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Heirloom Investigation: Where Did This Cutlery Set Come From? Part 1

My father-in-law recently gave me a box of goodies that has me very excited! He gave me an old set of cutlery - five knives and four forks, and I've been on the hunt for who the set might have belonged to.  It's time for an heirloom investigation! I'm going to draw on some lessons I learned in a material culture class I took a few years ago to do so.   Description First, let's look at what we have and describe it. This process slows me down to really look at the items as a whole and at each individual piece to find every clue possible. (Click on any photo to enlarge it.)   The Box   The set was in an old paperboard box which was very brown with stains and age. The box had been sealed with brown tape, possibly gummed tape.  The box measures 10" long x 3-7/8" wide x 2" deep. The box bears a typed mailing label addressed to Mrs. Harold Casey, Box 307, Crescent, Oklahoma. Another postal label covers the zip code.  The return address states: After 10 days retu...
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EDWARD JOSEPH BAKER

Edward Joseph Baker.1


31 Days of Writing Family History Challenge

January 10, 2022:   Paternal Great Grandfather #2  - Edward Baker (1886-1961)


by Nancy Gilbride Casey

Once again, the treasure chest of family photos gives up some gold today, with terrific photos of Edward Joseph Baker, another paternal great grandfather.

Edward Joseph Baker was born on 1 October 1886 in Port Dalhousie, St. Catharine's, Ontario, Canada, to Joseph Becker and Sarah Dyer, one of the couple's ten children. He married Catharine Anna Cassidy on 11 June 1907 in Port Dalhousie. Around 1910, the couple moved to the United States and took up residence in Cleveland on W. 11th Street, with their son Charles.2 It was in Cleveland that all Edward and Catherine's daughters were born, including our grandmother Mary Josephine Baker Gilbride.

Edward had an athletic streak, evidenced early on: he played both hockey and lacrosse. In 1906, he was a member of the Factory Lacrosse League championship team for McKinnons in St. Catharines, Ontario.3

Edward Baker, undated hockey photo.4

Eddie Baker (middle row, 4th from left), was a member of the 1906 Factory Lacrosse League championship team in St. Catharines, Ontario.5

This athleticism no doubt helped Edward in his later career as an iron moulder; he worked in a Cleveland foundry in 1910; in 1917 he reported working for Allyne-Rand. He was employed there as late as 1942, and perhaps beyond.6 Allyne-Rand did grey iron casting, one of the very oldest types of iron casting historically, and used in many industries such as agriculture, architecture, machinery production and transportation.

My Dad often told me of his fond memories of his Grandpa and Nana Baker. Photos of Edward show him to be a family man, who appears to genuinely enjoy his charges.

Catherine & Edward Baker and their children: Kathryn, Charles (center), Grandma Mary Josephine (with bow), Gertrude and Marybelle.7

 

Catherine and Edward Baker. I am gobsmacked by the incredible resemblance of Edward to our Uncle Tom, his grandson!8


Edward and Catherine Baker in their later years, likely mid-1950s.9

NOTES

1 Edward Baker, undated, unknonw photographer/location; private collection of R. Firestone [address for private use], 2022.

2 For birth: Ontario, Canada, Births and Stillbirths Registrations, County of Lincoln, Div. of Pt. Dalhousie, book 2, p. 352, Edward Becker, 1 Oct. 1886; database & images, "Canada, Ontario Births, 1869-1912," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9Q97-Y3SC-M6K : accessed 10 January 2022), image 345 of 823; citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto. For marriage: Ontario, Canada, Marriages, County of Lincoln, Division of Pt. Dalhousie, p. 173, record 56, marriage of Edward Joseph Baker to Catherine Anna Cassidy, 11 June 1907; database & images, "Canada, Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9Q97-Y391-CHJ : accessed 10 January 2022); image 707 of 1517; citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto. For 1910 residence: United States Federal Census, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, population schedule, enumeration district 125, sheet 3-B, Cleveland Township, dwelling 59, family 78, Edward Baker (23); image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRVD-HL7 : accessed 10 January 2022).

3 "Factory Championship 1906," unknown newspaper, calculated publication date 1946; private collection of T. Gilbride [address for private use], 2022.

4 Photo of Edward Baker, undated photo, photographer/location unknown;private collection of T. Gilbride [address for private use], 2022.

5 Factory Championship photo, about 1946.

6 U.S. Selective Service System, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Local Record Board #2, Draft Registration #205, Edward J. Baker (30), about 1917; image FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-L1DD-8BS : accessed 10 January 2022); citing NARA microfilm publication M1509, Washington, D.C.; U.S. Selective Service System, Ohio State Headquarters, Cuyahoga County, Local Record Board #39, Draft Registration #U2495, Edward Joseph Baker (55), 27 April 1942; image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1002/images/2wwii_2371491-1749 : accessed 10 January 2022); citing NARA record group 127, St. Louis, Mo.

7 Photo of Baker Family, undated, unknown photographer/location; private collection of R. Firestone [address for private use], 2022.

8 Photo of Catharine and Edward Baker, undated, unknown photographer/location; private collection of R. Firestone [address for private use], 2022.

9 Photo of Edward and Catherine Baker, about mid-1950s, unknown photographer/location; private collection of N. Casey [address for private use], 2022.


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