author
A. R. (Abijah Richardson) Baker
1805–1876
A 19th-century Congregational minister, educator, and editor, he wrote practical religious books and helped shape family reading through magazines for children and the home. His work moved between the pulpit, the classroom, and the printed page.
1 Audiobook
Theology in romance : or, the catechism and the Dermott family
by Madeline Leslie, A. R. (Abijah Richardson) Baker
About the author
Born in Franklin, Massachusetts, on August 30, 1805, Abijah Richardson Baker studied at Amherst College, graduating in 1830, and later at Andover Theological Seminary, graduating in 1835. He taught in Massachusetts and then entered the Congregational ministry, serving churches in places including Medford, Lynn, Wellesley, and Boston.
Alongside his work as a pastor and teacher, he was also a busy religious writer and editor. Records of his publications connect him with works such as A Question Book on the Topics in the Assembly's Shorter Catechism, and library catalogs credit him as editor of periodicals including The Happy Home and The Mother's Assistant and Child's Friend. These works suggest a writer deeply interested in Christian instruction for families, churches, and young readers.
Baker died in Boston on April 30, 1876. Although he is less widely remembered today than some of his contemporaries, the surviving bibliographic record shows a life devoted to education, ministry, and making religious reading accessible to everyday households.