Nansemond County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Baker, Sarah I. Smith, 1931 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ BAKER FUNERAL SET FOR FRIDAY AFTERNOON HERE Beloved Suffolk Woman Who Died Last Night To Be Buried At Cedar Hill Cemetery; Was In Her 85th Year. Mrs. Sarah Ida Smith Baker, born Sept. 21st, 1847, died at her home on Wellons street yesterday afteroon at 5 o'clock, following illness brought on by a paralytic stroke. Mrs. Baker was the daughter of Burwell Smith and his wife, Sarah Maria Cross. She was descended from one of the oldest families in eastern Virginia, her immediate family having been seated in the vicinity of Somerton for about 200 years. Her ancestors were active in Revolutionary times, one serving with Gen. Washington's forces, and some later in 1812, and the family took an active part in the Confederate army. Born just before the great War of 1861-65, like all young people of this section at that time, she was deprived of the advantages of education by the raging conflict, but what she lost in that she made up in her training in economy and frugality, and she was one who helped to bring Virginia out of the terrible conditions following that war. She was married to Robert W. Baker, of the same section, on Jan. 16th, 1871, with whom she lived more than fifty years; he having died on June 3rd, 1928. For the past 46 years she had made her home in Suffolk. Her life was an illustration of the wife described by Solomon in the 31st chapter of Proverbs, for she made her home her realm, in which she served her family and her neighbors. Her household work went on with almost military precision. Everything was on time. She was known for her exquisite needlework, of which she did much. Mrs. Baker was reared in a Methodist community, Somerton being one of the oldest Methodist churches in the county, and she was a life-long member of that denomination. She was a kind and agreeable neighbor. She reared a family of five children. Mrs. E. Blanche Bunting, Robert N. Baker, Mrs. Susie M. Vanderslice, V. Linwood Baker, of Suffolk, and Dr. Harvie S. Baker of Norfolk. In addition to the above children she leaves several grandchildren and great grandchildren. The funeral will be held at the residence on Wellons street tomorrow, Friday, afternoon at 2:30, and interment will be in Cedar Hill cemetery. ****************************************************************************** SARAH IDA SMITH BAKER Mrs. Sarah Ida Smith Baker, born Sept. 21st, 1847, passed away at her home on Wellons street yesterday afternoon at 5 o'clock. She was the daughter of Burwell Riddick Smith and his wife Sarah Maria Cross Smith. She was descended from one of the oldest families in Eastern Virginia, her immediate family having been seated in the vicinity of Somerton for about 200 years. Her ancestors were active in Revolutionary times, one serving with General Washington's Forces, and some later in 1812, and the family took an active part in the Confederate Army. Born just before the great War of 1861 - 1865, like all young people of this section at that time she was deprived of the advantages of education by the raging conflict, but what she lost in that she made up in her training in economy and frugality, and she was one who helped to bring Virginia out of the terrible conditions following that war. She was married to Mr. Robert W. Baker of the same section on Jan. 16th, 1871, with whom she lived more than fifty years, he having died on June 3rd, 1928, for the past 46 years she had made her home in Suffolk. Her life was an illustration of the wife described by Solomon in the 31st Chapter of Proverbs, for the she made her home her realm, in which she served her family and her neighbors. Her household work went on with almost military precision, she was instant in her exquisite needle work of which she did much. She was reared in a Methodist community, Somerton being one of the oldest Methodist Churches in the county, and she was a lifelong member of that denomination. She was a kind and agreeable neighbor, she reared a family of five children, Mrs. E. Blanche Bunting, Robert N. Baker, Mrs. Susie M. Vanderslice, V. Lynn Baker of Suffolk, and Dr. Harvie S. Baker of Norfolk, all of whom can look back upon her life and say as the inspired writer and call her blessed; in deed and in truth, a mother in Israel has fallen. In addition to the above children she leaves several grandchildren and great grandchildren. The funeral will held at the residence on Wellons Street tomorrow, Friday afternoon at 2:30 and interment will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery. Sarah Ida (SMITH; Mrs. Robert Washington) BAKER, b. 21 Sep 1847, Nansemond Co., d. 9 Dec 1931, at home, Suffolk, interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery (Block H, Lot 47), Suffolk, 11 Dec 1931, "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 9, No. 223, Thurs., Dec. 10, 1931, pp. 1 & 10, clippings posted with Find a Grave Memorial #136103535, by Martha Fontaine Byrum; donated obit- found in AMES Bible, newspaper unknown, Thurs., Dec. 10, 1931 *Additional information: Cedar Hill list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_a.txt A photo of Sarah - added by Rootsrcher - and one of her gravestone - added by Steve Poole - are also posted with Find a Grave Memorial #136103535. D.Cert. 28734 (Suffolk #337) Her father Burwell Riddick SMITH left will 26 Nov 1886, codicil 4 Dec 1886, proved 13 Dec 1894. (Nansemond Co. WB5:230-32) Her parents were buried at the home place near Somerton in 1894; they were moved to Block H, Lot 47 in 2020 by their great-grandson Robert Newton BAKER, III. Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/obits/b260s1ob.txt