Background
He was born on March 22, 1822, in North Hempstead, New York, the son of John and Margaret (Boyce) Baker.
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Peter Carpenter Baker
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The father moved to New York while Peter was a child and the latter went to the Harlem Academy to school. When he was but twelve, he exchanged school for business, first in Kasang's printing-office and bookstore on Division St. , and later with W. E. Dean, who was an extensive printer and publisher of legal and classical books. Attracted by the mechanical side of these establishments, Baker decided to learn the printer's trade. His apprenticeship completed, he became superintendent for John F. Trow, who was at that time the printer for many large publishers, including D. Appleton & Company and George P. Putnam.
Career
The young man derived much satisfaction in supervising the printing of all the volumes of Washington Irving's revised edition of his works. Always keenly interested in the printer's art, he expressed himself publicly in later life thus: "A printer who has no heart in his business, no pride in his calling, who only sees wood and iron and lead about him might better have been born and remained in a junk shop. There must be, if we would give pleasure--and profit may accompany the pleasure--a pride in our profession, a heart in our work, and an ambition to excel".
In 1850 Baker formed a partnership with Daniel Godwin, and this firm achieved almost a national reputation in the printing business; for an example of their superior workmanship see Vertoogh van Nieu Nederland and Breeden Raedt, two tracts translated from the Dutch (1854). In 1866 he entered the law publishing field with the firm of Baker, Voorhis & Company. He continued to consider himself primarily a printer, however, and his was a leading part in the organization of the Typothet', the purpose of which was stated to be "the general benefit of the trade and the improvement of the typographic art". Employing printers found such an organization so necessary amidst the chaotic industrial conditions following the war that almost every large city followed the lead of New York and established its Typothet'.
Baker was much sought as a public speaker, was a strong advocate of the temperance cause, and was also active in charitable enterprises, the Hahnemann Hospital being a particular object of his favor.
Achievements
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He was married to Malvina Lockwood, by whom he had three daughters
