BUCK BAKER (1869-1920) in the August 19, 1933 DOTHAN EAGLE
Just how long Buck Baker could have remained mayor of Dothan is a mere matter of speculation He was never defeated for office and but few times in his life failed at anything he undertook to accomplish He was a great character and his life will furnish more stories of human interest and appreciation than most any character in Dothan’s public life.
At one time he was approached by some ladies of the Foster Street Methodist church for a donation on chimes which they hoped to install. After ascertaining what they were to cost, he asked how much they yet lacked of having the money. He was told the insignificant sum. He then asked if they couldn’t return it to the donors and allow him to give the chimes as a memorial to his mother. It was arranged and now is a matter of Dothan history that those chimes ring out Mrs Baker’s old familiar hymns every Sunday morning.
He was Dothan’s biggest taxpayer and yet he was never known to have opposed a tax for better schools, the lack of which advantages had been such a source of embarrassment to him throughout his public life.
Before the schools were free and when the cost of text books were an item to the poor, the city clerk had strict instructions from the mayor not to let anyone who wanted to matriculate fail to do so for lack of necessary money if worthy "Give them a ticket and charge to me”. That was his style.
After having served eight years faithfully and successfully, he gracefully retired from the office and assisted in the election of his friend J R Young who had announced his candidacy ten years prior to this time.
From the November 11, 1962 DOTHAN EAGLE
HONORING THE PIONEERS
Only a day or two ago I attended the funeral of one of this city's elder citizens and was made to realize that men like him, men of compassion understanding and a sympathetic heart were becoming all too few in these days of constant tensions and frustrations of senseless ambitions and a mad rush to the ultimate end for which we are all destined.
Mr Will Hardwick was always a sweet friend to me and when I was a young physician just loginning my work in this community he was one of the men who scented interested in me and my future and I learned to love and appreciate him and his many fine qualities as the years have passed and brought the mellowness that only time and age can bring I regret that this city as so many other cities seems to forget the men who pioneered this community and made our present fine city a possibility— rn e n like Russ Porter George Malone “Buck" Baker Jim Young John lowers and my own revered father as well as a host of others too numerous to burden your columns with but I wish to take this means of expressing my thanks to all of these fine men who have gone on to their last accounting for the means which they left us of a younger generation to take up the candle which they lighted so that those who come after us may find the way a bit brighter and easier Please forgive my verbosity but remember that the heart sings the glad songs of remembrance when we are confronted with the sweet memories of those departed men and women who made our lives a bit better and who contributed their bit to the essence of Dothan so that the youngsters of today may progress to a finer Dothan and find therein the realization of their dreams of youth and the fruition of t h e i r efforts A compassionate heart and an understanding mmd are two o f the most abiding virtues which we may acquire and as we contemplate the lives of these fine men who have gone before us we are made to feel very humble and at the same time very proud that we have had the privilege of their association and advice and that our lives have been blessed thereby If I be not considered too forward may I suggest that this city with its fine men and women realize the impact on their lives which the lives of so many fine men and women have made in order that their own living may be better and fuller and this city achieve its rightful place in the sun of history Arthur Keyton Dothan Ala.
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