The Grenada sentinel., 1912-07-26

San Angelo Qexas) Standard Pays
q Beautiful ribute to Former
Citizen Of This County.

The San Angelo Tex.) Standard
pays the following tribute to Col. A. i
Baker, whose death was noted in the
Sentinel of June 2l:
San Angelo was shocked late Thurs
day afternoon when the news was re-
ceived announcing the death of Col. A.
=: Baker, soldier, statesman, citizen.
While, the end was not entirely unex-
pected, the news was, nevertheless. a
shock and gloom was cast over the
associates and friends of the deceased.
Andrew Jackson Baker was born in
Mississippi on his fathers plantation in
Yalobusha county, Sept. 4, 1872 His
early days were spent like most youths
Of the Old South, whose father was a
big land and slave owner, in eniovino
himself and attending the old Sixteen
section schools. In his studies, Young
Baker forecasted the man. He was
thorough, painstaking and bright, and
what he did, he did well. 1t was in the
old schools that he received his prepa-
ration for college, which he entered at
Oxford, Miss. Hardly had the Young
man been in the University more than
a year, when the tocsin of war was
sounded throughout the Southland, and
he, together with a hundred or more
young men, cast aside books and pen to
pick up his musket, and left home with
the edmonton given the Spartan, to
return either with it or upon it. He
enlisted in Co. A, 18th Mississippi VOL
unteers. The company in which the
future statesman enlisted was known
as the University Grays. The part that
Mississippi played in that gigantic
struggle is now history and is written
on Fames eternal pages. The lad
from Yalobusha county did his yeoman g
part, and when Lee laid aside his sword
to Grant at Appomatox, it found A. J..
Baker suffering in a Delaware prison,
During the fight at Sharpsburg he re-
ceived wound in the foot. At the
battle of Gettysburg he again received
q wound, through the hip.
The close of the war found Col. Ba-
ker, like most Southern youths, light of
purse but rich in spirit. He went back
TO his native heath to build home af.
ter the wreck and smoke of battle.
From 1865 to 1868 was spent on the ole
plantation, helping to get order out OF
chaos. In 1868 he married Miss Cor
rine Kearney of Madison, Miss, one Of
the bellies of the state. For four years
the young couple were happy. Twt
daughters were born to bless thei
union: Miss Electra Pearl, now MRS
|G. S. Long, of Los A n ge
Cal, and Miss Corrine, now Mrs. A. T
Wingfield, of San Diego, CAL, former
ly of San Angelo. In 1872 the angel O
death blew his breath in the face O.
Mrs. Baker and she passed to he
heavenly home.
After the war, when the South wa
devastated and bare, it was such mel
as Col. Baker who took the reins il
hand and redeemed the country. L
1876 he was elected as member of tn
Legislature. He served his state S
well that year that he was reelected j
1877. From 1876 until 1884 he retire
from the political arena and instead @
taking an active part in politics becam
| a student of political economy. In 6
he was again sent to the legislature.
Il About this time, after having hear
of the state of Texas and her marve
GUS possibilities and thinking it best fl
his children that he migrate to newe
country, he came to Texas and settle
in Tom Green county. With him wei
. his children and his second wife, ne
. Miss Betty Kearney. Mrs. Betty Bak'
died Dec. IA, 1910.
To his second union were born tou
children, three boys and one CIR
, Rhodes S. Baker, prominent lawy'
/ in Dallas; DR.. Percy Baker of Seattl
Wash, Andrew Jackson Baker, Jr.,
school in Los Angeles, and Mrs. ].
Henderson of San Angelo. One brothe
llJ. d. Baker. of San Angelo, surviv
| him.
After reaching here, A. j. Baker e
t gagged in the mercantile and banklr
, business, retiring from banking whit
the San Angelo Bank & Trust Co. w
formed. He served in the Twent
second Texas legislature and served
we'll. His record as a legislator is SUI
a one that all who run may read. Ha
| ing done so well in the legislative hall
. he was again called upon to serve b
adopted state, and when c. A. Cube
0 son was made governor, Mr.. Baker W
made land commissioner, and the TO
wears of his regime were record brea
ers. and his business acumen came
, GOOD stead. In that time he saved t
: state $1O2, 900, having run the office
|, that much less than any of his pred
= cessOrs.
: In the death of Col. Baker, San A
I, pelo lost q town builder and patrlo
citizen and the state of Texas stat
4 man.