In addition to handling a farm, which is situated a mile or so east from Southwick, our subject has also paid considerable attention to running a steam threshing outfit and at the present time is also handling a fine little sawmill on his place. It is a complete plant and has a capacity of eight thousand feet per day. Mr. Baker is utilizing it in manufacturing his own timber into lumber products, and has also bought recently some more timber land. He is one of the leading men of this vicinity, is an enterprising and energetic worker and manifests commendable wisdom in his labors.
A detailed account of his career will be interesting, and so we note that he was born in Indiana, on March 6, 1849, being the son of James and Mary (Davis) Baker, natives of Tennessee and Indiana, respectively. The father died in 1863. They were married in Indiana and the mother is now living in Missouri.
Our subject was reared in Missouri and received his education from the district school. When twenty-six he went to California, where he continued for seven years in various employments. It was 1882, that he came to Idaho and filed on his present place. He has devoted himself to the labors mentioned above and has made a good success. Mr. Baker has three brothers, William and Perry, farmers in Missouri; John, in Idaho. He is a Republican and is intelligent on the issues of the day. He has been road supervisor and has evinced an interest in the improvement of the County roads that is more than theory and his labors in this line have resulted in much improvement in this important matter.
On January 6, 1874, Mr. Baker married Miss Josephine McCoy, in Caldwell County, Missouri. She is a native of Iowa and has three brothers and two sisters, Alfred, Benjamin, and Austin, farmers nearby; Susan, widow of Frank Cuddy, in Clarkston, Washington; Julia, wife of John McIver, near Cavendish.
These children have been born to this couple, Albert, near Steele; George, employed in his father’s mill and is also road overseer; Ory, wife of Charles Guernsey, at Russel; Benjamin, at home; Perry, with his brother Albert; Bertha, Mary, Lottie and William, all at home.
Mrs. Baker is a member of the United Brethren Church and is active in Sunday school work.
Source: An Illustrated History of North Idaho: Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho; Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903