Bio Contributor (taken in part from his obituary): Patrick Gorman (47496275)
Eli Bradford Baker was born in Vermont on Jan. 15th, 1819. In 1841 as a young man he moved to Illinois and on Feb. 12th, 1845 he was united in marriage to Ann Elizabeth Kellogg in Buffalo Grove (Woosung) Ogle Co. Illinois. From this union six children were born, three of whom: Eunice, George and Mary died in infancy. Eli Jr. was considered an invalid for many years of his life.
In the early days in Dixon he and his brother George were in the furniture business.
On Sept. 6th, 1845 he was appointed Postmaster of Dixon a position he was again appointed to in June of 1858. He later became a Constable and for many years served as Justice of the Peace as well as a First Ward Alderman in 1872 & 1873.
On June 14th of 1862 he enlisted and was mustered with Co."H" of the 69th IL. Infantry. He was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant and was stationed at Camp Butler in Chicago for a term of 90 days service.
After the expiration of his term he returned to Dixon and his wife Ann and four children. In 1863 tragedy soon struck the otherwise happy family with the death of Mary at the young age of seven years. On May 4th, 1873, tragedy again struck as Eli & Ann lost two more daughters in the collapse of the Truesdell Bridge on that fateful Sunday afternoon. Daughters Sarah, (W/O A. P. March) & Irene Baker died from injuries or drowned in the accident.
By July of 1890 Eli's health had begun to fail and an "Invalid's Pension" Application was filed for him. Sadly, just seven years later, Eli died at his home on Dec. 15th, 1897. He suffered from Paralysis for seven weeks prior to his death at 12:10 am in the morning. His funeral was conducted by his comrades from the Dixon Post of the G A R and the Masonic Lodge also of Dixon.
On April 28th, of 1890, the "Widow's Pension" Application was filed on behalf of his wife Ann.
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Additional Notes:
Eli's parents appear to be Eli Baker and Eunice Wright or Wolcott. I don't know which name is right for Eunice. Some have Wolcott, and they did give that to their son George as a middle name; and some have Wright, and they did give that name to their son Josiah, which is also the maiden name put on her memorial (but isn't on her headstone), . They moved the family from Vermont to Ohio shortly after the 1830 census.
Eli and Ann's six children were Sarah Elizabeth, Eunice Amelia, George Wolcott, Irene Rosella, Mary Agnes, and Eli Douglas.
Eli was the last survivor of the Dixon contingent of the California '49ers. Eli sent all the gold he dug out of the California mountainsides to his wife in Dixon to buy materials and hire workers to build their house at 121 East Boyd Street in Dixon. Several times the shipments of gold were delayed and the workers would stop working, figuring ill luck had befallen him and no more gold would be coming. The house was finally finished and became one of the oldest landmarks in Dixon. The 63 year old house was torn down in 1913 to make room for a more modern home to be built for the new owners Mr and Mrs R. A. Rodesch.
Eli Bradford Baker was born in Vermont on Jan. 15th, 1819. In 1841 as a young man he moved to Illinois and on Feb. 12th, 1845 he was united in marriage to Ann Elizabeth Kellogg in Buffalo Grove (Woosung) Ogle Co. Illinois. From this union six children were born, three of whom: Eunice, George and Mary died in infancy. Eli Jr. was considered an invalid for many years of his life.
In the early days in Dixon he and his brother George were in the furniture business.
On Sept. 6th, 1845 he was appointed Postmaster of Dixon a position he was again appointed to in June of 1858. He later became a Constable and for many years served as Justice of the Peace as well as a First Ward Alderman in 1872 & 1873.
On June 14th of 1862 he enlisted and was mustered with Co."H" of the 69th IL. Infantry. He was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant and was stationed at Camp Butler in Chicago for a term of 90 days service.
After the expiration of his term he returned to Dixon and his wife Ann and four children. In 1863 tragedy soon struck the otherwise happy family with the death of Mary at the young age of seven years. On May 4th, 1873, tragedy again struck as Eli & Ann lost two more daughters in the collapse of the Truesdell Bridge on that fateful Sunday afternoon. Daughters Sarah, (W/O A. P. March) & Irene Baker died from injuries or drowned in the accident.
By July of 1890 Eli's health had begun to fail and an "Invalid's Pension" Application was filed for him. Sadly, just seven years later, Eli died at his home on Dec. 15th, 1897. He suffered from Paralysis for seven weeks prior to his death at 12:10 am in the morning. His funeral was conducted by his comrades from the Dixon Post of the G A R and the Masonic Lodge also of Dixon.
On April 28th, of 1890, the "Widow's Pension" Application was filed on behalf of his wife Ann.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional Notes:
Eli's parents appear to be Eli Baker and Eunice Wright or Wolcott. I don't know which name is right for Eunice. Some have Wolcott, and they did give that to their son George as a middle name; and some have Wright, and they did give that name to their son Josiah, which is also the maiden name put on her memorial (but isn't on her headstone), . They moved the family from Vermont to Ohio shortly after the 1830 census.
Eli and Ann's six children were Sarah Elizabeth, Eunice Amelia, George Wolcott, Irene Rosella, Mary Agnes, and Eli Douglas.
Eli was the last survivor of the Dixon contingent of the California '49ers. Eli sent all the gold he dug out of the California mountainsides to his wife in Dixon to buy materials and hire workers to build their house at 121 East Boyd Street in Dixon. Several times the shipments of gold were delayed and the workers would stop working, figuring ill luck had befallen him and no more gold would be coming. The house was finally finished and became one of the oldest landmarks in Dixon. The 63 year old house was torn down in 1913 to make room for a more modern home to be built for the new owners Mr and Mrs R. A. Rodesch.
