Baker, Obadiah E., 1856-1923

Historical Note

Obadiah Ethelbert Baker, native of Eden, N.Y., moved to Iowa with his parents, settling in Strawberry Point in 1856. At 21, he began teaching a class of 72 students the local district school. In 1860, he married Melissa Dalton (1844-1918). In 1860's, Melissa, formerly a student of his, later taught school in the same district.

In Sept. 1862, Baker enlisted in the Second Iowa Cavalry Regiment. The regiment was organized at Davenport August and September 1861, and was posted at Benton Barracks, Mo. until February 1862, and then moved to New Madrid. The regiment took part in the operations at New Madrid, Island No. 10, and advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., action at Iuka, battle of Corinth, Miss., Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign, operations in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee. In 1863, Baker spent several months in various hospitals in Missouri and Tennessee. He was honorably discharged in Washington, D.C. in Apr. 1865.

After the war Obadiah E. Baker taught school in Mississippi and then returned to Iowa. In 1874, the Bakers left Iowa for Shasta Co., California. In Shasta and Modoc Counties, Baker taught school, sold farm implements and medicines. In 1900 the Bakers moved to Kenwood. Obadiah E. Baker active in Civil War veteran affairs.

Obadiah and Melissa Baker had four children: a son who died in infancy, daughters Grace Amelia (1870-1876) and Caroline Melissa (1866-1896), and son Milo Samuel (1868-1961), a renowned botanist. In 1881-1887 Caroline and Milo attended San Jose Normal School.

During the war, Baker and his wife exchanged journals containing daily letters to each other. In 1870-1880's, while working on a book of memoirs, Obadiah E. Baker made fair copies of some of these letter books.

From the guide to the Baker, Obadiah Ethelbert Papers, 1856-1923, (The Huntington Library)