cemetery in Cape May Court House along with his son Curtis. (Later his wife Lizzie, and daughters Bessie and Jane, joined him there.)
Courtesy of the Wildwood Crest Historical Society
Philip Pontius Baker was born January 14, 1846 on a wheat farm in Cowan, Union County, Pennsylvania. When he was nine years old his father died. Being the eldest of eight children the responsibility of the farm fell on his shoulders at an early age and shortened his formal education.
In 1869 he and his brother, Latimer, moved to Vineland, New Jersey, where they established a prosperous mercantile business. In 1876, at the age of 30, Mr. Baker married Lizzie J. Noyes. They became the parents of six children -- five daughters and one son. The son, Curtis Thompson Baker, was appointed in 1911 at the age of 33 to be Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Cape May County. Curtis died in 1913. Four of the Baker's daughters married. They were: Bessie Noyes Tomlin, Rena Hoyt Kaler, Marie Katherine Robeson and Nettie Dayton Moffett. Jane Pontius Baker remained single. After the death of their father, Jane took care of her mother until she died in 1928.
In 1882 Philip P. Baker was elected to the State Assembly, and in 1886 he was elected to the State Senate. It was largely through his efforts in the Senate that the New Jersey Training School for Feeble-Minded Children and the State Institute for Feeble-Minded Women were established, both located in Vineland. Mr. Baker served as President of the Board of Management of the Children's Training School for 30 years. He was known and loved by the children, and for many years the Baker Club, comprised of the older boys, looked to Mr. Baker for guidance.
In the mid-1880's the Baker Brothers bought a large tract of land on Five Mile Beach and developed what is now the City of Wildwood. Then, beginning in 1904, Philip P. Baker directed the founding of Wildwood Crest. This was his major business interest during the last 16 years of his life. He was the first Mayor of Wildwood Crest, the first President of the Fire Company, the first President of the Fishing Club, and a Trustee of the Presbyterian Church in Wildwood, in addition to membership and participation in many other organizations.
Mr. Baker died on August 14, 1920 at the age of 74, and was buried in the family plot in the First Baptist Cemetery in Cape May Court House along with his son Curtis. (Later his wife Lizzie, and daughters Bessie and Jane, joined him there.)
Courtesy of the Wildwood Crest Historical Society
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