Dr. Griffin Jonathon Baker was born March 14, 1870, in Grassy Precinct, Williamson County, Illinois, among the spurs of the Ozarks. He is the son of Dr. Alonzo P. Baker and Martha Jane Matheney, and nephew of his namesake, G.J. Baker. Sr., M.D. of Anna, Illinois.
He comes of a family of physicians of good reputation, and widely known for their professional skills. Very naturally he took to “the healing art” as a duck to water, and his education was intended to prepare him for that noble profession.
Griffin was located in the 1880 census, at the age of 10, living with his parents and 5 siblings in Grassy Precinct of Williamson County.
After the usual training at our district schools, he entered the Union Academy at Anna, Ill., from which he graduated in 1890, at the age of 20 years. After a year spent at home under the excellent instruction of his father, he entered Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, now known as the Medical Department of Washington University. He spent three years there and graduated in 1894. Later he took a post graduate course at the Polyclinic of New York and entered at once upon the practice of medicine at Carterville, where he remained one year and then came to Marion in 1896, where he has been ever since.
In the 1900 census, Griffin was a single, self-employed doctor, age 30, living with his uncle David J. Baker, 70, and his wife Margaret, 62. Though no address was given, he is close on the census to Martin L. Baker (no relation) and James Grider who were known to live on N. Buchanan Street.
Later that year in November of 1900, he married Miss Maud Duncan, daughter of Thomas Duncan, of Marion.
His new wife, Maud, died just one year later and on October 1, 1903, he took for his second wife Miss Martha A. Aikman, daughter of W.J. Aikman, of Marion.
Griffin formed a business partnership with his brother Dr. Virgil A. Baker after Virgil graduated from physicians college in St. Louis in 1903. the partnership business was called Baker and Baker, Physicians and Surgeons. Their office was originally located at 604 Public Square. When the Marion State and Savings Bank building was built in 1914, they occupied offices in rooms 53 through 55 into the 1920’s.
By the 1910 census, Griffin, now 40, and his wife Martha, 28, had purchased a home at 1203 W. Main Street which they owned free of mortgage. The Baker’s then had one child living in the home by the name of Mary Lee Baker, aged 3.
In the 1920 census, the Bakers were living at 1408 W. Main Street, just a couple of doors down from where Martha grew up at 1414 W. Main Street. Griffin was 49 and Martha was aged 37. The couple had two children; Mary, aged 13 and G.J. Jr., aged 2.
When the great tornado of 1925 ravaged Southern Illinois, killing hundreds and injuring thousands, Dr. Baker worked tirelessly with the tornado victims. Griffin had had the flu prior to the tornado and was nearly recovered when the tornado struck. It is thought that his working in this undertaking hastened his death.
Even though he was recovering and was thought to be practically well, on April 23, 1925, Griffin succumbed to the influenza and died at age 55 in his home at 1407 W. Main St. He was buried two days later in New Rose Hill Cemetery.
Baker was a Republican in politics, and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. He belonged to the Marion Masonic Lodge, Southern Illinois Medical Association, to the Williamson County Medical Association and to the Marion Physicians’ Protective Association.
The deceased left three brothers, M.D. Baker, of Miami, Florida; Dr. V.A. Baker of Marion; M.W. Baker of Salem; and two sisters, Mrs. Zada Asbury of Marion and Bernice Baker of Florida. One sister, Sophia C. Baker preceeded him in death a few years prior.
Funeral services were conducted on the following Sunday at 2 P.M. at the Marion First Baptist Church by Julian Atwood of Harrisburg and Dr. W.P. Throgmorton of Marion.
In the 1930 census, Martha had turned their W. Main Street home into a boarding house to supplement income. In this particular census, Martha was 47 and had one child, Griffin Jr. 12, left in the home. Mary Lee was attending college at the University of Illinois in Urbana. There were four boarders and all of them were teachers at Marion High School. They were Mary Troutman, Claude Benson, Clyde Winkler and Howard Stewart. Martha valued the home at $6,000.
In the 1940 census, Martha, 57, Mary Lee, 30, and G.J. Jr., 22, were still living in the 1408 W. Main St. home which Martha valued at $6,000. Mary Lee had completed 5 years of college and was a high school teacher and G.J. Jr. was in his fourth year of college. Martha’s sister, Nellie Aikman, 45, was living with them and was employed as a Jr. High School teacher.
In this census, Arthur Melvin and his wife Virginia Bracey were occupying the old Aikman home that the Aikman sisters grew up in at 1414 W. Main.
Martha (Aikman) Baker, passed away seven years later, in 1947.
Sam’s Notes:
Mary Lee Baker was born in 1907, graduated University of Illinois, Class of 1929. No death or marriage records found to date. If you have information, please advise.
Griffin J. Baker, Jr. was born in Marion on July 19, 1917 and died in Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 21, 1995.
(Data extracted from 1905 Souvenir History; Federal Census Records; Marion Street directories; Marion City Cemetery Records; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 10/05/2013)