Baker, Jesse Allen

BAKER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/17/2021 at 21:33:42

Source: History of Warren County, Iowa, by Gerard Schultz and Don L. Berry, The Record and Tribune Co., Indianola, Iowa, 1953, p.281

JESSE ALLEN BAKER
Dr. J. Allen Baker, professor of chemistry in Simpson College, Indianola, was born at McMinnville, Oregon, July 23, 1883, the son of Allen Baxter and Phoebe Clarinda (Henry) Baker. The ancestors of J. Allen Baker were among the hardy pioneers who settled the states of Oregon and Washington. His maternal grandparents were Anson Henry and wife, Eliza Easterbrooks Henry, who helped settle the Williamette valley in Oregon. They crossed the plains with ox teams in the forties and settled near the town of LaFayette, Yamhill County, Oregon. His paternal grandparents, Bartholomew Baker and his wife, Fannie Baker, crossed the plains in the 1840s with ox teams and settled near the present town of Olympia, Washington. His Grandfather Baker was in the first territorial legislature of Washington.
Dr. Baker attended the public schools of LaFayette, Oregon, graduating from the high school of that place in 1901. He continued his educational training, and in 1905 received the degree of bachelor of science from Linfield college at McMinnville, Oregon; the degrees of bachelor of arts and master of arts from Denison University at Granville, Ohio, in 1906 and 1908, respectively. He continued his graduate work in chemistry at the Universities of Wisconsin, Illinois, Chicago and Iowa. In June, 1926, the State University of Iowa conferred upon him the degree of doctor of philosophy in chemistry. Dr. Baker did post-doctoral research at the State University of Iowa during the summers of 1937 and 1939 and at Harvard University during the summer of 1950.
Sept, 1, 1911, J. Allen Baker married Anna Christina Peterson Lygum, daughter of Soren Peterson and Elsie Marie (Paulson) Lygum. Mrs. Baker was born at Humboldt, Iowa, Sept. 1, 1888. Dr. and Mrs. Baker have three children: Mildred Ananette, born July 28, 1912; Allen Maurice, born Oct. 20, 1913, and Louis Willard, born Jan. 5, 1924.
During World War I, through the efforts of the Indianola Woman's club, Mrs. Baker became the first public school nurse in Warren County. During this time the old courthouse pump and public tin drinking cup were done away with and drinking fountains installed around the square in the courthouse.
In September, 1919, Mrs. Baker became the first full-time nurse for students at Simpson college. During World War II she served at Methodist hospital in Des Moines, Base hospital at the Ankeny Ordnance plant, Indianola Community hospital as well as serving Indianola physicians on call or at their offices. At the present time she is again acting as college nurse on a part-time basis. She graduated from the Iowa Methodist hospital in 1910, and came to Indianola in the fall of 1911.
Dr. Baker arrived in Indianola on June 13, 1908, in time to begin teaching summer school. He taught here until December, 1917, when he went into chemical service with the ordnance department of the United States army. He did not return to Simpson until July, 1920. He has been head of the chemistry department continuously since the summer of 1920. He has taught continuously with the exception of graduate study and World War II duties.
During World War I Dr. Baker was assigned, under civil service, to the ordnance department of the U. S. army, and under the title of chief army inspector of ordnance was assigned to the powder plant of the Atlas Powder company, Lake Hopatcong, N. J. He was stationed here from January to December, 1918.
Dr. Baker was research chemist with the United States Rubber company, Ankeny, Iowa, during World War II, working from June, 1943, to July, 1944. This plant concerned itself wholly with the manufacture of 30 and 50 caliber rifle ammunition.
Politically Dr. Baker is Republican, and is affiliated religiously with the Methodist church. He belongs to the Indianola Lions club, Science society of Des Moines, Iowa' Academy of Science of which he is one of the past presidents, and is classified as a "Fellow," American Chemical society, etc.
Honorary scholastic societies of which Dr. Baker is a member include Oak Leaves, local honorary scholastic society of Linfield college; Epsilon Sigma, local honorary scholastic society of Simpson college, of which he is a charter member, having helped in its foundation; Phi Lambda Upsilon, honorary chemical society, University of Iowa chapter; and Sigma Xi, honorary science society, University of Iowa chapter.