John William Baker
John William Baker, was an American and later Spanish-Cuban slave trader.
He was the son of Jacob Baker, a Philadelphia merchant. He moved to Trinidad, Cuba in 1805. and became wealthy through the slave trade and sugar plantations. He became a naturalised Spanish citizen in 1819, and changed his name to Juan Guillaume Béquer.
He built himself a mansion in Trinidad. When he tried to lay a mosaic of doubloons in the floor of the dining room, authorities pointed out it would be improper to walk on the Spanish coat of Arms. The mansion was burned in the Cuban War of Independence from Spain.Gallery
