Henry M. Baker

Henry Moore Baker (January 11, 1841 – May 30, 1912) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the New Hampshire House and Senate, and as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing New Hampshire.

Henry Moore Baker
Baker in 1912
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Hampshire's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1897
Preceded by	Warren F. Daniell
Succeeded by	Frank Gay Clarke
Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
In office 1905–1909
Member of the New Hampshire Senate
In office 1891–1892
Personal details
Born	January 11, 1841 Bow, New Hampshire
Died	May 30, 1912 (aged 71) Washington, D.C.
Resting place	Alexander Cemetery, Bow, New Hampshire, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Relations	Mary Baker Eddy (cousin)
Alma mater	Dartmouth College, 1863; Columbian Law School) University, Washington, D.C., 1866.
Military service
Branch/service	Judge Advocate General, New Hampshire National Guard
Years of service	1886 - 1887
Rank	Brigadier General

Early life

Henry Moore Baker was born in Bow, New Hampshire, near the capital city of Concord, on January 11, 1841; the son of Aaron Whittemore Baker, a descendant of Aaron Whittemore, the first settled minister in Pembroke, and Nancy Dustin Baker. He had three siblings, Rufus, Francis M., and John B. Baker. Baker attended state common schools as well as Pembroke, Tilton, and Hopkinton Academies. He graduated from the New Hampshire Conference Seminary in 1859, Dartmouth College in 1863, and the law school of Columbian (now George Washington) University, Washington, D.C., in 1866.

Baker is the cousin of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist

Career

In 1866, Baker was admitted to the bar. From 1864 to 1874, he served as clerk in the War and Treasury Departments.

After leaving government service, Baker stayed in Washington, D.C., to practice law. From 1886 to 1887, he served as Judge Advocate General of the National Guard of New Hampshire with the rank of brigadier general.

Baker ran as the Republican candidate in the 9th District of the New Hampshire Senate during the 1890 United States elections, in which Republicans performed poorly nationwide, but won the election by three votes. The seat was traditionally a Democratic stronghold, and his win there in such an off-year for Republicans encouraged speculation that he would run for the United States Congress. From 1891 to 1892, Baker held the seat in the New Hampshire Senate until he was elected to be a Republican member of New Hampshire's delegation to the national House of Representatives representing New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district. He served in the Fifty-third and Fifty-fourth Congresses (March 3, 1893 – March 3, 1897).

After retiring from his Congressional seat, he once again practiced law in Washington, D.C., although he remained a legal resident of his hometown of Bow, New Hampshire. However, from 1905 to 1909, he was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Death

Shortly before his death, he donated $10,000 ($315,724 in 2023) and a plot of land next to his property in Bow for the creation of the towns public library, which was named after him and still stands to this day. He died in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 1912, and was buried in Alexander Cemetery in his hometown.

Sources

• Bundy, David A. (1975). 100 acres more or less: The history of the land and people of Bow, New Hampshire. Phoenix Pub.

• United States Congress. "Henry M. Baker (id: B000061)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

External links

• Media related to Henry Moore Baker at Wikimedia Commons
• Works by or about Henry M. Baker at the Internet Archive