Robert Henry Baylis

Robert Henry "Bob" Baylis was born October 21, 1924 in Oakland, California. He had one elder brother, Kenneth (1917-1997). Their father was Harry John Baylis (1892-1968), who was the son of John Baylis (1867-1948) and his wife Ellen R., who were both born in England, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1887. John (Bob's paternal grandfather) lived in Alameda 52 years and was involved with Alameda Gospel Chapel since.

Their mother was Esther E. Jones (1892-1976) Baylis. In 1890, Esther's father, David D. Jones (b. 1851 Wales - d. 1931 San Francisco, CA) and Anna L. Snook Jones (1867-1935 California) joined the first assembly in San Francisco, started three years prior by evangelists Donald Ross & James Goodfellow, and superintended by Charles Montgomery.

David spent five years bi-vocationally (evangelist and U.S. government interpreter) in the Sz Yip district of China, subsequently founding the "Chinese Name Spelling Company" in San Francisco, which in 1904 issued a textbook for assisting businessmen in correctly spelling surnames in legal documents, which was recently reprinted. He was converted in Bristol, England, and emigrated in 1873 first to Pittsburgh, then Beaver Falls, Evanston (WY), and Chicago, each place establishing Sunday Schools and developing the Hong Kong Mission while essentially walking to San Francisco, as credited by Henry Ward Beecher in 1886 in "The Christian Union".

Esther's brother (Bob's uncle) Elmer A. Jones (1887-1973) was also commended by area assemblies in 1912 to evangelistic work in China, where he served until 1920, then laboring in the Lord's work among Chinese immigrants from 1926 thru 1932.

Bob graduated from Alameda High School in 1942, and worked at Emporium Capwell's flagship department store at 20th & Broadway in Oakland, whom later employed Hugo Santucci, who with Bob, and Dave Curran would eventually co-found Valley Church of Moraga, where Bob subsequently served many years as a teaching and preaching elder.

Bob enlisted into the U.S. Army on April 26, 1943, where he served in World War Two.

After the War, he earned a B.A. in English Literature from San Jose State College, where he was active with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF), including serving as chapter president for a year. This was also where he met Clara Naomi Deffenbaugh of Santa Rosa, California, who had Santa Rosa Junior College, graduating from the University of California at Berkeley. She was born Oct. 15, 1927, raised in Sonoma, and they married June 25, 1949.

After graduating from college, Bob continued to serve on staff with IVCF for three years in the Great Lakes region of Minnesota, returning to California to pursue graduate studies in Literature at San Francisco State College, and Education at the University of California. Bob taught high school, resigning at the age of 50 to open Logos Bookstore in Berkeley, and also opening a travel and touring agency.

Bob also authored six books, including "My People", which is widely regarded as one of the most informative general histories of the Open Brethren in North America, particularly with regard to its impact on wider evangelicalism, with connections with inter-denominational ministries. Another book he authored is "The Brethren by the Bay", a pictorial history of the San Francisco brethren. Additionally, he wrote commentaries on Romans ("A Letter to Nonconformists") and Ephesians ("Living in God's Household"), and Christian travel guides, "Europe on Purpose", and "Pilgrims' London".

For forty years, Bob traveled worldwide, often leading groups of Christian students and alumni into Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He is credited with being one of the first to lead tours into Siberia. He was also an accomplished graphic artist, including silk screening (producing original Christmas cards), metal etchings, drawings using pen and ink, charcoal and pencil, and was also an avid photographer.

In 1996, Bob and Naomi retired to Sonoma, California where they were active in Sonoma Valley Community Church. On April 11, 2020, Bob died peacefully, survived by two sons and one daughter, Jonathan (Loraine) Baylis, Kenneth (Tania) and Janet (James) Herrick, as well as nine grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, three nephews and a niece. His eldest son, Jonathan, has crafted a tribute page for Bob at https://www.baylis.ca/robert-baylis.