Genesee County MI Archives Biographies.....Baker, Charles (Jr.) 1848 - 
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Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

CHARLES BAKER, JR. The genial and able Supervisor of Grand Blanc Township,
Genesee County, is a representative property owner of this portion of the
district. He has a fine farm located on section 11, and here demonstrates the
advantages of the modern way of doing agricultural labor. Mr. Baker was born in
Devonshire, England, April 17, 1848, and is the son of Charles and Eliza
(Dymond) Baker, natives of the land upon whose dominions the sun never sets.
When our subject was nine years old his parents emigrated to America, taking
passage at Plymouth in a sailing-vessel, and after a voyage of several weeks,
landed at a Canadian port and via Hamilton, Canada, came to Genesee County.

  Charles Baker with his family settled in Burton Township, and there they still
reside, having brought with them to this country the thrifty English idea of
tilling the soil and harvesting the products. They were the parents of thirteen
children whose names are as follows: Ann, Charles, Thomas, George, Frank,
Robert, James, William, Rose, Mary, Harry, Frederick and Lewis. Frank is the
present Sheriff of Genesee County, while Rose is the wife Walter Harris.

  Our subject began his struggle for daily bread when only ten years of age, at
that time hiring out as a farmer's lad. He entered the employ of James Ellis, of
Munday Township, this county, and remained with them until their interests
became almost his own, his service extending over a period of five years. He
then spent two years with Benjamin Boomer, of Flint Township, this county. As
may be supposed from the fact that he began to work so early in life, his
educational advantages were rather limited, but he was permitted to attend the
district school in the vicinity in which he lived and for a short time was a
student in the Flint High School.

  On the breaking out of the war our subject's patriotism was fired, and July
20, 1863, he joined the ranks with the boys in blue, entering Company G, Ninth
Michigan Cavalry, and was detailed to the Army of the Cumberland. He
participated in the siege of Knoxville, also in the battle of Blue Springs,
Cumberland Gap, Cynthiana, Marietta, Ga., and in several battles with Kilpatrick
around Atlanta, being a participant in the siege of the last-named city. When
Sherman was preparing to make his celebrated march to the sea, our subject was
captured at Stone Mountain, and lie was confined in four different rebel prisons
for a period of six months, four of which were spent in the Andersonville pen.
He received an honorable discharge from duty June 25, 1865, after which he
returned to this State.

  During his war experience our subject had come in contact with men of all
classes, and his ambition was fired to become educated to a greater extent than
had been his privilege. On returning home he entered the High School in Flint,
and fitted himself for a teacher, devoting different periods thereafter to that
work. He was married May 2, 1875, to Miss Grace F. Blandford, a daughter of
Henry Blandford, formerly of England. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have become the parents
of eight children, whose names are as follows: Herbert H., C. Blandford, Grace
M., Ruth Alice, Susan E., Henretta and Marian F. In the spring of 1879 Mr. Baker
settled on his present farm where he has made his residence ever since. It
comprises one hundred and twenty acres of fertile and well-improved land that is
under a good state of cultivation.

  Under the old law Mr. Baker served as Superintendent of Blanc Township. He
also was Justice of the Peace for four years. He was elected Supervisor in the
spring of 1890, and re-elected in the spring of 1891. A Republican in his
political views, he is not so wedded to party as to allow his sense of progress
to be impeded in any way by devotion to a cause. He and his wife are members of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are actively engaged in the work that makes
humanity better and purer. He is socially a member of the Gov. Crapo Post, No,
145 G. A. R. The success that is attending his efforts in a financial way is the
result of natural judgment and ability. He has been to an unquestioned extent
the architect of his own fortunes, and has proved that his will was a power by
which he could subdue opposing obstacles in a most gratifying manner. In his
farming, he devotes himself to general agricultural work, and he has a fine lot
of stock upon the place and graded sheep, cattle, horses and hogs. He is
recognized as among the prominent and representative citizens of Genesee County.

  Elsewhere in this volume will be noticed a view of the residence and
surroundings on the farm of Mr. Baker.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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