Baker Family.

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Walla Walla's dynastic Baker family began with Dorsey Syng Baker, known commonly as D.S. He began creating a business empire in the mid-19th century in the Oregon and Washington Territories. Dorsey's energy and financeering dominated considerable business interests in the early days of non-Native American settelment in the Idaho, Oregon, and Washington territories. His progeny kept that pace. Their substantial range of influence has affected many forms of commerce and civc life, to include mercantiling, farming, banking, ranching, milling, railroading, road-building, shipping, manufacturing, brick-making, land-acquisition, politicking, mining, logging, building, water works, utilities, and shaping the foundation and success of Whitman Seminary and Whitman College. Through his lifetime, Dorsey was also the dominant figure in the commercial development of southeastern Washington and, to an extent, northeastern Oregon. Some of the highlights of his business life include the establishment of a flour mill in Union, Oregon, in 1865; co-founding Baker-Boyer Bank in Walla Walla, in 1869; and construction of the first railroad, the Walla Walla and Columbia River Railroad, in the Washington Territory from 1872-1875. All of these ventures are documented in this collection.

From the description of The Baker Family Collection, 1850-1970 (bulk 1850-1948). (Whitman College). WorldCat record id: 664566939

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Baker Family. The Baker Family Collection, 1850-1970 (bulk 1850-1948). Whitman College, Penrose Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Middle Cascade Portage Company corporateBody
associatedWith Northwest (ship) corporateBody
associatedWith Oregon Railway and Navigation Company corporateBody
associatedWith Spray (ship) corporateBody
associatedWith Whitman College corporateBody
associatedWith Whitman College. Whitman College and Northwest Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Whitman Seminary corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Mason County (Wash.)
Lincoln County (Wash.)
Washington (State), Eastern
Milton-Freewater (Or.)
Washington Territory
Washington (State)
Oakland (Or.)
Columbia County (Wash.)
Walla Walla (Wash.)
Nez Perce County (Idaho)
Garfield County (Wash.) History
Union (Or.)
Lewiston (Idaho)
Oregon--Willamette River Valley--History
Spokane County (Wash.)
Oregon
Pierce County (Wash.)
Benton County (Wash.)
Whatcome County (Wash.)
Whitman County (Wash.)
Jefferson County (Wash.)
Northwest, Pacific
King County (Wash.)
Franklin County (Wash.)
Columbia River Interstate Bridge
Waitsburg (Wash.)
Moscow (Idaho)
Chelan County (Wash.)
Bridge of the Gods (Or. and Wash.)
Spokane (Wash.)
Walla Walla County (Wash.)
Grant County (Wash.)
Adams County (Wash.) History
United States
Portland (Or.)
Subject
Abstracts of title
Agriculture
Banking
Banks and banking
Banks and banking
Farm labor
Land tenure
Land tenure
Land titles
Milling industry, Flour
Mining
Railroads
Real estate business
Social life and customs
Utility companies, Rural
Washington (State)
Water rights
Wheat
Wheat farmers
Wheat prices
Wheat reproduction
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1850

Active 1970

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Ark ID: w6811p9b

SNAC ID: 12015337