Biography of Giles A. Baker

	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1898. Page 255.

	Scan and OCR by Joy Fisher, 1997. This file may be copied for non-profit 
	purposes. All other rights reserved. 

GILES A. BAKER. In 1892 there was opened for settlement a tract of land 
in the northern part of South Dakota, known as the Sisseton and 
Wahpeton Indian Reservation, which presented some of the finest farming 
and grazing lands in the state. As but little of this territory has yet 
been possessed by speculators it, at present, is the most thickly 
settled portion of northeastern South Dakota. The improvements on the 
most of these farms are of that hastily constructed type peculiar to 
newly-settled countries, built more for “holding" the farm than for 
comfort or for permanency. There are, however, many who, while their 
improvements were rough as described, yet built with the evident 
intention of staying. Among the best-known settlers here was Giles A. 
Baker, who located on the north. east quarter of section 26, township 
121, range 52. He was an American by birth, and America was the home of 
his ancestors for several generations, his great-grandfather having 
participated in the Boston Tea Party. The grandfather was also a 
soldier and participated in the war of 1812. His son, our subject's 
father, Joshua Baker, lived in a time of peace. He was born in 
Massachusetts and was, by occupation an engineer. Mr. Baker's mother, 
Caroline (Stanley) Baker, was born in America of Scotch parents. She 
became the mother of eight children, five of whom are now living, and 
of whom our subject is the eldest.

	Mr. Baker was born in Lisle, Broome county, New York, January 18, 
1836. As he grew to manhood he took up the trade of carpentering, 
working at his trade in New York and Fillmore county, Minnesota. 
February 1, 1864, he enlisted in Company A, Second Minnesota Volunteer 
Infantry, serving in that capacity until the close of the war. The 
corps to which he belonged marched south and became a part of Sherman's 
army during its march to the sea, and engaged in the battles of Resaca 
and Savannah. Sickness compelled Mr. Baker to leave the army before the 
attack upon Atlanta, and he was unable to rejoin until the following 
spring. He was mustered out of service in July, 1865. After the close 
of hostilities he engaged in the boot and shoe business in Preston, 
Minn., for a while and then sold out and again took up his former 
occupation, that of contracting and carpenter work. On January 14, 
1866, Mr. Baker was married to Miss Mary A. Galbraith, daughter of 
Alexander and Jane (Galbraith) Galbraith. In 1 892 our subject went to 
South Dakota and filed a claim to the land above described and made 
this his home. Politically he was identified with the People's party, 
and an ardent advocate of equal suffrage. On the temperance question he 
favored high license. He was a Royal Arch Mason, holding a membership 
in the Preston chapter, No. 32, and the blue lodge, No. 26, and was a 
"past master." While serving as master he was presented with a 
beautiful Masonic emblem by the blue lodge. He was a member of the G. A 
R., Underwood post, of Preston, Minnesota. In 1896 his name was placed 
on the Populist ticket as a candidate for state representative, but he 
was defeated by a slight party majority.

	The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Baker was blessed with eight 
children, seven daughters and one son, of whom we have the following 
record: Lottie A., deceased; Alletta J., wife of M. E. Davis, Lake 
county, South Dakota; Niles A.; Louise M., a teacher; Carrie, deceased; 
Irene M., Mrs. C. B. Alexander, of Evergreen township, South Dakota; 
Addie L.; and Nina M., deceased. Mr. Baker died at his home at 
Evergreen, on the first of February, 1898, of heart failure. He was 
buried at Summit, South Dakota.