Although Father Baker's story is just one chapter of the rich saga of the OLV Institutions, there is no question that it is the most important and the most compelling.

Nelson Henry Baker was born in Buffalo on February 16, 1842. Nelson was the second son of Lewis and Caroline Donnellan Baker, a curious pair - he, the German Lutheran and she, the Irish Catholic. By the 1850s, it is known that Lewis Baker had become a very successful businessman. He and his family owned and operated a grocery and general store on Batavia Street (which is now Broadway). The family lived in a small home located behind the store. It was his experience working in his father's grocery which helped to develop Nelson's acute business sense, a skill he would be forced to rely on at different points throughout his life.

But while his father shaped him vocationally, it was Nelson's mother who influenced him spiritually. Caroline's deep love of, and commitment to, the Catholic faith appealed much to young Nelson and many stories have been told of the little boy following his mother off to the local Roman Catholic church, St. Patrick's of Buffalo. Documentation demonstrates that Nelson was baptized by the Rev. Joseph Lennon on November 29, 1851, at St. Patrick's.

Young Nelson was just 21 years old when he enlisted to take part in the American Civil War with the 74th Regiment of the New York State militia in early July of 1863. Just hours after he signed in, Nelson's unit was ordered to march to the Pennsylvania-Maryland border, and within days, the young private would take part in one of the most violent battles of all time, Gettysburg.When the 74th Regiment had finished its mission on the Pennsylvania front, the remaining soldiers were immediately ordered to New York City to quell the bloody draft riots. After successfully completing that grim mission, Private Baker's unit returned home to Buffalo, as its term of enlistment (30 days of active duty) had expired.

Shortly after his return, Joseph Meyer, a close friend of Nelson's, suggested that the two establish a business partnership. The 21-year-old Civil War veteran, responsive, but not enthusiastic, explained to the surprised Meyer that he was considering becoming a priest. Finally, though, Nelson accepted his friend's proposal and the two began what eventually became a highly successful feed and grain enterprise.

As the years went by and his business became more and more profitable, Nelson began to give what he could to those who were less fortunate. It was during this time that Nelson began volunteering with the St. Vincent De Paul Society. One of the organizations that the society was working with at the time was the Limestone Hill Institutions. Before long, Nelson grew to be close friends with the agency's head, an affable priest by the name of Rev. Thomas Hines.

In 1868, at the height of his business' success, Nelson began to come to a decision. He informed Meyer that he would continue their partnership for one more year while he conducted priestly studies at night.

On September 2, 1869, Nelson entered the college department of Our Lady of Angels Seminary at Suspension Bridge, Niagara Falls (what is now Niagara University). Although several years older than most other students (he was 27), he participated in every aspect of seminary life, starring in theatrical productions, athletics, and debates. And, of course, Nelson labored diligently to develop his spirituality, often being singled out by peers and instructors for his faith.
After reading about the organization of the first American Pilgrimage to Rome in 1874, Nelson wanted desperately to be involved. Gathering up some money he had from his entrepreneurial days, he became one of 108 pilgrims who boarded a ship headed for Europe.

Shortly after the group arrived in Paris on May 29, they were informed that their trip to Lourdes, scheduled for the next day, would be delayed. It was decided that the group would take advantage of the delay and attend Mass at the wondrous Shrine of Notre Dame des Victoires (Our Lady of Victory). Although there is no record of what transpired in that marvelous place on that special day, one can only guess what went through Nelson's mind as he gazed around the basilica. For it is in Paris, on a warm May day, that he made his decision to devote the rest of his life to dutifully serving the Blessed Mother under the title Our Lady of Victory.

Reinvigorated by the experience, Nelson's work at the seminary came to an end on March 19, 1876 (the Feast of St. Joseph), when he was ordained to the priesthood at the age of 34. Just weeks later, he received his first assignment - he would join his old friend Father Hines at the Limestone Hill Institutions. His return was not all roses, though. It did not take the financially-savvy Father Baker too long to realize the enormity of the debt the Institutions had fallen under. By many estimates, the amount totalled more than $56,000 (a figure that would exceed $1.1 million today).

