Kootenay frontier settler James Baker has left an everlasting mark on the region, having played a role in the establishment of Cranbrook, B.C and the development of mining through Crow's Nest Company. But his family legacy had an even greater reach around the world.
Cranbrook resident Jim Cameron has been researching the Baker clan in his spare time, pouring through archives and reading books on the family, piecing together the story of their lives. He presented his research at the Cranbrook History Centre's latest ED Talk, June 26, at the Royal Alexandra Hall.
His interest in the Bakers stems from a personal hobby, locating landmarks and places in historic photographs of Cranbrook. While he initially started researching old buildings, he eventually became interested in the people who lived in the area, which led him to the Baker family.
"I found out James Baker was from a well-documented family with fame, glory, prestige, scandal, and adventure. They were fighting in every kind of battle you could imagine," he said.
James Baker, the youngest son in his family born 1830, arrived in Skookumchuk, B.C when he was 54 years old with his wife Louisa and at least one son. He purchased 480 acres of land the following year from the Galbraiths, an early settler family who bought land near Joseph's Prairie. Baker established a settlement which he named "Cranbrook Farm," after the town in Kent, England, that his ancestors had connections to.
He served as a Member of Parliament for the Kootenay District for 16 years during which time he joined forces with William Fernie and Arthur Fenwick to explore the possibility of coal mining in the region through the Crow's Nest Company.
While there are no living descendants of James' currently living in Cranbrook, his mark on the community can still be seen today, in place names like Baker Park, Mount Baker Secondary School, the Baker Hotel and Mount Baker.
His family's influence is wider still. A strata volcano in Washington was named after a relative, Joseph Baker, who mapped the Pacific Northwest Coast of America during the Vancouver Expedition in the late 18th century.
James' older brother, Samuel Jr., named Lake Albert in Uganda on an expedition to uncover the source of the Nile River, a mission that earned him the Royal Geographical Society Gold Medal and a knighthood by Queen Victoria.
"The source of the Nile River was a huge thing in England at the time. It was like the North and South Poles, like the moon. Where does the Nile begin?" said Cameron. "Britain was in control of a number of African countries, so it wasn't just curiosity. It was important to find out where it came from so you could control it."
Through extensive research, Cameron found the Baker family has a lineage that has been associated with the highest levels of aristocracy for more than a thousand years, including ancestor John Baker, who was the Attorney General of Privy Council for King Henry VIII.
"All the Baker boys knew Queen Victoria and Albert, and the Prince of Wales who became Edward VII, Victoria's eldest son," explained Cameron.
Prior to his arrival in Skookumchuk, James was part of the prestigious Athenaeum Club in England, that boasted membership from Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, Alfred Tennyson and T.S. Eliot, among many esteemed individuals.
Samuel Jr., born 1821, was an adventurous fellow. He set up a settlement and tea plantation in Ceylon, Sri Lanka with the help of his family, which he operated for seven years. When Samuel's wife Henrietta and three of their children died from illness, Samuel returned to Europe and settled in Romania, leaving his four surviving children in the care of his sister Minnie.
His second wife Florence was born to the aristocratic Hungarian Von Sass family, but was taken as a slave for the Ottoman Empire when she was child. Samuel met her at a white slave market, and bid on her, but the Ottoman Pasha of Vidin offered a higher sum and ultimately claimed her. This was no obstacle for Samuel, however, as he stole her from the Pasha's clutches and they ran away to start a life together.
"They both spoke a number of languages but the only one they had in common was German. She, as it turns out, was pretty much ready for anything and she seemed to like Sam just as much as he liked her," Cameron said.
Florence was an active participant on all his missions abroad. In 1861, they embarked on a trip to Africa, journeying the White Nile by ship from Khartoum, Sudan, which lead to their discovery of Lake Albert.
"She wore pants. She carried pistols and she did everything the men did. That was unheard of, but Florence wouldn't have it any other way," Cameron said.
"When Sam talked to the Royal Geographical Society, he called Florence out and introduced her as his partner in the discovery of Lake Albert, which was unheard of," he added.
In 1869, he was promoted to Major General of the Ottoman Army. He led his troops with the aim of ending the White Nile slave trade with support form Florence, and saw some success from his efforts. In 1873 the couple returned to England.
Another brother, Valentine Baker, born 1827, was renowned for his military prowess. He served as a junior commissioned officer for the Ceylon Rifles and later fought for England in the Crimean War, and became commander for the 10th Hussar Regiment in Africa.
"He was one of those lads that from day one, seemed to be really groomed for the saddle. He looked the part. He carried himself perfectly. He was smart. He wrote books on military tactics. He was everything that Britain wanted a young soldier to be," said Cameron.
His career was on an upward trajectory until 1875, when a young woman named Kate Dickenson accused him of sexually assaulting her on a train.
"A young lady was half hanging out of a carriage, holding on to the door handle with one arm. The station master signalled ahead and brought the train to a halt. The woman, helped from the train by a number of men declared he had made sexual advances," recounted Cameron.
"According to Miss Dickenson, Val had sat beside her, asked her for a kiss and touched her on the leg above the ankle. Miss Dickenson attempted to ring the bell inside the car but it was broken. She then made to depart the compartment by way of the outside door, at which point she was restrained by Baker," he added.
Valentine was charged with indecent assault and fined 500 pounds. He spent one year in jail and was expelled from the military by Queen Victoria herself.
"The case became a cause célèbre, with much debate among the populace as to the truth of the matter. Val refused to speak in his own defence in court, imparting that he would not impugn the honour of a lady by calling her a liar," explained Cameron.
When he was released from jail, he joined the Turkish Army to fight against the Russians. Then in 1882, he accepted an invitation to command a new Egyptian army, only to be barred from the role due to his unscrupulous past.
"There was a big movement to reinstate him in the British Army, so he was buried with full military honours in Britain. He was described by the commander of the British Army in Egypt as the greatest soldier England had ever had," Cameron said.
