The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1902-11-20
WONDERFUL AMERICAN LIFE


A brief item in a Topeka paper stating
that Hon. F. 2. Baker-best known in
Kansas as tsFather Baker''-would cele-
brate on November 16, his 82nd birthday,
suggests the thought that here In Amer
lea we lead a wonderful life, filled with
strange vicisitudes and many mutations,
such as is next to unknown in older
Europe. Father Baker is a type of the
restless and moving American AT the
age of 81 he is sereneIy happy in the Ell
joyment of good health, vigorous mind,
and pleasant surroundings, and he per-
forms daily the duties of postmaster at
one of the substations at Topeka with
perfect contentment; but his story is one
of many employments, wide travel and
no little adventure.
He was born of Puritan stock both
sides, the early family home being in
Massachusetts. His grandfather, Reu-
ben Baker, served in the Revolutionary
war, and was the father of seventeen
children, the eldest of whom was killed
at Sackert's Harbor in the war of 1912.
His father, also Reuben, was born in
New York, the state of his own birth
place. At the age of he appren-
ticed to a farmer. At is he was coun-
try school teacher. In the spring of 1888
he moved West with the tide of emigra-
dale, Mich. A year later he returned to
New York and became the agent of a
line of packet boats on the Champlain
canal. In 1917 he entered into contract
to build two miles of the Hudson river
rBilroad and saw his savings swallowed
up in a business of which he knew MOTH
ing. Later he settled at Racine, Wis,
and engaged in the insurance business.
Losing his first wife in 1850, he was
married again the following year to Miss
Orinda Searle, who is still his close COM
panion. In 1858 he went by the Isthmus
of Panama to San Francisco. From
there he took sailing ship to the islands of
Hawaii, and within three weeks after his
landing in Honolulu he had been ap-
pointed crown attorney with station at
HiIo. In this uuhospitable spot. few
days after the arrival of Mr.. and Mrs
Baker, their oldest son was born In
1855 he returned to the United States via
Nicaragua route and settled in Andrew
county, Mo. In 1860 he removed to Ne
maha county, kas., where he practlced
law, served as county attorney, and also
superintendent of public instruction.
In 1861 he was elected to the legislature.
In 1868 he purchased an interest in the
Kansas State Record of Topeka. He re-
manned with the Record until it was con-
solidated with the Commonwealth in
1871, and then went to Texas and started
the Deuison Journal. He was postmas-
ter at Denison from 1878 to 1875 and in
the latter year he returned to Topeka
and purchased the Commonwealth which
he continued to manage until its consol-
idation with the Capital in 1851
In 1878 Father Baker was appointed
one of the United States commissioners
at the Paris exposition He spent the
summer there and wrote for his Topeka
paper a series of most interesting letters.
He became an Odd Fellow in 1874 and d
Mason in 1866. At different times he has
been a Baptist, Congregationalist and a
Presbyterian. In early life he became ar
abo1itionist and then Joined the Repub-
1icans. And wherever he has been he
took a great interest in politics
There is nothing spectacular or aston
fishing in the story of this fine old man
But it seems to that it is wonderfully
typical of that striving spirit of Ameri
canism which distinguishes rs from al
other people. In pursuit of the bubble
fame, or that vanishing will-o'-the- wisp
success. he moved from locality {
another. and from one employment t
another until he had covered much O
thd field of human endeavor. But
whether suffering the Bullets of an ad
verse fortune or enjoying the fruits of
happier state, he maintained a whole
someness of character and cheerfulnes
of demeanor which still sits with him i
the shutdown of life. And here's to til
genial old gentleman-may he live lon
years to come kansas City journal.
Walt Mason saws tsMan is Uuet