Biography of Daniel Baker

The enterprising farmer, fruit and stock raiser of whom we now speak is one of the substantial men of the vicinity of Chesley and has a good farm, well improved, two miles east from that village. He took the land from the wildness of nature’s regions and made it by his labors, a good farm.

Daniel Baker was born in St. Joseph County, Indiana, on June 5, 1866, being the son of Samuel and Barnara (Coble) Baker. The father was born in Virginia, in 1819 and died in 1884. He was a pioneer in Indiana, practiced medicine there and was a member of the Dunkard church. The mother was born in Pennsylvania, in 1824 and is still living. Daniel grew to the age of fifteen in his native place and received there his education. Then the family removed to Gage County, Nebraska, where they lived for fourteen years.

When seventeen, he went to work for himself and the next year rented land and soon thereafter bought land for himself. In 1887 he went to Oregon and lived for two years, traveling all over the state in exploration. Then he returned to Nebraska and lived there until 1895, in which year he journeyed to the west again, this time to Vancouver, Washington. The next year he came to the reservation and on May 27, 1897, he selected and settled upon his present place. Here has been the family home and the scene of Mr. Baker’s labors since that time.

On November 3, 1892, in Nebraska, Mr. Baker married Flora Knoedler, daughter of George and Albina Pitts, natives of Ohio, and born in 1844 and 1845, respectively. Mr. Baker has the following brothers and sisters: Sollis, a physician in Denver: Cora Coleman, in Nebraska: Walter, in Nez Perces County; Arthur, in Lincoln, Nebraska; Eva, at home. The following named persons are brothers and sisters of Mr. Baker: Jane Morse, in Nebraska: Susan Cripe, in Indiana: Abram, in Nebraska: Jacob, in Wisconsin; Sarah Chenemann and Elizabeth Wendall, both in Nebraska; Nevada Brant, in British Columbia. Five children have been born to this union, Alma, Elsie, Mabel, Scott and Edith. Mrs. Baker has one son, Alfred, by her former marriage.

They are members of the Baptist church at Lookout. Mr. Baker is a Republican and an intelligent advocate of those principles. He is forward in all endeavors for general development and progress and especially for good schools and good roads.

Back to: Nez Perce Biographies

Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903

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