PRIVATE
JOHN BENJAMIN HARRISON BAKER was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on November
9, 1889. He was working as a clerk for the Central Jersey Railroad in
Jersey City and was living there when he registered for the draft on
June 5, 1917. He was living with his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Keese,
at 1004 Spruce
Street, in Camden when he was drafted.
John B.H. Baker was inducted on June 28, 1918 at Jersey City.
Initially sent to Camp Dix, he was assigned to the Medical Detachment of the 312th Field
Signal
Battalion. Private Baker went overseas with his unit on August 26, 1918. Private
Baker was wounded while carrying other casualties off of the field of
battle. He died of blood poisoning at Base Hospital No. 35 in France on
September 17, 1918. He was survived by his mother and his stepfather,
Henry O. Keese, and a step-brother, Henry O. Keese Jr. The Keese family
was still living at the
Spruce
Street address well into the 1930s.
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