- STEPHEN J. BAKER, of Evansville, Rock county, holds the responsible
position of foreman of
- the BAKER Manufacturing Co., in that city, and is one of
the leading men of the community. He understands his business
thoroughly, and is a straightforward and manly character.
- Mr. BAKER was born in Stephenson county, Ill., Feb. 13, 1840,
and is a son of John T. and
- Jemima (ROBINSON) BAKER, both natives of Ohio. They were
the parents of seven sons and three daughters, and six of their
children are now living, David, Edward, Francis, Stephen, J.,
Allen and Caroline (who is the wife of John DAVENPORT, of San
Rafael, Cal.). John T. BAKER was a farmer, and one of the pioneer
settlers of Rock county, coming to Wisconsin in 1840, and settling
in the town of Union, where he improved a farm, and reared a
family to be honorable men and women. He spent the last few years
of his life in Evansville, dying in 1876, at the age of seventy
years. His wife, the mother of Stephen J., died in the town of
Union in the fall of 1851, aged thirty-nine years. John T. BAKER
was a man of prominence in his time, and served as town clerk,
treasurer, and in other offices in the town and district during
his active years. His father, Daniel BAKER, was a native of West
Virginia, and died in Ohio at the age of sixty-five years.
- Stephen J. BAKER was reared on the farm, and gained moral
character and vital force from the
- close touch of nature and the quiet life he lived. He attended
the district school, and was a young man of patriotic thought
and feeling at the breaking out of the Civil war. He enlisted
in Company D, 13th Wis. V.I., and followed the flag of the Union
for three long and bloody years; he was on patrol duty much of
the time. He was at Decatur, Ala., where his regiment was under
fire four days while Gen. HOOD was crossing the Tennessee at
Mussels Shoals. The 13th had a share in many expeditions, and
capture many Rebel prisoners, making a good record, and the old
veterans recall with pride the scenes and perils now long past.
When the war was over Mr. BAKER learned the blacksmith's trade,
which was his occupation for a number of years. Later he went
into the employ of the Evansville Manufacturing Co., principally
engaged in the production of tacks, and in 1888 he became foreman
of the BAKER Manufacturing Co., a position he still fills. The
concern is a large one, and produces many different articles
largely in demand in an agricultural country, such as windmills,
pumps, grinders, wood saws, and other goods in the same line.
- On October 6, 1868, Stephen J. BAKER married Miss Flora C.
ALLEN, daughter of Heman M.
- and Caroline (ANDERSON) ALLEN, and they had one child, deceased
in infancy. Mrs. BAKER passed away in 1874. Mr. BAKER remarried
March 2, 1875, Miss Clare SHERMAN becoming his wife, and they
have an attractive home on Liberty street, Evansville. They have
two children, Clarence S., born Feb. 3, 1876, and Flora Ethel,
born April 14, 1881. Clarence chose a position as fireman on
the Madison division of the Northwestern railroad. Ethel is fitting
herself to teach school. Mr. BAKER is a member of Union Lodge,
No. 32, A. F. & A. M., and Chapter No. 35, R. A. M., at Evansville.
He is a Republican and was alderman of the Second ward in Evansville
two terms. He has been a resident of Rock county sixty years.
- Mrs. Clare (SHERMAN) BAKER, wife of Stephen J. BAKER, was
born May 27, 1852, near
- Menasha, Wis., later moving to Evansville, Wis. Her parents,
Erin and Mariam B. (STEVENS) SHERMAN, had three children: Elisha,
who died in infancy; Eva E., Mrs. Albert SNASHALL, of Evansville;
and Clare, Mrs. BAKER. Her father, Erin SHERMAN, was born in
Le Roy, Genesee Co., N.Y., in 1820. He was a contractor and builder
in his native place. Later, coming West, he settled in Milwaukee,
where he owned a dry-goods store, and was proprietor of the same
for several years, afterwards moving on to a maple sugar farm
near Menasha. At the time of the gold fever, in 1857, he, with
several companions, went to the gold fields of California. In
1846 Mr. SHERMAN was married to Mariam B. STEVENS, who was the
daughter of Joseph and Phoebe (EASTMAN) STEVENS, and was born
in Concord, N.H., June 7, 1828, coming West with her mother and
brothers when thirteen years of age. She died in Evansville,
Wis., March 4, 1875. She joined the United Brethren Church, of
which she was a member in good standing until her death. Erin
SHERMAN's father, Thomas SHERMAN, was born in the State of New
York. He and his wife, Sallie (VAN GILDER) SHERMAN were the parents
of nine children, seven sons - Thomas, Benjamin, William, Walter,
Erin, Elisha and Lucius - and two daughters - Clarissa and Susan.
All were born in Le Roy. Joseph STEVENS, father of Mariam B.
(STEVENS) SHERMAN, was born in Andover, Essex Co., Mass., in
1784, and was engaged in the lumber business, owning and operating
a sawmill. He died in Concord, N.H., of typhus fever. He and
his wife, Phoebe E. STEVENS, were the parents of seven children,
Joseph, Phoebe, William, Serena, John, Thomas and Mariam. Mrs.
Phoebe (EASTMAN) STEVENS was born in Londonderry, Rockingham
Co., N.H., in 1785. After the death of her husband she was advised
by his cousin, Charles STEVENS, who lived in Janesville, Wis.,
to come West with her family. She did so, and bought government
land situated north of the city of Janesville, where she lived
several years. Two of her sons, Thomas and William, settled on
farms in the town of Porter, near Fulton. John settled in Janesville,
where he kept an hotel for a number of years. Serena married
and went to Michigan. Later Mrs. STEVENS moved to the town of
Porter, where she spent the remainder of her life. She died in
1878, at the home of her son Thomas. William EASTMAN, father
of Phoebe (EASTMAN) STEVENS, was born in Concord, N.H., in 1757.
He served in the Revolutionary war under Capt. LIVERMAR and Col.
CAMPBELL, and was granted a pension for three years' actual service.
The EASTMAN family were all quite patriotic.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c)1901, pp. 212-213.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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