__________
Dr. C. C. Baker, Sr. was born in Dallas County, 2 ½
miles southwest of Lancaster. The family moved to the head waters of Plum
Creek 10 miles south of Hamilton, March 10, 1879, when he was a child. His
father, W. T. Baker [William
Thatcher Baker] died when Charles was 13 years old, leaving his mother
and 5 younger brothers and sisters for him to take care of. The following
5 years were spent in hard work with no time for school.
When Russel and Cleveland took charge of the Hamilton
Public school, Charlie left the farm in charge of his younger brothers and
went to Hamilton to school. He did chores for his board and chopped cord
wood on Saturdays and after school hour at 75¢ per cord to pay the
remainder of his school expenses. He taught school 2 years, after which he
took a job of clerking for Pinkerton and Scruggs, general merchants,
working about __ years at this. He then went to Baltimore College of
Dental Surgery, going by Chicago to the World’s’s Fair, this being the
fall of 1893. He returned home in March, 1894, obtained a certificate for
the practice of dentistry, opened an office in Hamilton where he has had
an office and practiced ever since, except while absent attending dental
colleges.
Dr. Baker, Sr., has a diploma from the State Dental
College, now known as Baylor, a post-graduate certificate from Chicago
College of Dental Surgery, and has kept up with the progress of his
profession.
He married Alma Nicholson who was born south of Hamilton
on Cowhouse Creek, and the two have labored together to help build up the
town and this section of Texas.
Dr. Baker has served on the school board and the city
council. He has always taken a very active part in politics. For a number
of years he has been a leading Republican in Texas, serving as a member of
the State Executive Committee, also he has attended practically all state
conventions, and several national ones, having been a delegate from Texas
in 1912 and bolted with Roosevelt (Teddy, not Franklin.)
Dr. Baker is active, alert, and physically fit, right up
to the minute in things pertaining to the practice of dentistry; has a
large practice. He owns his own home, office building in Hamilton, and
over Ten Thousand Dollars in modern dental equipment.
Drs. Baker & Baker are assisted in their office by
Miss Mollie Herrington, a dental nurse, who has been with them for the
past 12 years. She is efficient, kindly, and considerate, having had
special training under the Bosworth Department for dental Assistants of
Chicago.
Charles Curtis Baker, Jr. was born in Hamilton, March 5,
1902. His parents, Dr. C. C. Baker and Alma Nicholson Baker are well known
Hamilton County people. After completing the ninth grade in the public
schools of Hamilton, Charles was sent to Castle Heights Military Academy
at Lebanon, Tenn. The next year he entered the New Mexico Military
Institute where he completed his high school work and entered junior
college. During summer vacations he worked on his father’s farms, in the
Hamilton Mill & Elevator or his father’s dental office. After
finishing the course offered by N.M.M.I. he received his commission of 2nd
Lieutenant in the US Cavalry. In 1922 he entered Baylor Dental College in
Dallas and took his dental degree in Texas Dental College of Houston. He
graduated in 1926 and married the same fall. He married Marjorie Duffie,
only daughter of John J. And Stella Wilson Duffie, both natives of
Arkansas, but who have lived in New York City for many years. Mrs. Baker
was born in California. She was educated in the public schools of
California but finished high school in Roswell, N. M., where she met the
future Dr. Baker. She attended the University of Arkansas for two years
and then took an extensive tour of Europe and the British Isles. The
following year she entered Barnard College of Columbia University. She is
now on the staff on the Hamilton County News.
Young Dr. Baker established his office in the same
building with his father in Hamilton, the summer of 1926. Four years later
he established a branch office in Goldthwaite, Texas.
Dr. C. C. Baker, Jr. was Scoutmaster of Hamilton Troops
of the (hole in paper) four years. The troupe is now led by Scoutmaster
Virgil Santy and Dr. Baker has accepted the chairmanship of district aid
of the Heart of Texas Council. He is an active worker in the Red Cross and
is a registered instructor of First Aid. He is the chairman of the Life
Saving and First Aid committee of the local Red Cross Council. He is a
master mason of the Hamilton Rock Lodge.
Dr. and Mrs. Baker have two small children, master
Charles Curtis Baker, III and baby Stella.
Dr. Charles has joint offices with his father, Dr. C. C.
Baker in Strawn and Hamilton. Because of the wide radius in which they
practice, the doctors are known from San Saba County to Palo Pinto County.
The Hamilton County News, Vol. IV, Number
11--Section Three
Historical and Trading Expansion Issue
W. F. Billingslea, Editor-Publisher
Subscription Price ONE YEAR ..$1.00
June 29, 1934
