Mary Flora BAKER

Born

11 April 1900 , Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA

Died

20 February 1983 , Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA

Parents & Family of Mary Flora BAKER

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Parents

Reuben BAKER Marie Albina Clarinda RENAUD

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Born: 11 April 1900 in Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA

Father: Reuben BAKER

Mother: Marie Albina Clarinda RENAUD

Paternal grandparents: John BAKER , Jane DAVIS

Maternal grandparents: Edouard RENAUD dit LOCAS , Parmelia (Adelina) MARTIN

Spouse(s)/Partner(s) and Child(ren):

Mary Flora married Frank Earnest COLBY 16 August 1927 in Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA . Frank Earnest COLBY was born 2 December 1876 in Hallowell, Maine, USA. Frank Earnest died 16 August 1969 in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Fiskdale). Frank Earnest was the child of Warren Henry COLBY and Addie B SMITH.

Mary Flora BAKER died 20 February 1983 in Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA .
Details of the family tree of Mary appear below.

Everyday Chronicles: Life of the Average American Woman in the Mid-1900s

Spouse & Children of Mary Flora BAKER

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Mary Flora BAKER married

Frank Earnest COLBY
Marriage date: 16 August 1927
Marriage place: Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Frank Earnest COLBY was the child of Warren Henry COLBY and Addie B SMITH

Children of Frank Earnest COLBY and Mary Flora BAKER

No children are currently listed for this couple.

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Life & Records

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Postcards and Memories of Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville)

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Records about Mary Flora BAKER and family appear alongside historical events from the same years. Each item is labeled so you can quickly tell family records from historical context.

1900 Birth
Error listed as Edward (older brother) instead of Flora, parents are Reubin and Clarinda - Reubin born in Manchaug, Clarinda born in Fiskdale
Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1925
Researching Your Colonial New England Ancestors

1900 Birth
Name: Mary Flora Baker
Gender: Female
Baptism/ Christening Date:
Baptism/ Christening Place:
Birth Date: 11 Apr 1900
Birthplace: Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Reuben Baker
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Marie Clerilda Renard
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I01160-8
System Origin: Massachusetts-EASy
Source Film Number: 2047599
Reference Number: 69
Collection: Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915

familysearch.org (Mormon Genealogy Records)
Unofficial Guide to FamilySearch.org: How to Find Your Family History on the World's Largest Free Genealogy Website

1901 - King Camp Gillette and William Emery Nickerson invented the world's first disposable razor blade in 1901. (Boston, Massachusetts, USA)

1900 Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
Reuben, age 25, working at Print Works. It lists his father as having been born in Canada and his mother, born in Massachusetts. (This is probably inaccurate). His wife is Clarinda. She is 23 years old, born Aug. 1876 in Massachusetts. Her parents were born in Canada. They have 2 children, Edward, born in 1896 and Flora, born in 1900. Both children were born in Massachusetts.

1900 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1901 - William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States, was shot on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition in the Temple of Music in Buffalo, New York, on September 6, 1901, six months into his second term. He was shaking hands with the public when an anarchist, Leon Czolgosz, shot him twice in the abdomen. Theodore Roosevelt becomes President of the United States.

1902 - July 17 - Willis Haviland Carrier designed the first modern air-conditioning system. (Buffalo, New York, USA)

1903 - The first engine-powered airplane is invented (Wilbur & Orville Wright, United States)

1904 - June 28 - U.S. begins construction of Panama Canal.

1906 - August 22 – The first Victor Victrola, a phonographic record player, was manufactured, revolutionizing the way people listened to music at home.

In 1906, Reginald Fessenden made the first AM radio broadcast on December 24th. This event marked a significant advancement in radio technology, paving the way for the modern broadcasting industry.

1907-1908 - The electric washing machine is invented (Alva J. Fisher, United States)

1908 - First Model-T car is produced by Henry Ford (United States)

1909 - William Howard Taft becomes President of the United States

1910 Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
Reuben (misspelled Ruben) at age 34. He is listed as having been born in Rhode Island. His parents are also listed as having been born in Rhode Island (probably Ireland). His wife, Clara, is 34 years old. She is listed as born in Massachusetts. Her parents were born in Canada. The children are: Edgar (most likely Edward), 14, Flora, 10, William, 7. The children were all born in Massachusetts. They are living on Sayles St. in Southbridge, Massachusetts.

1910 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1912 - April 15 - Titanic sinks in the North Atlantic

1913 - The assembly line is invented (Henry Ford, United States)

The bra is invented (Mary Phelps Jacob, United States)

1913 - Woodrow Wilson becomes President of the United States

1913 - October 31 – The Lincoln Highway, the first automobile road across the United States, is dedicated

1915 - January 25 - First United States coast-to-coast long-distance telephone call

1917 - March 2 – The enactment of the Jones Act grants Puerto Ricans United States citizenship.

