Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

Robert Symington Baker (1826–1894) was a businessman and landowner from

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

. He came to California in 1849 and engaged in mining supplies business, also as Cook and Baker in San Francisco, California. Later he became associated with General Beale in the cattle and sheep business in the northern part of the state and in the Tejon area.

Career

In 1872, the Sepulvedas sold their

Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica Rancho or Ranchos may refer to: Settlements and communities *Rancho, Aruba, former fishing village and neighbourhood of Oranjestad * Ranchos of California, 19th century land grants in Alta California ** List of California Ranchos * Ranchos, Buenos ...

property to Baker. With his purchase of the Rancho for cattle and sheep business, Baker moved to Los Angeles. In 1874 he married Arcadia Bandini de Stearns. The Bakers owned the property two years, and in 1874 sold a three quarter interest in the land to the Comstock millionaire John Percival Jones. Jones and Baker decided to subdivide part of their joint holdings, and in 1875 they created the town of

Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to i ...

. Jones and Baker formed the Santa Monica Land and Water Company, one of the principal developers of western

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

. In 1878, he built the Baker block in Los Angeles. Baker owned, through his wife, Rancho La Puente and Rancho La Laguna and had other large business interests. Baker Family
/ref> He is interred at

Calvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles Calvary Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles runs in the community of East Los Angeles. It is also called "New Calvary Cemetery" because it succeeded the original Calvary Cemetery (on north Broadway), over w ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Robert Symington 1826 births 1894 deaths History of Santa Monica, California Businesspeople from Rhode Island Businesspeople from Los Angeles 19th-century American businesspeople American city founders Burials at Calvary Cemetery (Los Angeles)