Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/193

BAKER.BAKER. on his appointment as clerk of the court of common pleas he discontinued his journalistic work. After serving a year in this capacity he performed similar duties in the superior court of judicature for Merrimac county. He became well known in political circles, and held office as representative in the state legislature, speaker of the house, 1851-'52, presidential elector in 1852, and governor of New Hampshire 1854-'55. In 1856 he changed his residence to Clinton, Iowa. After practising his profession there for three years he was sent to the state legislature. In 1861 he was appointed adjutant-general of Iowa, which office he held until his death, Sept. 11, 1876. BAKER, Osmon Cleander, M. E. bishop, was born at Marlow, Cheshire county, N. H., July 30, 1812. He attended an academy at Wilbraham, Mass., from 1827 to 1830, and from 1830 to 1833 studied at Wesleyan university, Middletown, Conn., leaving in his senior year. From 1834 to 1839 he was instructor at, and from 1839 to 1844 principal of, Newbury seminary, Vt. In 1839 he joined on trial the New Hampshire conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, and until 1844 was employed as a local and itinerant preacher. In 1844 he decided to resign his scholastic work and to devote his time to pastoral duties. He was stationed at Rochester, N. H., in 1844; Manchester, N. H., 1845; and was presiding elder of Dover district in 1846. In 1847 he was made professor in the Methodist general biblical institute. Concord, N. H., which position he filled acceptably until 1850, when he became president of the institute. In 1852 he was elected a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal church at the general conference. In 1837 the Wesleyan university conferred upon him the degree of A. M., and in 1852 that of D. D. He published "The Last Witness" (1853); "A Guide Book in the Administration of the Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church" (1855); and a "Sketch of the Rev. Jason Lee" (1861). He died at Concord, N. H., Dec. 20, 1871. BAKER, Peter Carpenter, publisher, was born at North Hempstead, N. Y., March 25, 1822. After receiving an academic education he, as a lad, obtained a position in New York city in a book firm, where he remained for several years. He then learned the printing business under William E. Dean, and superintended the extensive establishment of John F. Trow, publisher of the New York city directory, thus becoming thoroughly acquainted with the business of making and selling books. In 1850 he joined with Daniel Godwin in forming the law publishing firm of Baker & Godwin, which existed until 1865, when Mr, Baker founded the firm of Baker, Voorhies & Co. He edited The Steam Press, an uncompromising union journal, published during the civil war. He also suggested the De Groot statue of Franklin in Printing house square, New York, made from type metal contributed from worn-out fonts of the various printing-houses in the city. His publications consist of monographs, addresses and orations, including "European Recollections" (1861), and "Franklin" (1865). He died May 19, 1889. BAKER, Remember, pioneer, was born at Woodbury, Conn., about 1740. He served during the French and Indian wars in the campaign against Canada and was present at Ticonderoga, when Abernethy fell in 1758. He removed to Vermont in 1763 and settled in Arlington, where he built the first grist mill on the grants north of Bennington, and was prominent in the defensive action of the settlers against the encroachments of the New Yorkers. Governor Tryon of New York outlawed him, and in March, 1772, a dozen New Yorkers broke into his house and carried him off. He was rescued by his own party later in the day, after he had been shamefully maltreated by his captors. He served as a captain under Ethan Allen at Ticonderoga in 1775. While employed as a scout by Schuyler in the campaign against Canada, he was killed by Indians near St. Johns, August, 1775. BAKER, William, representative, was born in Washington county, Pa., April 29, 1831. He was graduated at Waynesbury college in 1856; was principal of the public schools at Council Bluffs, 1858-66; engaged in mercantile pursuits in Pennsylvania, 1866-77; removed to Kansas in 1878, and became a stockraiser. In 1890 he was elected to represent the 6th Kansas district in the 52d congress, the first candidate supported by the People's party in opposition to both Republican and Democratic nominees. He was returned to the 53d and 54th congresses. BAKER, William Benjamin, representative, was born near Aberdeen, Md., July 22, 1840; son of George W, and Elizabeth (Greenland) Baker, and grandson of Nicholas Baker. He was educated in the common schools of Aberdeen and worked on a farm until 1872, when he engaged in fruit packing. He was a delegate to state and congressional conventions; was elected to the Maryland house of delegates in 1881; to the state senate in 1893 and was a Republican representative from Maryland in the 54th, 55th and 56th congresses, 1895-1901. BAKER, William Bliss, artist, was born in New York, N.Y., in 1859. He displayed artistic talent in his early boyhood, and at the age of seventeen became a student at the National academy of design, where he continued for four years, taking a first prize in the antique school the year before leaving, and a third prize