1917 - April 6 – WWI: The United States declares war on Germany

1918 - March 19 – The United States Congress establishes time zones and approves daylight saving time

1919 - June 4 – Women's rights: The United States Congress approves the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which would guarantee suffrage to women, and sends it to the U.S. states for ratification

1920 Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
Reuben, age 44. He is listed as having been born in Massachusetts. His parents are listed as having been born in England. His wife, Clarinda, is 44. She was born in Massachusetts. Her parents were born in Canada. The children are: Flora, 19, William, 17, and Leo, 8. They were all born in Massachusetts. Reuben is listed as an operator in an optical company (probably American Optical). They live on Sayles St. in Southbridge, Massachusetts.
1920 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1920 - January 17 - Prohibition goes into effect on January 17, 1920, under the provisions of the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution

1921 - Warren G. Harding becomes President of the United States

1921 - Charles Strite of Minnesota patents the pop-up toaster.

1923 to 1927 - Television is invented (Vladimir Kosma Zworykin (Russia), Philo Taylor Farnsworth (United States))

1923 - Calvin Coolidge becomes President of the United States

1927 - The aerosol can is invented (Erik Rotheim, Norway)

1927 Marriage / Partner
Mary Flora BAKER and Frank Earnest COLBY 16 August 1927, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville)

She was 27 years old.

1927 - April 7 – Bell Telephone Co. transmits an image of Herbert Hoover (then the Secretary of Commerce), which becomes the first successful long distance demonstration of television

1928
Colby Frank E (Flora), emp Am Op Co, h 14 Oak Ridge Ave
1928 Massachusetts City Directory - Southbridge and Sturbridge

1928 - Sliced bread (bread slicing machine) is invented by Otto Frederick Rohwedder (United States)

1929 - Herbert Hoover becomes President of the United States

1929 - October 29 - Black Tuesday - Stock market crash - The Great Depression Begins - It lasted until 1941 (WW2)

1930 - Scotch tape is invented (Richard Drew (3M), United States)

1930
Clarinda Baker living on Bates Hill in Fiskdale Village, Sturbridge, MA. She is 52 years old, widowed, born in MA. She is listed as mother-in-law. Living with her are: head of household, Frank E. Colby, age 52, b. Maine, age at first marriage 49, machinist in optical company; Flora, wife, age 30, b. MA, age at first marriage 27.
1930 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

In 1930, on February 18, Pluto was discovered by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, marking a significant milestone in the study of our solar system.

1931 - The paper towel is invented (Arthur Scott, United States)

1931 - March 3 – The Star-Spangled Banner is adopted as the United States National anthem.

1933 - Franklin D. Roosevelt becomes President of the United States

1933 - December 5 – The 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed, repealing Prohibition

1934 - The metal beverage can is invented (American Can Co., United States)

1935 - The snowmobile was invented by Joseph Bombardier (Quebec, Canada)

1935 - August 14 – United States President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act into law

1938 - The ballpoint pen is invented (Lazlo Biro, Hungary)

1938-1944 - Sunscreen is invented (Franz Greiter, Switzerland and Benjamin Green, United States)

1938 - October 27 - Du Pont announces a name for its new synthetic yarn: nylon.

1940 Sturbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
Name: Flora Colby
Age: 40
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1900
Gender: Female
Race: White
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Marital Status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Home in 1940: Sturbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
Street: Bates Hill
Inferred Residence in 1935: Sturbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
Residence in 1935: Same House
Sheet Number: 5B
Household Members:
Name Age
Frank Colby 63
Flora Colby 40
Clarinda Baker 63
1940 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1940 - April - 1st electron microscope demonstrated (RCA), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

1941 - December 8 - (the day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor) United States declares war on Japan (WW2)

1944 - D-Day, which occurred on June 6, 1944, was a pivotal World War II operation where Allied forces launched a massive invasion on the beaches of Normandy, France. Known as Operation Overlord, it involved over 156,000 troops from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and other Allied nations. The operation aimed to liberate Western Europe from Nazi German control. The landings marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany, leading to the eventual Allied victory in Europe.

1945 - The atomic bomb is invented (J. Robert Oppenheimer, et al., United States)

The microwave oven was invented accidentally in 1945 by Percy Spencer, a Raytheon engineer. While testing a magnetron, he noticed microwaves melted a candy bar in his pocket. Experimenting further, he discovered microwaves could cook food quickly. Raytheon patented the process, and by 1947, they built the first commercial microwave oven, called the 'Radarange.' Initially used in commercial settings, microwaves becomes affordable for home use by the 1960s and 1970s, revolutionizing cooking.

1945 - Harry S. Truman becomes President of the United States

1945 - On September 2, 1945, World War II officially ended with the formal surrender of Japan. The surrender ceremony took place aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, where Japanese officials signed the Instrument of Surrender in the presence of Allied representatives, including General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz.

1948 - Velcro is invented (George de Mestral, Switzerland)

1950 - Fiskdale, Massachusetts
Name: Flora Colby
[Flora Baker]
Age: 50
Birth Date: abt 1900
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Massachusetts
Marital Status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Residence Date: 1950
Home in 1950: Fiskdale, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Household Members Age Relationship
Francis E Colby
73 Head
Flora Colby 50 Wife
Clarinda M Baker
72 Mother-in-law
1950 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1950 - June 25 - Korean War begins when North Korean forces invade South Korea.

