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Audubon County
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Also see [ Railway Officials in America 1906
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ROBERT BAKER, farmer and stock raiser of Viola Township, is a native of England, born in Carlton Scrook (sic),
August 3, 1817. He is the eldest son of Charles and Mary Baker. His father was a tamer and breaker of horses. Robert
Baker was reared to the life of a farmer, but his education was entirely neglected, as he was never sent to school.
He worked by the year until his marriage, which occurred May 20, 1844, to Eliza Ower (sic), the youngest of eleven
children of Thomas and Mary (Clay) Ower (sic). In 1851 Mr. Baker and his family emigrated from England to America,
landing in the city of New York, From that city they went to Davenport, Iowa, making part of the journey by the
lakes, and the rest by teams. They located and bought property in Davenport, and Mr. Baker cultivated a farm in
Scott County. In 1870 the Baker family came to Audubon County, Iowa, and settled on section 16, Melville Township,
and the following year he removed to his present farm, which contains 280 acres of fine land, well improved. He
is extensively engaged in feeding stock, making large shipments annually. Mr. and Mrs. Baker are the parents of
seven children––Mary J., wife of Charles Hoffman; William, at home; Anna, wife of C. L. Hotchkiss; John T., married
Minerva Hooton (sic); Sarah J., wife of John Oliver; James K., married Ella Hooton (sic); Nellie, wife of E. J.
Smith. They have twenty-two grand-children. When Mr. Baker moved from Rock Island to Davenport he had but 75 cents
in money, a wife and three children; but his energy, industry and good management have brought their reward. He
has accumulated a handsome competency for himself and wife in their declining years. They are both hale and hearty
and active in mind and body, the hardships they endured in the infancy of the county seeming to give strength and
vigor to both.
Notes:
-Scrook is Scroop
-Ower is Owen
-Hooton is Booton
FROM:
Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon Counties Iowa
W. S. Dunbar & Co., Publishers.
Chiago, 1889.
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NAVIGATION
Audubon County
Biographies
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Biographies
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Also see [ Railway Officials in America 1906
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