From the Archives: Obituaries:
Obituary of Mrs. Malvina Baxter
Erie, PA  1928

Mrs. Baxter, Erie Pioneer, is taken by death
In failing health for more than a year, Mrs. Malvina Hammond Baxter,
of 452 West Third Street, died late Saturday due to a complication
of old age and illness superintended by shock resulting from the
death of her son-in-law, Samuel Johnson, of Hornell, N. Y.

While the body of Mrs. Baxter is being held at the family residence
for burial tomorrow.  Policeman Rufus D. H. Baxter, her oldest
son, is in Hornell, N.. Y., where he attended the funeral of Johnson
this afternoon.  Policeman Baxter with Mrs. Ruth Johnson, the widow,
will return to Erie tonight, and tomorrow funeral services for their
aged mother will be conducted at, the home.  The Rev. Holst, pastor
of the Seventh Day Adventist church, will officiate.  Burial will be in
Erie Cemetery.

In the death of Mrs. Baxter, who was in her eighty-first year, the
city loses one of the pioneer negro settlers.  The daughter of the
late Rufus Hammond, Mrs. Baxter was born in Memphis, Tenn.  Just
before the Civil War broke out the Hammonds left their southern
home intent on going to Pittsburgh, but enroute they were induced
to come to Erie, where friends of the Hammonds assured them of
safety and comfort.

The Hammonds were one of the very few negro families in Erie at
the time and Malvina, then a girl of 13, grew up with Erie and became
on of it leaders of the colored race.

Robert H. Baxter, a native of St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada, and
Malvina Hammond were married shortly after the Civil War and of
the eight children born to the union, six are still living.

Practically her entire life was spent in the Fourth Ward (Jerusalem),
where the Baxters established their home and held a place high in
the esteem of their neighbors.  Eleven years ago Mr. Baxter died
and since then the widow had continued to reside at the old homestead.

Surviving Mrs. Baxter are Rufus D. H. Baxter who has been connected
with the police department for a quarter of a century; Mrs. Eva Johnson,
of Buffalo; Mrs. Ruth Johnson, of Hornell, N. Y.; Mrs Margaret Peters,
of Erie, and Sam Baxter and Robert Baxter, also of Erie. 

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Note: 

Rufus D. H. Baxter married Florence Vosburgh, the daughter of well known real estate agent Albert Vosburgh, an abolitionist and anti-slavery activist in Erie. 

Contributed by Karen James

James Kilgore

Abigail Vosburgh