Samuel Lee Baker -- Department Store Manager

 

Samuel Lee Baker

Samuel Lee Baker was born on September 30, 1899 in Cadiz, Kentucky, the son of Mark Smith Baker and Mattie Mae Ricks Baker.  Smith was a farmer and a native of Trigg County, Kentucky and his wife Mattie was also a native of Kentucky. Sam’s grandparents were Samuel Freeman and Sarah Adeline Thomas Baker.
Sam was the first of Smith and Mattie’s three children.  Sam’s had two younger brothers, Robert Adeline, born in 1904 and Clyde Edward, born in 1906.  Sam’s father, Smith, married for the second time, his second wife being Effie Oliver Reddick, also a native of Trigg County. This marriage produced a half brother for Sam, Harry Smith “Bud,” who was born in 1930.

Although born in Cadiz, Sam spent most of his early life in the Riley Hollow Community in Trigg County.  He worked as a farmer during his early years but by 1921, he had become the chief clerk in the post office in Cadiz.  On December 28, 1921 Sam married Vera Evelyn Cunningham at the Cadiz Baptist Church.  Rev. E. L. Andrews conducted the ceremony which was held in the church’s parsonage with only a few friends being in attendance.  Evelyn was born on July 31, 1899 in the Trigg Furnace community of Trigg County. She was the third of seven children of Gilford Wimberly “Gip” Cunningham and Cora Edith Cunningham, both natives of Trigg County, Kentucky.

In 1925, Sam became an employee of the F. B. Wilkinson’s Department Store in downtown Cadiz.   He soon rose to the position of manager of the store’s bargain basement. The basement also included the store’s toy department and Sam was responsible each Christmas of helping to set up the toy display in the store’s sidewalk windows. Sam worked in the department until his retirement in 1965, having served the store for 40 years.  Sam was considered a prominent citizen of Cadiz for his work at the department store.  Evelyn also worked as a nurse’s aide for several years at the Trigg County Hospital.

Sam and Evelyn were the parents of three daughters and one son.  Their children were Eris Elaine, born in 1923; James Minos “Jimmie,” born in 1925; Cora Mae, born in 1927 and Mary Ann, born in 1929.

After Sam’s retirement from the department store, he worked part-time at the Rawls Cee Bee Grocery Store.  In the latter part of January, 1966, an ice and snow storm hit the city of Cadiz.  The ice lingered for more than a week. Sam was walking on the sidewalk on Main Street near his home when he slipped and fell on the ice, sustaining a concussion from the fall.  He was admitted to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville on Thursday, February 3, from the injuries suffered from the fall and died the following morning on Friday, February 4, 1966.  Sam was 66 years old at the time of his death.  Evelyn had preceded him in death on May 24, 1964.  She died at their home in Cadiz at the age of 64.  Both were buried in the East End Cemetery in Cadiz, Kentucky.

 Sam and Evelyn Baker and their children

Tombstone of Sam and Evelyn Baker

LINEAGE:  (Samuel Lee Baker was the son of Mark Smith and Mattie Mae Ricks Baker and the grandson of Samuel Freeman and Sarah Adeline Thomas Baker.  Sarah was the first child of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas. Stanley was the second child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.  Mary was the seventh child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)