Frustrated with the situation, Father Baker requested a transfer away from a situation he deemed "hopeless." In 1881, his wish was fulfilled when Bishop Steven Ryan sent Father Baker to St. Mary's Parish in Corning, N.Y. (which was then part of the Diocese of Buffalo). Within months of his assistant's departure, Father Hines stepped down from his post. Bishop Ryan considered a short list of replacements, and in February of 1882, "requested" that Father Baker be sent back to the Institutions, this time, though, with a promotion. Father Baker would not leave again.

The new Superintendent of the Limestone Hill Institutions and Pastor of St. Patrick's Parish had been in his new position for only a few days when a number of angry creditors descended on him, demanding immediate payment. The business-savvy priest assured them that they would receive their money and asked them to engage in a trusting relationship built on his good name as a businessman in his early days. The creditors left, satisfied that Father Baker would hold to his word. He then emptied the remains of his personal savings to pay off some of the debt, while setting up verbal agreements to clear the rest. Although the crisis had been averted, Father Baker knew the financial situation was still quite bleak.

One night, while in prayer, the restless priest came up with an ingenious idea. He wrote to postmasters all over the country in order to obtain names and addresses of Catholic women in their towns. Once he had a good-sized list, he wrote to all of these women asking them to help him care for his abandoned and orphaned boys by joining the Association of Our Lady of Victory for 25 cents a year. The idea caught on, and in little time, all of the creditors were paid in full. Due to the graciousness of donors throughout the region, the Limestone Hill Institutions, once in dire financial trouble, now looked to expand. And, on June 26, 1889, a beautiful new chapel and an enlarged protectory building were dedicated. It was just the beginning of an era of unprecedented expansion for the organization.

The turn of a new century gave Father Baker a good opportunity to reflect on the tumultuous past and seemingly bright future of the OLV Institutions, as the organization was now beginning to be known. When Father Baker took over as Superintendent in 1882, St. John's Protectory was home to 120 boys, while St. Joseph's Orphanage housed 118. By 1901, those numbers had increased dramatically to 385 and 236, respectively. In addition to the expanding Protectory and Orphanage buildings, Father Baker added a new aspect to the organization when the Working Boys' Home opened in 1897. This new structure served as home to boys who had moved out of the Protectory and were working full-time in downtown Buffalo. The facility housed 80 boys over the age of 15.

With startling frequency, Father Baker began to read in the local newspapers about the bodies of infants being found in different parts of the city, apparently abandoned by their mothers, who often were unmarried. At the same time, reports of thousands of infant bones being dredged up out of the Erie Canal horrified the humble priest. Social stigmas of the day railed against unmarried teenagers/women having babies. Often times, rather than deal with the social and economic backlash, these women in crisis would hide their pregnancies and destroy their infants. Father Baker knew immediately that something must be done to save the lives of these innocent little children.

In 1906, Father Baker announced plans to construct the Our Lady of Victory Infant Home to offer refuge, prenatal care and adoptive services for infants and unwed mothers. The cornerstone of this ambitious (and controversial) project was laid on March 25, 1907. Months later, in August of 1908, the building was finished and immediately filled with babies and needy young mothers. In no time, the number of children saved was estimated in the thousands.

After just six years, it became apparent to Father Baker that the now overcrowded Infant Home was in desperate need of expansion. Once again, the humble priest announced the growth of what was being hailed as his "City of Charity," as he unveiled plans for the construction of a Maternity Hospital in 1914. The project was completed and opened on October 2, 1919. The next year, the state passed legislation that required nurses to obtain their training in a setting which catered to all patients and offered a setting for surgical procedures. Because the Maternity Hospital provided care to patients in need of pre- and post-natal services only, a nursing shortage was foreseen. A change had to be made. Under advisement from Dr. Michael Sullivan, the new facility was converted into a general hospital and reopened to serve the entire region.

