DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Baker-Jones House in Harris County. Now settle in, because this one's got all the makings of a proper Houston story — old money, fine architecture, and a family that left its mark on a city still findin' its footing. It starts with a man named James Addison Baker.
Prominent attorney, banker, industrialist — the kind of fellow whose business card would need a second page. By 1915, Baker had set his sights on a particular piece of property, and he purchased it with something specific in mind. Not a headquarters, not a showpiece for himself.
A gift. He was going to build a house, and he was going to give it away. To do the job right, Baker hired noted Houston architect Birdsall P.
Briscoe. And Briscoe delivered. The house was completed in 1917, and when it was done, James Addison Baker presented it as a gift to his daughter, Alice Graham Baker, and her husband, Murray Brashear Jones.
That's the kind of housewarming present that tends to stick in a family's memory. Now, the house itself — let me paint you a picture, because this thing was built to make an impression. Classical influences, refined and symmetrical proportions.
Out front, a pedimented entrance pavilion flanked by Doric pilasters, and a recessed entry portico held up by fluted Doric columns. Multi-light windows catching the Houston sun. Round-headed dormers up top.
The marker calls it an excellent local example of an early-twentieth century grand residence, and judging by what Briscoe put together here, that's no exaggeration. Inside that grand residence lived two people who were doing considerable things in Houston. Murray Brashear Jones was a respected lawyer — served as assistant district attorney and went on to become Harris County judge.
Alice Baker Jones was a prominent civic leader, deep in church and charitable work across the community. Between the two of them, the Baker-Jones House wasn't just a beautiful address. It was a working part of Houston life.
But here's where the story takes its quiet turn. In 1938, the house was sold out of the family. Just like that, the gift James Baker had commissioned and given changed hands.
It has passed through a succession of owners since that time — the marker doesn't name them all, and maybe that's fitting. Because through every change of ownership, the house held on to what it was. Today it remains one of the best preserved examples of Birdsall P.
Briscoe's work in all of Houston. Those fluted columns still standing, those dormers still looking out over Harris County. Some gifts, it turns out, outlast the giving.
What the marker says
Prominent attorney, banker, and industrialist James Addison Baker (d. 1941) purchased this property in 1915. He hired noted Houston architect Birdsall P. Briscoe to design this house, which he presented as a gift to his daughter, Alice Graham Baker and her husband, Murray Brashear Jones. Completed in 1917, the Baker-Jones House is an excellent local example of an early-20th century grand residence. Classical stylistic influences are exhibited in its refined and symmetrical proportions. The structure's prominent architectural features include a pedimented entrance pavilion flanked by Doric pilasters, with a recessed entry portico supported by fluted Doric columns. Also of note are the multi-light windows and round-headed dormers. Murray Jones was a respected lawyer who served as assistant district attorney and Harris County judge. Alice Baker Jones was a prominent local civic leader involved in numerous church and charitable activities. The house was sold out of the family in 1938. It has undergone a succession of owners since that time but remains one of the best preserved examples of Birdsall P. Briscoe's work in Houston. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1991