1953 - Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes President of the United States

1953 - On July 27, 1953, the Korean War ended with the signing of an armistice agreement at Panmunjom. This ceasefire halted the conflict between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, backed by United Nations forces primarily from the United States. The agreement established the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) near the 38th parallel, effectively maintaining the pre-war boundary and creating a buffer zone between the two Koreas.

Mary Flora BAKER - August 16, 1960 l to r: Marie Baker Renaud (83), Frank Colby (83), Flora Baker Colby (60)

August 16, 1960
l to r: Marie Baker Renaud (83), Frank Colby (83), Flora Baker Colby (60)

photos and papers belonging to Evelyn Feige Baker

1961 - John F. Kennedy becomes President of the United States

1961 - Vietnam War officially begins with 900 military advisors landing in Saigon.

1962 - The Cuban Missile Crisis was a tense 13-day standoff in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over the installation of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the U.S. coast. The crisis is considered the closest the Cold War came to escalating into a full-scale nuclear war. It began when American spy planes discovered the missiles, leading to a U.S. naval blockade of Cuba and intense negotiations. The crisis ended when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for the U.S. promising not to invade Cuba and secretly agreeing to remove American missiles from Turkey.

1963 - I Have a Dream Speech - Martin Luther King's Address at March on Washington August 28, 1963.

In 1963, on November 22, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza. The assassination shocked the nation and the world, leading to widespread mourning and a period of intense national introspection. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States shortly after Kennedy's death. The assassination sparked numerous conspiracy theories and investigations, with the Warren Commission ultimately concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination. Kennedy's death had a profound impact on American politics and society, marking the end of an era often referred to as 'Camelot.'

1965
Colby Frank E (Flora) retd h Bates Hill (F)
Polk's Southbridge (Worcester County, Mass.) City Directory 1965
Southbridge (MA)

1968 - The ATM is invented (Don Wetzel, United States)

1969 - Richard M. Nixon becomes President of the United States

1969 - July 20 - Apollo 11 - Man lands on the moon

1969 Death of Spouse/Partner
Frank Earnest COLBY died 16 August 1969, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Fiskdale)

June 17, 1972 – August 9, 1974 - Watergate Scandal began with the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., in 1972. Members of President Richard Nixon's administration attempted to cover up their involvement. The scandal led to the discovery of multiple abuses of power by the Nixon administration, the resignation of President Nixon in 1974, and the indictment of several administration officials.

1973 - January 22 - Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 and Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179: The U.S. Supreme Court declares that the Constitution protects women’s right to terminate an early pregnancy, thus making abortion legal in the U.S.

1973 - March 29 - The last United States soldier leaves Vietnam

The cell phone was invented by Martin Cooper of Motorola. On April 3, 1973, he made the first handheld mobile phone call with the Motorola DynaTAC. This device weighed 2.5 pounds and was 10 inches long, offering 30 minutes of talk time and requiring 10 hours to charge. The first commercial cell phone was released in 1983, revolutionizing communication and leading to the modern smartphones we use today.

1974 - Gerald R. Ford becomes President of the United States after the resignation of Richard Nixon.

1977 - Jimmy Carter becomes President of the United States

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington State occurred on May 18, triggered by a 5.1 magnitude earthquake. It caused the largest landslide in recorded history, followed by a massive lateral blast. The eruption killed 57 people, destroyed 250 homes, and spread ash across the U.S.

1981 - Ronald Reagan becomes President of the United States

1981 - June 5 - First reported case of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

1982 - The camcorder is invented (Sony Corp., Japan)

1983 Death
Massachusetts, Death Index, 1970-2003
name: Flora Colby
event: Death
event date: 20 Feb 1983
event place: Southbridge, Massachusetts
death certificate number: 019273
birth date: 12 Apr 1900
birthplace: Massachusetts
spouse:
spouse's death date:
spouse's death place:
spouse's death certificate number:
spouse's birth date:
spouse's birth place:
familysearch.org (Mormon Genealogy Records)
Unofficial Guide to FamilySearch.org: How to Find Your Family History on the World's Largest Free Genealogy Website

Obituary
Mrs. Flora Colby, 82
STURBRIDGE - Flora (Baker) Colby, 82, of Bates HIll ROad, Fiskdale, died yesterday in Harrington Memorial Hospital, Southbridge. Her husband, Frank E. Colby, died in 1969.

She leaves two brothers, William and Leo Baker of Southbridge.

Born in Southbridge, she was a daughter of Reuben and Marie (Renaud) Baker, and moved to Fiskdale several years ago.

Private funeral serives will be held at the convenience of the family.

Burial will be in North Cemetery, Sturbridge.

There are no calling hours.

The family requests flowers be omitted.

Memorial donations may be made to Harrington Memorial Hospital, 100 South St., Southbridge.

Daniel T. Morrill Funeral Home, 130 Hamilton St., Southbridge, is directing arrangements.

The Evening Gazette
Worcester, Massachusetts
February 21, 1983

FINAL RESTING PLACE