Charles and Lydia Baker

Charles Hills Baker (1845-1929)
19th Century
Portrait
Charles Hills Baker’s portrait sits in a copper and black wood frame.
449
Donor unknown

Charles Hills Baker (1845-1929) was a well-known shoemaker whose tools and shoe lasts are on display in the Cache Pioneer Museum.

Lydia Hamp (1848-1949) came from a family of shoemakers. Her parents were both shoemakers by trade, and she worked as a boot closer, sewing boot and shoe uppers by hand.

Charles Hills Baker Artifacts

Charles and Lydia were married in Raunds, England in 1866. Lydia was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1875, and Charles in 1876. The following year, the Bakers emigrated to Utah and settled in Cache Valley in July, 1877. They lived in Smithfield for a time, but spent the majority of their lives in Logan City.

Charles and Lydia were not able to have children, but they adopted Lydia's two nieces, the daughters of her brother, Mathew Hamp and his wife Sarah Haseldine Hamp. Lydia's brother Hyrum Hamp was also a shoemaker who emigrated to Cache Valley in 1878.

The Bakers set up a shoe shop, which was located in multiple locations throughout the years. Charles is listed as a shoemaker in city directories until 1922.

Charles Hills Baker in his Shoe Shop
Date unknown
Photograph
A photograph of Charles Hills Baker (left) in his shoe repair shop in Logan, Utah.
Accession number unknown
Donor unknown

Charles and Lydia Baker
Date unknown
Photograph
Charles Baker and Lydia Hamp emigrated to Logan in 1877. Charles worked as a shoemaker and Lydia was a boot closer.
Accession number unknown
Cache Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Archives. Donor unknown

History of Charles Hills Baker (1845-1929)
September 12, 1997
Document
Charles Hills Baker arrived in Utah in 1877 and was a prominent shoemaker in Cache Valley.
Accession number unknown.
Biography compiled by V. Kaye Nelson and Cache Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. Digitized by Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library

Look closely at the photograph of Charles Baker in his shoe shop. What do you see? What does this image tell you about the time period?
There are two pictures of Charles Baker's shoe shop in this exhibit. Can you find the other one? What differences do you notice between the two shops?

Charles and Lydia Baker

Look closely at the photograph of Charles Baker in his shoe shop. What do you see? What does this image tell you about the time period?

There are two pictures of Charles Baker's shoe shop in this exhibit. Can you find the other one? What differences do you notice between the two shops?