Anna B. White Baker
Anna B. White Baker (b. Bradley) (1848-1931) was born in Pennsylvania and
died in Newton, Massachusetts. Anna was raised as a Quaker and was teaching at a Quaker
school in Philadelphia when she met her first husband, Barclay White Jr. They married in
1877 and moved to Omaha, Nebraska. Unfortunately, Barlcay died within the first year of
their marriage and Anna returned to her parents' home in Philadelphia for the birth of
her daughter, who Anna named Rebecca Merritt White after Barclay's mother, Rebecca
Merritt White (b. Lamb). In 1889, Anna married her second husband, Alfred E. Baker, in
New Jersey. He was a homeopathic physician, but had given up that role and bought a farm
in East Bradford, Philadelphia. The family lived on the farm in East Bradford in the
early 1890s. Alfred was first introduced to Christian Science through his aunt, Dr.
Rachel T. Speakman, who had been a physician before becoming a Christian Scientist. In
1896, around the time Rebecca left home to study at Wellesley College in Wellesley,
Massachusetts, Anna and Alfred met Flavia Stickney Knapp and took her Primary class. The
couple moved to Boston to practice and teach Christian Science. They took Mary Baker
Eddy's Normal class in November 1898. Anna joined The First Church of Christ, Scientist,
in Boston, Massachusetts, in November 1898 and was elected a First Member of the church
in February 1899. She was listed as a practitioner in The Christian
Science Journal from 1898 to 1927. Eddy was impressed with the Bakers and
asked them to come to Concord in 1899. They lived in the apartment above the Christian
Science Hall. Alfred continued his Christian Science healing practice and Anna staffed
the Reading Room. The Hall was later torn down and the First Church of Christ,
Scientist, Concord, built on the property and dedicated in 1904. The Bakers had almost
daily contact with Eddy during their years at Concord and Anna served at Pleasant View
from September to December 1901. In 1902, Anna and Alfred moved to Brookline,
Massachusetts, and continued their Christian Science practice. After Eddy's death in
1910, they moved back to Pennsylvania, then back to Massachusetts, first to Auburndale
then to Newton. Anna kept a diary and her diary entries contributed to a reminiscence
she authored later, "Happy Memories of Mary Baker Eddy" which has been published in
volume 2 of We Knew Mary Baker Eddy.
See more letters.
Anna B. White Baker
Anna B. White Baker (b. Bradley) (1848-1931) was born in Pennsylvania and
died in Newton, Massachusetts. Anna was raised as a Quaker and was teaching at a Quaker
school in Philadelphia when she met her first husband, Barclay White Jr. They married in
1877 and moved to Omaha, Nebraska. Unfortunately, Barlcay died within the first year of
their marriage and Anna returned to her parents' home in Philadelphia for the birth of
her daughter, who Anna named Rebecca Merritt White after Barclay's mother, Rebecca
Merritt White (b. Lamb). In 1889, Anna married her second husband, Alfred E. Baker, in
New Jersey. He was a homeopathic physician, but had given up that role and bought a farm
in East Bradford, Philadelphia. The family lived on the farm in East Bradford in the
early 1890s. Alfred was first introduced to Christian Science through his aunt, Dr.
Rachel T. Speakman, who had been a physician before becoming a Christian Scientist. In
1896, around the time Rebecca left home to study at Wellesley College in Wellesley,
Massachusetts, Anna and Alfred met Flavia Stickney Knapp and took her Primary class. The
couple moved to Boston to practice and teach Christian Science. They took Mary Baker
Eddy's Normal class in November 1898. Anna joined The First Church of Christ, Scientist,
in Boston, Massachusetts, in November 1898 and was elected a First Member of the church
in February 1899. She was listed as a practitioner in The Christian
Science Journal from 1898 to 1927. Eddy was impressed with the Bakers and
asked them to come to Concord in 1899. They lived in the apartment above the Christian
Science Hall. Alfred continued his Christian Science healing practice and Anna staffed
the Reading Room. The Hall was later torn down and the First Church of Christ,
Scientist, Concord, built on the property and dedicated in 1904. The Bakers had almost
daily contact with Eddy during their years at Concord and Anna served at Pleasant View
from September to December 1901. In 1902, Anna and Alfred moved to Brookline,
Massachusetts, and continued their Christian Science practice. After Eddy's death in
1910, they moved back to Pennsylvania, then back to Massachusetts, first to Auburndale
then to Newton. Anna kept a diary and her diary entries contributed to a reminiscence
she authored later, "Happy Memories of Mary Baker Eddy" which has been published in
volume 2 of We Knew Mary Baker Eddy.
See more letters.