WILLIAM SPOHN BAKER (1824-1897)

Baker, William Spohn (1824-1897), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Author of Medallic Portraits of Washington.

Baker was a Conveyancer, Collector of Art, Prints, Medals and Rare Books, Archaeologist, Author, Educator, Antiquarian, and Banker.

He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 17 April, 1824, son of George Nice Baker (1788-1859), and Ann Keyser (1792-1867), "was a great-great-granddaughter of Dirk Keyser, who settled in Germantown in 1688. His great-grandfather, Michael Baker, who became a resident of this city in 1740, and his grand-father, Michael Baker, Jr., served during our war for independence, the former as a private and the latter as a lieutenant in the artillery battalion commanded by Colonel Jehu Eyre. His great-grandfather, Captain George Nice, also commanded a company of the Second Battalion Philadelphia Artillery Militia."

He was educated in Philadelphia's private schools and entered the office of Andrew D. Cash, Esq., with whom he studied conveyancing. He practiced this profession for some years, and then turned his attention to literary pursuits and historical research. He discovered Washington's campsite at Schuylkill Falls, Pennsylvania, around the time of the battle of Brandywine. He was recognized as the foremost authority in the United States on Washington and Washingtoniana.

He was married on May 12, 1853, to Eliza Downing, daughter of Richard and Jane Bartleson Rowley, and is survived by a daughter, Laura, wife of Henry Whelen, Jr., of Philadelphia.

He was elected a member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania April 28, 1873, and of its Council in 1885, and since 1892 one of its Vice-Presidents.

He was a member of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution, of which he was a member of its Board of Managers and chairman of the important " Committee on Memorials."

He was a member of the American Philosophical Society and served as it Curator; the Council of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and since 1885 has been vice-president of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

He was also a member of the American Historical Association; the American Numismatic and Archaeological Society of New York; the New Jersey Historical Society; the Society of the War of 1812; the Colonial Society of Pennsylvania, of which he was a member of the Board of Managers ; the German Society ; and the Netherland Society, serving one term as President. He was also a director of the School of Design for Women from 1877 to 1881; in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts he was a director from 1876 to 1890, and Vice-President from 1885 to 1890 ; a director of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia from 1888 to his death ; and a director of the Commercial National Bank.

Mr. Baker possesses a collection of 1,100 engraved portraits of George Washington which is the most complete that is known, and his number of medals of Washington is second only to that of William S. Appleton, of Boston, while his collection of biographies of Washington is the most noted in existence comprised of over 500 books and pamphlets.

He was a regular contributor of articles to Pennsylvania Magazine, and published fifteen books on engravers and engraving and George Washington and Washingtoniana.

On September 8, 1897, he died at his residence on Arch Street, Philadelphia.

To read the complete article, see:
BAKER, WILLIAM SPOHN (http://www.numismaticmall.com/numismaticmall-com/baker-william-spohn)

To read earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
THE COLLECTION OF WILLIAM SPOHN BAKER (https://www.coinbooks.org/v22/esylum_v22n45a19.html)
THE SELLING OF THE BAKER COLLECTION (https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n08a30.html)
DWIGHT MANLEY ACQUIRES BULK OF BAKER COLLECTION (https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n09a28.html)

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