George L. Baker Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1145-1146 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				GEORGE L. BAKER. 

	George L. Baker is filling the position of postmaster at Britton, 
where he is also conducting a drug store. He was born in La Salle, 
Illinois, November 22, 1850, a son of Richard and Sarah (Raycraft) 
Baker, who were natives of Ireland, born in 1818 and 1823 respectively. 
About 1848 Richard Baker went to Canada and it was in that country that 
they were married. In 1849 they removed to La Salle, Illinois, and for 
a number of years he engaged in farming. In Canada he had conducted 
business as a brewer. The year 1880 witnessed his arrival in Dakota 
territory, at which time he homesteaded in Clark county, and he proved 
up on his claim and there resided until his death. The town of Elrod 
now stands upon his old homestead. His parents never left Ireland, but 
the maternal grandparents of George L. Baker came to the new world and 
died in Wisconsin. In his political faith Richard Baker was a democrat 
and both he and his wife were consistent and active members of the 
Methodist Episcopal church, in the faith of which they passed away, the 
former in 1901 and the latter in 1907. To them were born nine children, 
two of whom died in infancy, while five are yet living, as follows: 
George L., of this review; Esther, who is the widow of Frank Salter and 
makes her home in Chicago; John, who lives on the old homestead at 
Elrod, South Dakota; Mollie, who makes her home with her brother John; 
and William, who is engaged in the wholesale liquor business in 
Chicago. 

	George L. Baker attended both public and parochial schools in La 
Salle, Illinois. He started in life as a farm hand and afterward was 
connected with a meat market at Ohio, Illinois, for five years. 
Removing westward to Dakota territory, he secured a homestead claim in 
Spink county upon which he lived for about a year and then went to 
Groton, remaining there one year. In 1884 he located in Britton, where 
for a short time he conducted a hotel but later traded his interest in 
that business for a drug store. Afterward he disposed of that but again 
purchased a drug store and has since continued in this line of 
business, his son, George G. Baker, being an equal partner in the 
undertaking. 

	In 1878 Mr. Baker was united in marriage to Miss Kate Fagan, a 
native of Illinois, by whom he has three children, namely: Edward W., 
who lives with his father; George G., who is engaged in the drug 
business at Britton; and Claude C., who conducts a moving picture show 
in Britton. 

	Mrs. Baker belongs to the Presbyterian church and she presides 
with gracious hospitality over her home, making it a delightful resort 
for many friends. Mr. Baker is well known as an exemplary 
representative of the Masonic fraternity. He belongs to the lodge, the 
chapter, the commandery, the consistory and the Mystic Shrine and he is 
also a member of the United Workmen and the Maccabees. He has served as 
master of the lodge, was its secretary for twenty years and has been 
high priest of the chapter. His political views accord with the 
principles of the democracy and during President Cleveland's first term 
he was appointed to the position of postmaster and was again called to 
that office by President Wilson in September, 1914. He also served as 
probate judge for one term during territorial days and at all times he 
has most ably and efficiently discharged the duties of the positions to 
which he has been called. At the same time he has made a creditable 
record in business circles, for he came to Dakota a poor boy and is now 
numbered among the substantial residents of his district, owning town 
property to the value of twenty-five thousand dollars, together with a 
quarter section of land in Marshall county.