- CHARLES M. BAKER was born in New York city, October 18, 1804.
His father soon after
- removed to Addison county, Vermont, where the subject of
this sketch attended a neighboring school until he became twelve
years of age. He was a hard student, and in 1822 entered Middleburg
college, but was compelled to relinquish his studies before the
close of the first term on account of failing health, caused
by too severe application. After several months' rest, his health
being in a measure restored, in the fall of 1823, he accepted
the position of assistant teacher in a young ladies' school in
Philadelphia, where he remained two years. In 1826, he commenced
the study of law in the office of S. G. HUNTINGTON, at Troy,
N.Y., where he remained three years, and was then admitted to
the bar. Forming a partnership with Henry W., a brother of Marshall
M. STRONG, of Racine, in the spring of 1830, he removed to Seneca
Falls, N.Y., where he engaged in the practice of his profession
until 1834, when his health being again affected by too close
application, he relinquished his practice and returned to Vermont,
with little hope of surviving. A change to mercantile business
improving his health, he moved west in 1838 and located at Geneva
Lake, Walworth county, Wis. In 1839 he was appointed district
attorney of the county, and was a member of the territorial council
for the counties of Walworth and Rock for four years, commencing
in 1842, and was a delegate to the first constitutional convention
in 1846.
- He was appointed by the governor in 1848 one of the three
commissioners to revise and codify
- the statutes of Wisconsin, and in March, 1849, was elected
by the legislature to superintend the printing of the volume
in Albany, New York. On the resignation of Judge J. R. DOOLITTLE,
in 1856, he was appointed to the bench of the circuit court,
but declined to become a candidate for re-election upon the expiration
of the term. During the Civil war he was judge advocate under
Provost Marshal I. N. BEAN, in the First district in Wisconsin.
Judge BAKER died at Geneva, Wis., in January, 1873.
-
- Taken from "Rock County, Wisconsin, Vol. II"
by William Fiske Brown, (c)1908, p. 721-722.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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