PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
page 714
DAN. BAKER is the owner and occupant of an excellent
piece of property in Miami Township, Greene County, which has been his
life-long home. It comprises one
hundred and thirteen acres of well-improved land, a portion of it
being timber,
and various crops being raised upon that which is under the plow.
The residence is a substantial brick house, which was built by the father
of our subject, and occupies the site of the old log house in which our subject
was born. The personal character of
Mr. Baker is above reproach, good principles marking his intercourse with his
fellow-men, and the utmost kindness being shown by him to his wife and children.
Never having been a rover, his principal knowledge of the world has been
obtained by reading, but he keeps an
intelligent interest in the world's affairs by this means.
Among the early settlers in this county was
Thomas Baker, who came hither from Pennsylvania about 1812, and settled a mile
northwest of Clifton, where he died September 22, 1821, at the age of fifty-nine
years. He
was accompanied to this State by his son Nayl, who had opened his eyes to the
light in the Keystone State May 25, 1795. The
latter after reaching manhood took for his wife Miss Huldah Mills, who was born
June 8, 1803, their marriage taking place in 1825. They at once settled on what
is now known as the Campbell farm, but after living upon it some years sold and
purchased that now owned by our subject which they made their permanent home. There the husband breathed his last, April 17,1865, his widow
surviving until April 28, 1877. They
were the parents of nine children, as follows:
Sarah, now Mrs. Wilson; Jacob and Thomas, deceased;
William; Mary and Mrs. Rachael Smith, deceased; Dan; Mrs. Lettitia Kiler,
and an infant.
The natal day of Dan Baker was April 20, 1839.
He received but a common school education and was obliged to work hard,
assisting his father until the death of the latter, and afterward continuing his
labors upon the home place. He had left the parental home during the Civil War,
taking the field as a member of Company F, One hundred and Fifty-fourth Ohio
Infantry, which was detailed for
guard duty at Piedmont, W. Va. After
serving until his time expired he was discharged at Camp Dennison and returned
to the farm, where he has since remained. After his marriage he and his wife
settled down upon the homestead and took care of his mother until she passed
away.
The wife of Mr. Baker was in her girlhood Susan
E. Waymire. She is one of nine children born to Daniel
and Marianna Waymire, four of whom
are now living.
Her parents were natives of South Carolina whence they moved to
Dayton, Ohio, where she was born July 12, 1845. Her father was a
contractor, one of his jobs being the old courthouse at Dayton and his last
contract the Lagonda House at Springfield.
The marriage ceremony of Mr. and Mrs. Baker took place February 22, 1872, and
has been blessed by the birth of seven children. Joseph, the first born, died in
infancy; Mary Eliza is now sixteen years of age; Huldah is deceased; Anna S. is
thirteen years old; John William is deceased; Bessie Y. has reached the age of
eight years; Evan D. is six years old. Mrs.
Baker being a woman of intelligence, good education and fine character, ably
fulfills the duties of wife and mother, and is, with her husband's co-operation,
instilling into the minds of their children firm principles and a desire for usefulness.
Mr. Baker is now filling the office of Supervisor of his district and he has been a member of the School Board for about sixteen years. He has always taken a lively interest in political affairs, voting the Republican Ticket. In former years he belonged to the Grange and he is an advocate of temperance. He is a Trustee of the Presbyterian Church to which both he and his wife belong. On his father's side Mr. Baker is of Irish extraction and in the maternal line is of Welsh stock. His grandparents Thomas Baker and Sarah Woodward were married in 1785, at the Friends' meeting.
7 Apr 2000