Monongalia County, West Virginia    Biography of E. Reece BAKER

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Submitted by Valerie Crook, <vfcrook@trellis.net>, April 1999
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 65

E. REECE BAKER is one of the representative business
men and progressive citizens of Morgantown, Monongalia
County, where he is a leading general contractor and is also
president of the General Woodworking Company. He is a
native son of West Virginia and is a representative of the
third generation of the family in Monongalia County. His
father, James Clark Baker, was born in the Pierpont settle-
ment in Union District, this county, in 1850, and was there
reared to the sturdy discipline of the farm. James C.
Baker became a prosperous farmer in Grant District, this
county, where he remained until 1899, when he removed with
his family to Morgantown, the county seat, where he has
since continued in successful business as a contractor and
builder. His wife, whose maiden name was Cornelia Bell
Potter, was born at Laurel Point, Grant District, this
county, in 1852, and they have three children: Rex, a
carpenter by vocation and a resident of Morgantown; E.
Reece, the immediate subject of this sketch; and Rap P.,
in the employ of the Bell Telephone Company at Morgan-
town.

E. Reece Baker was born on the home farm at Laurel
Point, Grant District, this county, May 22, 1884, and his
initial experience of practical order was in connection with
the activities of the farm. He profited by the advantages
offered in the public schools of the locality, and in 1903
he left the farm and initiated an apprenticeship to the
carpenter's trade of one year, in the employ of Elridge
Tucker, a contractor at Morgantown. He then went to work
for R. A. McCreery as foreman, and remained with him
about five years. In his early period of apprenticeship,
when he became associated with Mr. Tucker, Mr. Baker
received five dollars a week for his services. In 1912 he
engaged independently in contracting and building, and
his ability and effective service soon gained to him secure
standing as one of the leading contractors in this line at
Morgantown. Here he has erected many of the finest resi-
dences in the city, among them the modern houses of
George C. Baker, A. R. Whitehill, David Reger, DellRoy
Richards and others. He erected also the Cox & Baker
Block on High Street, the public-school building at Maids-
ville, this county, and many other structures attest his skill
and effective working policies in his prosperous business.

Mr. Baker is affiliated with Morgantown Union Lodge
No. 4, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and in the
Scottish Bite of Masonry he has received the thirty-second
degree, beside holding membership in the Mystic Shrine and
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a vital and
progressive member of the local Kiwanis Club, and he and
his wife hold membership in the First Methodist Episcopal
Church.

Mr. Baker wedded Miss Nona Dell Mercer, who was born
at Fairmont, this state, a daughter of William 0. Mercer,
and the three children of this union are: Nellie Myrle,
James William and Raymond Guy.