Baker, Alice, 1867-1967

Baker, Sarah Alice Ratliff

Sarah Alice Ratliff, better known as Alice; born in Van Zandt, Texas; taught school until marrying James Artemas (J.A.) Baker at eighteen; J.A. grew cotton, but poor cotton-growing conditions led him to switch to freight and trading; "During the year 1894 ... J. A. and Alice [Baker] ... took over the operation of a small combination mercantile store and post office, and acquired a quarter-section of land on which they established the present town of Lockney. Farming took second place to Baker as he assumed the multiple duties of creating and promoting the town along with expanding his freighting business.... Alice ran the store and post office, ordered supplies, kept the home, and raised the children.... Through the years in which she operated the store, Mrs. Baker gained the reputation of a capable business woman. However, and more importantly, her empathy for the clientele which her store served earned her the reputation of a wise and caring person.... In the early 1900s ... Mrs. Baker began making semiannual trips to wholesale dry goods markets...." Alice Baker designed house in Lockney which was completed in 1909; J.A. died of accidental blood poisoning in 1917; two years later Alice married C. W. Smith, one of the founders of Lockney Christian College, causing family conflict; "By the time of James Baker's death, two of his sons, Robin and Artemus or 'Artie,' had been brought into the store. The two sons assumed control of the store, and during the time of Alice Baker's marriage, filed a paper declaring Baker Mercantile Company to be a trust. By April of 1920 Alice Baker Smith had returned to her family, while C. W. remained on his farm. Eventually, Alice dropped the 'Smith' from her name and assumed control of the dry goods store.... As the debt problems which the store faced in the 1930s continued to mount, both Robin and Artie became involved in other businesses--Robin in butane and Artie in irrigation--and moved away from Lockney in the mid-1940s. Mrs. Alice Baker died at the age of ninety-nine, three months before her 100th birthday. She worked in the store until 1963 when she was ninety-six years of age."

Mrs. Alice Baker of Lockney; 63rd anniversary of the Baker Mercantile Company in April, 1957; wares sold include dry goods, furniture, hardware, and appliances; two daughters help run the store, Mrs. Dimple McCavock and Mrs. Lee Seaman; ten other children

Sarah Alice (Baker) Smith; born August 26, 1867; daughter of Steven J. Ratliff and Nancy Virginia Schmidt; resident of Lockney, Texas, for 73 years; died in Lockney on June 2, 1967; occupation: retired dry goods merchant