George Holbrook Baker Papers
Finding aid prepared by Kelsey Ransick
Society of California Pioneers
300 Fourth Street
San Francisco, CA, 94107-1272
(415) 959-1849
pkeats@californiapioneers.org
2010
Descriptive Summary
Title: George Holbrook Baker Papers
Dates: 1849-1893
Collection number: C057707
Creator:
Baker, George Holbrook
Collector:
Society of California Pioneers
Extent:
1 folder
Repository:
Society of California Pioneers
Abstract:
Includes numerous handwritten letters between George Holbrook Baker, his sister, mother, and father, John Baker. Also includes
business cards from Baker’s lithography business in San Francisco, a brief description of Baker’s life before and after coming
to California, diaries from Baker’s voyage through Mexico to California, and correspondence between the Society of California
Pioneers and Baker.
Physical location:
Alice Phelan Sullivan Library
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Unrestricted
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permissions to reproduce or publish must
be admitted in writing to the Librarian.
Preferred Citation
George Holbrook Baker Papers, The Society of California Pioneers
Biography
George Holbrook Baker was a pioneer who came out to California in 1849. Soon after his arrival, he came out to the mining
camps on the Sacramento River and finally became associated with General Winn and established a general merchandise business
in Sacramento. He was also one of the most successful newspaper artists of the pioneer’s days in the West Coast. Later, he
established a successful lithography business in San Francisco. In 1863, he was invited to join the Society of California
Pioneers.
Scope and Content Summary
Includes numerous handwritten letters between George Holbrook Baker, his sister, mother, and father, John Baker. Also includes
business cards from Baker’s lithography business in San Francisco, a brief description of Baker’s life before and after coming
to California, diaries from Baker’s voyage through Mexico to California, and correspondence between the Society of California
Pioneers and Baker.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library’s online public access catalog:
Subjects
Baker, George Holbrook
Lithography--California
Genres and Forms of Material
Correspondence
Folder 1
1 invitation to George Holbrook Baker to join the Society of California Pioneers
Folder 1
1 handwritten 1-page letter dated February 1st, 1893 addressed to the Society of California Pioneers regarding a printing
job Baker was doing for the Society
1893
Folder 1
1 handwritten 1-page letter to George Holbrook Baker in San Francisco from his father, John Baker, in Boston, MA, dated March
1st, 1849
1849
Folder 1
1 handwritten 1-page letter by George Holbrook Baker to his sister, dated January 25th, 1849
1849
Folder 1
1 handwritten 2-page letter by George Holbrook Baker to his parents dated June 20th, 1849, on his way through Mexico to California,
gift of Charles H. Baker
1849
Folder 1
1 handwritten 12-page letter by George Holbrook Baker in San Jose his parents, dated April 23, 1849 (sent to Mrs. Richard
Richardson)
1849
Folder 1
2 diary pages April 28th-May 28th
Undated
Folder 1
1 nine-page handwritten diary (Boston, MA to California-Espanola)
Undated
Folder 1
3 business cards belonging to Baker’s lithography business
Undated
Folder 1
1 business card in an envelope belonging to George Holbrook Baker
Undated
Folder 1
1 typed biographical article on George Holbrook Baker
Undated