COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY
Of Henry County Indiana
B.F. Bowen
1920
Surnames in this biography are: Baker, White, Barnard,Courtney, Branson,
ISAACW. BAKER.
Theestimable gentleman for whom this sketch is prepared was born
in LibertyTownship, Henry County. Indiana, on the 16th day of November, 1844,
and is theson of Isaac N. and Jemimah (White) Baker, an outline of whose
family historywill be found elsewhere in these pages. In the common schools
he acquiredknowledge of the fundamental branches, reading, writing,
arithmetic and perhapssome other studies, and when old enough to be of any
service in the fieldslearned by actual experience the meaning of the
various kinds of farm work. He was always of a practical turn of
mind and did not at all shrink from manuallabor. Even in his early
boyhood he showed signs of thrift and industry thathave characterized his
later life and led to his success in the agriculturalfield. Mr. Baker
remained on the homeplace in section 3, Liberty Township, until his
twenty-second year when he wentto Iowa and engaged in the pursuit of
agriculture upon his own responsibility,continuing there for a period of two
years. Not being satisfied to make thatstate his permanent home, he disposed
of his interests there and, returning toHenry County, has resided here ever
since. On the 26th day of August 1883, Mr. Baker and Miss Ella Barnard
wereunited in marriage and for one year here after lived on a farm in
LibertyTownship, moving to the present home at the end of that time. Mr.
Baker carries on general farming and bya careful rotation of crops maintains
the fertility of his place, whichproduces generously all the grain, vegetable
and fruit crops grown in thissection of Indiana. He is a judicious
agriculturist, plans his worksystematically and by properly looking after
every detail makes the farmproduce considerably in excess of what is required
to keep it in order andprovide the family with countrymen, he devotes
considerable attention to stock raising, which ofrecent years has become
quite remunerative. Mr. Baker is a gentleman who possesses the esteem of his
neighbors andfellow citizens and no one in the community stands higher as a
public-spiritedman of affairs. He is an uncompromisingsupporter of the
Republican Party and has been a politician of considerablelocal repute,
though never an office seeker. He is a member of the Red Men’sorganization at
New Lisbon, his wife belonging to Pocahontas Tribe, which meetsat the same
place. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have a pleasant home and are wellsituated to enjoy
the comforts and blessings of life, which their co-operativelabors have
earned. They move inrespectable social circles, are popular with all who
know them and theirstanding among the best people of the township in which
they live has long beenrecognized and appreciated. They have one child, a
son, Herman, who was born onthe 15th of November 1885; he is an intelligent,
well-educated young man,interested with his father in the work of the farm
and gives promise of auseful career in the future. Mrs. Bakeris the daughter
of Richard and Elizabeth (Courtney) Barnard, the father a native New
York and the mother born in Ohio. Theseparents came with their respective
families to Henry County when young, met andmarried here and had eight
children whose names are as follows: Richard, Jennie, William, Catherine,
Alfred,Anna and Ella, twins, and one that died in infancy. By her Second
marriage toIsaac Branson the mother had one child that died young. Mrs. Baker
spent herchildhood and youth in New Castle and was educated in the graded
schools ofthat city. She is a lady of good mindand varied information,
presides over her home with grace and dignity andheartily co-operates with
her husband in all of his endeavors to promote theirmutual
interests.