Bio Contributor (taken in part from his obituary): Patrick Gorman (47496275)
Eli Bradford Baker was born in Vermont on Jan. 15th, 1819. In 1841 as a young man he moved to Illinois and on Feb. 12th, 1845 he was united in marriage to Ann Elizabeth Kellogg in Buffalo Grove (Woosung) Ogle Co. Illinois. From this union six children were born, three of whom: Eunice, George and Mary died in infancy. Eli Jr. was considered an invalid for many years of his life.
In the early days in Dixon he and his brother George were in the furniture business.
On Sept. 6th, 1845 he was appointed Postmaster of Dixon a position he was again appointed to in June of 1858. He later became a Constable and for many years served as Justice of the Peace as well as a First Ward Alderman in 1872 & 1873.
On June 14th of 1862 he enlisted and was mustered with Co."H" of the 69th IL. Infantry. He was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant and was stationed at Camp Butler in Chicago for a term of 90 days service.
After the expiration of his term he returned to Dixon and his wife Ann and four children. In 1863 tragedy soon struck the otherwise happy family with the death of Mary at the young age of seven years. On May 4th, 1873, tragedy again struck as Eli & Ann lost two more daughters in the collapse of the Truesdell Bridge on that fateful Sunday afternoon. Daughters Sarah, (W/O A. P. March) & Irene Baker died from injuries or drowned in the accident.
By July of 1890 Eli's health had begun to fail and an "Invalid's Pension" Application was filed for him. Sadly, just seven years later, Eli died at his home on Dec. 15th, 1897. He suffered from Paralysis for seven weeks prior to his death at 12:10 am in the morning. His funeral was conducted by his comrades from the Dixon Post of the G A R and the Masonic Lodge also of Dixon.
On April 28th, of 1890, the "Widow's Pension" Application was filed on behalf of his wife Ann.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional Notes:
Eli's parents appear to be Eli Baker and Eunice Wright or Wolcott. I don't know which name is right for Eunice. Some have Wolcott, and they did give that to their son George as a middle name; and some have Wright, and they did give that name to their son Josiah, which is also the maiden name put on her memorial (but isn't on her headstone), . They moved the family from Vermont to Ohio shortly after the 1830 census.
Eli and Ann's six children were Sarah Elizabeth, Eunice Amelia, George Wolcott, Irene Rosella, Mary Agnes, and Eli Douglas.
Eli was the last survivor of the Dixon contingent of the California '49ers. Eli sent all the gold he dug out of the California mountainsides to his wife in Dixon to buy materials and hire workers to build their house at 121 East Boyd Street in Dixon. Several times the shipments of gold were delayed and the workers would stop working, figuring ill luck had befallen him and no more gold would be coming. The house was finally finished and became one of the oldest landmarks in Dixon. The 63 year old house was torn down in 1913 to make room for a more modern home to be built for the new owners Mr and Mrs R. A. Rodesch.
Eli Bradford Baker was born in Vermont on Jan. 15th, 1819. In 1841 as a young man he moved to Illinois and on Feb. 12th, 1845 he was united in marriage to Ann Elizabeth Kellogg in Buffalo Grove (Woosung) Ogle Co. Illinois. From this union six children were born, three of whom: Eunice, George and Mary died in infancy. Eli Jr. was considered an invalid for many years of his life.
In the early days in Dixon he and his brother George were in the furniture business.
On Sept. 6th, 1845 he was appointed Postmaster of Dixon a position he was again appointed to in June of 1858. He later became a Constable and for many years served as Justice of the Peace as well as a First Ward Alderman in 1872 & 1873.
On June 14th of 1862 he enlisted and was mustered with Co."H" of the 69th IL. Infantry. He was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant and was stationed at Camp Butler in Chicago for a term of 90 days service.
After the expiration of his term he returned to Dixon and his wife Ann and four children. In 1863 tragedy soon struck the otherwise happy family with the death of Mary at the young age of seven years. On May 4th, 1873, tragedy again struck as Eli & Ann lost two more daughters in the collapse of the Truesdell Bridge on that fateful Sunday afternoon. Daughters Sarah, (W/O A. P. March) & Irene Baker died from injuries or drowned in the accident.
By July of 1890 Eli's health had begun to fail and an "Invalid's Pension" Application was filed for him. Sadly, just seven years later, Eli died at his home on Dec. 15th, 1897. He suffered from Paralysis for seven weeks prior to his death at 12:10 am in the morning. His funeral was conducted by his comrades from the Dixon Post of the G A R and the Masonic Lodge also of Dixon.
On April 28th, of 1890, the "Widow's Pension" Application was filed on behalf of his wife Ann.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional Notes:
Eli's parents appear to be Eli Baker and Eunice Wright or Wolcott. I don't know which name is right for Eunice. Some have Wolcott, and they did give that to their son George as a middle name; and some have Wright, and they did give that name to their son Josiah, which is also the maiden name put on her memorial (but isn't on her headstone), . They moved the family from Vermont to Ohio shortly after the 1830 census.
Eli and Ann's six children were Sarah Elizabeth, Eunice Amelia, George Wolcott, Irene Rosella, Mary Agnes, and Eli Douglas.
Eli was the last survivor of the Dixon contingent of the California '49ers. Eli sent all the gold he dug out of the California mountainsides to his wife in Dixon to buy materials and hire workers to build their house at 121 East Boyd Street in Dixon. Several times the shipments of gold were delayed and the workers would stop working, figuring ill luck had befallen him and no more gold would be coming. The house was finally finished and became one of the oldest landmarks in Dixon. The 63 year old house was torn down in 1913 to make room for a more modern home to be built for the new owners Mr and Mrs R. A. Rodesch.
Family Members
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