| Birth: | Feb. 11, 1813
Franklin County
Pennsylvania, USA | | Death: | May 23, 1872
Evansville
Vanderburgh County
Indiana, USA | 
Mayor of Evansville 1859 - 1868 & 1870 - 1872
Brother of Indiana Governor Conrad Baker
William Baker was born in Hamilton, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on the 11th of February, 1813. His father. Conrad Baker, was a farmer, and was noted for his enterprise and public spirit. The Bakers were of German origin; and the intermarriage of Conrad Baker with Mary Winterheimer infused, also, a commingling of the Scotch-Irish element with the German stock - her mother being of German and Scotch-Irish descent.
In the year of 1839, while actively engaged in business, Mr. Baker devoted his leisure hours to the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in 1842. His practice soon became very large and lucrative. In 1847, `48, and `49, he was elected to represent his native county in the lower house of the Pennsylvania Legislature, and soon obtained a reputation as one of the leading and influential members of that body. He continued to practice law in his native village until 1853, when he removed to Evansville, where his brother Conrad had taken his residence, in 1841.
Soon after his arrival he was chiefly instrumental in organizing the Crescent City Bank, of which he was elected cashier. A considerable portion of the stock was taken by his old neighbors in Pennsylvania, on the strength of the assurance that he was to be cashier of the institution. Owing to the defective free-banking system, the affairs of the association were settled in 1858-9, without loss to the stockholders. In April, 1859, William Baker was elected Mayor of Evansville for three years, and held this position for three consecutive terms. In 1868, he was defeated for the same office by the late Hon. William H. Walker. Mr. Walker having died, Mr. Baker was, in November, elected to fill the vacancy. In 1871 he was again elected by a large majority, to a full term of three years - showing that his fidelity to the city's interests and business capacity were appreciated by his fellow-citizens. His official career was terminated only by his death, which occurred on the 23d of May, 1872: and thus died one of the brightest ornaments of that cluster of great men whose histories are indissolubly linked with that of the Crescent City.
| | | Burial:
Oak Hill Cemetery
Evansville
Vanderburgh County
Indiana, USA
Plot: Section 12, lot 49 |
Created by: C. Myers
Record added: Jul 13, 2007
Find A Grave Memorial# 20435446 |
|
|
|
|
Advertisement
