BIO: John R. Baker, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2010.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.
Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, 
Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and 
Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and 
Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc.  Illustrated.  Chicago: Warner, Beers 
& Co., 1886.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm
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                                PART II.

             HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA.

                             CHAPTER XLII.

                        BOROUGH OF SHIREMANSTOWN.

456 	BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

  JOHN R. BAKER, carriage-maker, Shiremanstown, was born October 20, 
1845, and is a son of John S. Baker, now living near Shepherdstown, 
Upper Allen Township, where John R. was born.  The elder Baker was born 
in York County, Penn., in 1813, where he lived with his parents, until 
he came to this county, over forty years, settling on the place where 
he now lives.  The family consists of the father (the mother is but a 
few months deceased), three sons and two daughters.  John R., who is 
the second son, lived at home until he was ten years of age, when he 
went to his grandfather's for three years.  There he was hired out 
until he joined the Union Army in the spring of 1862, when but sixteen 
years of age, a volunteer in the Eighty-seventh Regiment Pennsylvania 
Volunteer Infantry, in the Army of the Potomac, in which he saw a great 
deal of service.  He participated in the battle of Winchester, the 
battles in the Wilderness, Mine Run, Spottsylvania Court House, Cold 
Harbor, the capture of the Weldon Railroad, the battles of Cedar Creek 
and Monocacy River, the siege and capture of Petersburg and the final 
fight at Appomattox.  His time had expired a few days before this last 
event, but he preferred to stay and see the war out.  Though but a boy 
he became a veteran, and in spite of the many battles in which he 
participated, beside skirmishes innumerable, he never received a wound.  
On the field of Appomattox he got his well-earned honorable discharge, 
and afterward, with the rest of his comrades of the historic Army of 
the Potomac, was mustered out of the service at Washington.  On his 
return home he apprenticed himself to John Palmer, of Mechanicsburg, to 
learn carriage painting.  In 1872 he and his brother Henry established 
a carriage factory at Camp Hill, in East Pennsborough Township.  Here 
they remained for eight years, when John R. bought Henry's interest, 
and after staying there one year more, removed to Shiremanstown, where 
he has been engaged in the business ever since, building up a large and 
constantly increasing trade by honest work.  He was married, in 1867, 
to Annie, daughter of Simon Dean, of Mechanicsburg, and they have seven 
children - two boys and five girls.  Mr. Baker is a member of the 
Winding Hill Reformed Mennonite Church, and among his fellow-men bears 
a well-deserved reputation as a man of probity whose word can always be 
relied upon, for what he promises he will perform.  Yet a young man, a 
long and honorable career lies before him.