Colonel

Colonel

Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

 Robert Symington Baker (1826–1894) was a businessman and landowner originally from Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

. He came to California in 1849

California Gold Rush

The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...

 and engaged in mining supplies business (as Cooke and Baker) in San Francisco. Later he became associated with General Beale

Edward Fitzgerald Beale

Edward Fitzgerald "Ned" Beale was a national figure in 19th century America. He was naval officer, military general, explorer, frontiersman, Indian affairs superintendent, California rancher, diplomat, and friend of Kit Carson, Buffalo Bill Cody and Ulysses S. Grant...

 in the cattle and sheep business in the northern part of the state

Northern California

Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...

 and in the Tejon

Tejon Ranch

The Tejon Ranch Company , based in Lebec, California, is one of the largest private landowners in California. [The federally-gifted lands still held by the Catellus Corporation, a successor to the Southern Pacific Land Company, are much more extensive.] It was incorporated in 1936 to organise the...

 area.

In 1872, the Sepulvedas sold their Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica

Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica

Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica was a Mexican land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given by governor Juan Alvarado in 1839 to Francisco Sepulveda soldier and citizen of Los Angeles...

 property to Baker. With his purchase of the Rancho for cattle and sheep business, Baker moved to Los Angeles. In 1874 he married Arcadia Bandini de Stearns

Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker

Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker was a wealthy Los Angeles landowner.-Early life in San Diego:Arcadia Bandini born 1825 in San Diego, California, the eldest of three daughters of Juan Bandini and Marie de los Dolores Estudio. Arcadia and her two sisters were considered the most beautiful women of...

. The Bakers owned the 30000 acres (121.4 km²) property only two years, and in 1874 sold a three quarter interest in the land to the Comstock

Comstock Lode

The Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. discovery of silver ore, located under what is now Virginia City, Nevada, on the eastern slope of Mount Davidson, a peak in the Virginia Range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims...

 millionaire John Percival Jones.

Jones and Baker decided to subdivide part of their joint holdings, and in 1875 they created the town of Santa Monica

Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...

. Jones and Baker formed the Santa Monica Land and Water Company, one of the principal developers of western Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

. In 1878, he built the Baker block in Los Angeles. Baker owned, through his wife, Rancho La Puente

Rancho La Puente

Rancho La Puente was a ranch in the eastern San Gabriel Valley that, in its fullest extent, measured just under , and remained intact until about 1870. By modern landmarks, the ranch extended from San Gabriel River on the west to just west of the 57 Freeway on the east and from Ramona...

 and Rancho La Laguna

Rancho La Laguna (Manriquez)

Rancho La Laguna was a Mexican land grant in present day Riverside County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Julian Manriquez. The rancho lands include the present day city of Lake Elsinore. At the time of the US Patent, Rancho Laguna was a part of San Diego County...

 and had other large business interests.

He is interred at Calvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles

Calvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles

The Calvary Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery operated by the Los Angeles Archdiocese, located at 4201 Whittier Boulevard in Los Angeles, California...

.