At the same time, history and circumstance were conspiring again. In April of 1916, a horrific fire did tremendous damage to the orphanage building, St. Patrick's Church and OLV Elementary School. Among other things, the blaze completely destroyed the church's spire and took a heavy toll on the assembly area. Within weeks, Father Baker ordered the building to be repaired, but, oddly, held off on the repairs to the spire. It seemed the 74-year-old priest had something else in mind . . .

At a routine parish council meeting shortly after the fire, Father Baker shocked a group of parishioners by laying out a grandiose plan. Right here, in a small suburb of Buffalo, N.Y., he was going to build a church that would rival any in Europe. No expense would be spared, he told the awed group, he wanted only the best and finest for his patroness, Our Lady of Victory. With not one penny set aside to begin construction, the council was a bit skeptical.

Plans for the great Shrine of Our Lady of Victory moved ahead. In 1919, work on a new elementary school, located on the corner of Ridge Road and South Park Avenue began. By the spring of 1921, construction on the new school was complete enough to allow for the use of its basement as a temporary church. On May 7 of that year, Father Baker celebrated the final Mass at St. Patrick's Church, which was immediately dismantled. Construction on the shrine went on uninterrupted. In the spring of 1924, the building was sufficiently enclosed so that it was possible to offer church services within its hallowed halls.

On May 25, 1926, the Bishop and Father Baker presided over the Mass of Consecration which was attended by hundreds of clergy members, parishioners and friends. Utterly delighted with his tribute to Our Lady of Victory, Father Baker was even more pleased when, on July 26, an official Apostolic Decree from Pope Pius XI elevated the shrine to a Minor Basilica. At the time, the Basilica of Our Lady of Victory was one of only a handful of its kind in the country. It was a special honor for a special place.

Tragically, though, the aging priest had little time to enjoy his newest accomplishment. The "Black Friday" Stock Market Crash of 1929 plunged America into the Great Depression, a time of darkness and despair unlike any the U.S. had seen. If ever a great man was needed, now was that time. Available statistics simply cannot tell the whole story of the heroism that beamed out of Lackawanna during that tragic time, but some shed light on the scope of the generosity. A report, prepared by Father Baker and presented to Bishop Turner, includes some staggering figures. From the period of 1930 until 1933, a total of 454,676 meals were served to the needy. By the summer of 1932, more than 30,000 meals a month were reaching any who asked for assistance. The "Padre of the Poor" estimated that in excess of $50,000 had been spent to assist the community, between meals, spare beds and simple out-of-pocket donations.

The impact the OLV Institutions made during this time can never truly be measured. Father Baker's steadying influence on the ravaged community eased the pain of the Depression, which began to ease by the mid 1930s. By that time, the elderly Father Baker's body continued to weaken, and, more often, he was forced to rely on his assistants to keep the organization running.

Shortly after his 94th birthday, Father Baker became seriously ill. He had recovered from so many physical ailments through the years (including a battle with a crippling disease while in the seminary and an infection which took his right eye in 1927), it was never thought that this fight would be his last. But in late July, Father Baker lapsed into a coma, and finally, at 9:20 a.m. on July 29, 1936, in Room 215 of the very hospital he helped build, the "Padre of the Poor" passed away.

As Father Baker's body lay in state within the Basilica, people lined up, often for hours in the blazing July sun, to pay their last respects. Although there is no official count on the number of people who filed through the shrine, estimates range from 300,000 to 500,000. His institutions had meant so much to so many.

Of note, too, was the humble priest's Will. The business-minded Father Baker had handled millions of dollars in his time, yet, when his will was probated, it was revealed that he had no money, owned no property and expected nothing in return for his life of giving. Those material goods he did possess, he donated back to the Institutions and his Association of Our Lady of Victory. He may not have been rich on paper, but, all can attest, his investment in the Blessed Mother and the countless children he saved, was one that made him one of the wealthiest men in history. Father Baker was a shrewd businessman to the end.

Part III:
The Years Since