Baker, John B.

WALTERS, LOVELAND, JOHNSON, MARCH

Posted By: BCGS
Date: 1/12/2010 at 17:15:54

The career of John B. Baker furnishes an excellent example of the value of determination and enterprise in the attainment of success, for although he began his independent career as the owner of only two acres of land, he has since increased this to two hundred and twenty acres in Bremer county and he has also large holdings in North Dakota. Through the force of his ambition, energy and capacity he has risen steadily and is today one of the best known stock breeders and dealers in this part of Iowa and stands in the front ranks of progressive agriculturists. He is a native son of this county, born in Lafayette township April 15, 1856, a son of Joseph and Catherine (Walters) Baker, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. The father met death in 1861, when he was cut in a threshing machine. The mother is a daughter of Daniel Walters, a pioneer in Iowa, who came to this state in the '50's and located with his family in Lafayette township, continuing active in farming operations there until his death. The maternal branch of the Baker family has been in America for a number of years. The grandfather died in 1875.

John B. Baker is the sixth in a family of seven children. He spent his boyhood and youth in Bremer county and continued with his parents until one year after his marriage, which occurred in 1877. He then moved in the western part of the state, where he spent nearly three years. In the spring following his return he bought two acres of land in Lafayette township and with characteristic energy he began to clear, cultivate and improve this. This small tract formed the nucleus of his present farm of two hundred and twenty acres, for he worked indefatigably in the conduct of his interests and whenever his financial resources permitted, bought more land. He owns today in addition to his homestead four hundred and eighty acres in North Dakota, in Stark county, near South Hart, Dickinson being the county seat. Mr. Baker has made extensive improvements upon his Iowa farm, which is equipped with a modern residence, good barns and outbuildings. He raises fine crops of corn and oats and does some dairying but is especially active in stockraising, his interests along this line being extensive and important. Before his sons started for themselves he raised a number of hogs every year but now confines his attention principally to breeding high-grade Morgan horses. He has made many exhibits at state and county fairs. In 1911 he entered a Morgan filly which took first prize in the Morgan class and also first prize in the American carriage class. In the following year he showed two yearlings which took first and second prizes in the Morgan class and he had also other exhibits which won premiums. In the Live Stock Fair in 1913, Mr. Baker had nine entries in the Morgan classes and took six first and two second prizes. His daughter, Miss Gertrude Baker, is an accomplished horseworman and in 1912 and 1913 won the first prize in the ladies' driving class, exhibiting a Morgan mare. Mr. Baker has a yearling stallion which is almost a perfect animal and his stable contains many other fine horses.

In May, 1877, Mr. Baker was united in marriage to Miss Martha Loveland, a daughter of Daniel and Adeline (Johnson) Loveland, native of Erie county, New York. The parents afterward moved to Illinois and then to Wayne county, Wisconsin, whence they came to Bremer county in early times. The father died February 2, 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have become the parents of six children: Clarence, who is engaged in farming in Bremer county; Francis, an agriculturist in the same locality; Mabel, now Mrs. John March, of Alberta, Canada; Alva, who is married and is engaged in farming near the home farm; Ernest, who is married and also operates a farm near his father's property; and Gertrude, at home.

Mr. Baker has been a member of the school board for many years and he takes an active interest in community affairs. He has traveled extensively through the west and north but is still enthusiastic on the subject of Iowa as a place of residence. He has himself, demonstrated its advantages, for from a comparatively humble beginning he has risen to a place of prominence among the leading agriculturists of Bremer county.

History of Bremer County, Iowa Vol. II 1914