- ALLEN S. BAKER, of the BAKER Manufacturing Company of Evansville,
is a native of Rock
- County, born at Evansville, Jan. 12, 1842, and is a descendant
of one of the early Virginia families. On the paternal side,
the family is of English descent, and on the maternal side of
German parentage. His paternal grandfather, Daniel BAKER, was
born in what is now the State of West Virginia, but in early
life removed to Ohio, setting near Cincinnati, where both he
and his wife resided until called from this earth by death. They
were the parents of seven sons and daughters, but John T., the
father of our subject and Aaron were the only members of the
family who ever came to Wisconsin. The former became a resident
of Rock County in 1837, and the latter also settled in this county
several years later, but survived for only a few years.
- John T. BAKER was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, in October,
1806; and in the fall of 1837, made a
- settlement in the town of Avon, Rock County, where he entered
a claim, upon which the family resided until the autumn of 1840,
when selling out he removed to the town of Union. Again entering
land, he developed a farm, the old homestead of the family, where
he lived for many years. He died in the village of Evansville
in April, 1876. He was twice married, his first union being with
Miss Jennie ROBINSON, a native of Ohio, who died in the town
of Union, in the fall of 1850, after which he wedded Mrs. Jane
SALE, whose maiden name of Jane Gray SANDFORD. She still survives
her husband and resides in Evansville. By his first marriage,
Mr. BAKER had a family of nine children, seven sons and two daughters,
the first and last born being daughters. The eldest sister and
two sons are now deceased, and the surviving members of the family
are David E., who resides at Claremont, Iowa; Edward J., whose
home is in Marysville, Mo.; Frank A., living in Evansville, Stephen
J., also residing in the same place; Allen S., of this sketch;
and Caroline, wife of John DAVENPORT, of San Rafael, Cal. The
deceased daughter was Mary Ann, who died after reaching womanhood;
Thomas, the youngest son, died at the age of nineteen years;
and Aaron died in 1865, when twenty-seven years of age.
- In his early years, Allen S. BAKER, the subject of this sketch,
served an apprenticeship to the trade
- of blacksmith, which he followed as a livelihood for several
years. When the Civil War broke out he was one of the first to
respond to the country's call for troops to crush out the Rebellion
in its infancy, and on the 20th day of April, 1861, he became
a member of Company H, 2nd Wisconsin Infantry. His regiment formed
part of the famous Iron Brigade, and with that gallant company
he served in several of the most important battles of the war,
including the engagements at Gainesville, Fitzhugh Crossing,
Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. At the first named battle he
received a severe flesh wound in the right shoulder, and was
sent to the hospital at Philadelphia, remaining there until in
February, 1863, when having sufficiently regained his strength,
he rejoined his regiment. He was again severely wounded on the
first day of the great battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. The
wound and the facts attending on the same were very remarkable.
Mr. BAKER was struck in the abdomen by a minie-ball which instead
of passing through his body took a circular course around, struck
his hip bone, and, glancing off, became deeply imbedded in the
flesh of the spinal column. The surgeons feared to attempt the
removal of the ball, lest an artery should be severed in the
act, and the missile remained in the same position for many years
without any apparent change, when it began working its way to
the surface, and on the 19th day of March, 1889, after having
remained in his body for nearly twenty-six years, the bullet
appeared at the surface, punctured the skin and was removed by
Mr. BAKER easily without surgical aid.
- After being wounded at Gettysburg, Mr. BAKER was not able
for further service in the field and
- returned to his home where he resumed the blacksmith trade
and also engaged in carriage making. In the spring of 1873, the
BAKER Manufacturing Company was organized by several of the leading
businessmen of Evansville, and engages specially in the construction
of pumps and windmills. This enterprise at first gave employment
to but two men. It has now become one of the most important manufacturing
interests of Rock County, furnishes employment to forty men and
turns out about $75,000 worth of work annually. Mr. BAKER has
had the general management of the enterprise since the organization
of the company, and to a great extent is its success due to his
energies and business ability. He won his wife under somewhat
romantic circumstances during the trying scenes of the war. While
in the hospital at Philadelphia, having then nearly recovered
from his wound, volunteers were called for from among the inmates
of the institution who were then convalescent and able to perform
minor services, to guard the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore
Railroad. He was one of the volunteers on that occasion, and
while thus engaged an accident happened which to one of the party
was a dangerous and painful character, but to Mr. BAKER proved
a good fortune as it led to the acquaintance which resulted in
his marriage. A young lad named Robert SAYERS, living with his
mother and sisters near the field of duty, was severely injured
by the accidental discharge of his gun. Mr. BAKER and his fellow-comrades
assisted in nursing the lad and thus he became acquainted with
the sister of the wounded boy, Margaret SAYERS. The acquaintanceship
begun under such painful circumstances ripened into a warmer
attachment, and when the "cruel war" was nearly over
he returned and made the lady his wife; their marriage occurring
on the 23d day of March, 1865. Mrs. BAKER was born on the historic
Brandywine battle ground, in the State of Delaware, in October,
1844, and is a daughter of John and Sarah (REED) SAYERS. Her
father died when she was but twelve years of age, her mother
surviving until 1876. There were four children in the family,
who grew to mature years, three sisters and a brother - Elizabeth,
the eldest, died in 1885; Margaret is the second in order of
birth; Sarah, the youngest daughter, married Thomas HAWTHORN,
of Delaware, and Robert, the brother already mentioned, is also
a resident of Delaware.
- Three children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. BAKER
- Elsie, born in October, 1867;
- John in July, 1869; and Bessie, born in November, 1875.
- Mr. BAKER is one of the representative businessmen of Rock
County, and an enterprising and
- progressive citizen of Evansville, in whose welfare he has
always taken a deep interest. In politics, he was formerly a
Republican, but is now independent, yet favors the prohibition
principles, believing that the liquor traffic should be suppressed
by he strong arm of the law. Religiously, he and his wife are
members of the Congregational Church.
-
- Taken from "Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock
County Wis." (c)1889, p. 484-485.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|
