Person:Henry Baker (67)

Quoted from Genealogy of the Descendants of John White of Wenham and Lancaster, Massachusetts by Almira Larkin White, Vol. 2 pg. 514-7

HENRY K. Baker . . . b. in Canaan, now Skowhegan, Me., Dec. 2, 1806. His father dying when he was but ten years of age and he being too young to manage the farm at home, it was let at the halves and he worked for his uncle some two miles distant until about fourteen years of age, when it was decided he should learn the printing business. He was sent to Hallowell in April, 1821. The next day began his labors with Col. Marsters of the "Hallowell Gazette," in whose family he boarded for six years. He said: "I was a country boy, bashful and awkward. In due time I learned to 'set type,' being the youngest apprentice, I built the fire, swept the office, filled the lamps and carried round the papers. . . . Two of us apprentices, thinking to improve our education, agreed one winter to rise before day, go to the office, light the fire, and study arithmetic and geography an hour before breakfast. This we did for several weeks, braving the cold and darkness.

"When I was about seventeen years of age, I began to write for the newspapers, first for the 'Hallowell Gazette,' but afterwards more or less for other papers. My writings were printed in the papers, whatever their merit may have been. Of course they were not very finished productions. The Gazette was discontinued when I became of age, and I was employed as editor of the 'American Advocate.' In 1829, S. W. Robinson and I purchased the 'American Advocate ' of Mr. Calvin Spaulding. We were both inexperienced and agreed to give much more than the paper was worth. Robinson was a lawyer, and a partner of Peleg Sprague, member of Congress. The plan was for Robinson to be the political editor, and I was to be the local and business manager. But Robinson was too busy to give much attention to the paper. We had a diminishing list of subscribers, the tendency being toward Augusta.

"In a few years the seat of the government of Maine was removed from Portland to Augusta, the State House was built, and the legislature met there. Luther Severance, editor of the 'Kennebec Journal,' reported for his paper and I reported for the Advocate. My method was to catch the proceedings as they took place, and the substance of the speeches made. I had a measure of success in this and followed this method as long as I reported."

Having been for several years elected one of the town school committee but declined serving, in 1834, he was elected and took the office, and while attending to the duties of the office he met and formed the acquaintance of her, who afterward became his wife and helpmeet in the true sense of the word. He m. Nov. 19, 1835, Sarah M., dau. of Ephraim and Salome (Dennis) Lord, b. in Hallowell, June 21, 1814. . . . In 1836, he sold out the newspaper business and commenced the study of law. While engaged in this study, he was commissioned Justice of the Peace, and filled the duty of this office, was admitted to practice law in 1840. In 1842, he was a member of the legislature; and in 1844, on the judiciary committee; in 1852, was a member of the first common council, when Hallowell obtained a city charter, and served for two years, and was then chosen alderman, was in the city government in all eighteen years. In February, 1855, he was appointed Judge of Probate by Gov. A. P. Morrill. The same year the law was changed and the office made elective, and he was re-elected for twenty-six years. In 1854, he procured a charter for the Hallowell Savings Institution and was chosen treasurer, which office he filled for more than forty years. After about twenty years he had occasional help from time to time, then for some ten years employed a clerk, and later had an assistant treasurer. Although with these many duties, leading a very busy and useful life, he found time for social reading with his family and many drives and excursions in company with his wife.

In 1879, he visited Europe and again in 1883, in company with his grandson, R. H. Rice, making an extended tour in Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, and spent a week in Paris. He attended for several years the Unitarian meeting and was united with the church, later saw reason to change his views and in 1844, united with the Methodist Church in Hallowell. He was appointed class leader and held the office for more than forty years, when he resigned on account of impaired hearing.

He was ever interested in the promotion of temperance, being temperate himself even to the exclusion of tea and coffee, using first in his own home cold water and later hot water, and his length of days and continued health show plainly that it was no disadvantage. He was ever interested in the promotion of knowledge and education. In 1897, he was one of the committee to superintend the erection of the last extension of the Hubbard Free Library of Hallowell and Jan. 25, 1898, delivered the address at the dedicatory exercises at the opening of the West Wing. . . .

Mr. Baker has led a very active and useful life, until an accidental fall upon the ice in January, 1899, confined him to his house.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Henry Knox Baker, in Find A Grave
   Find A Grave: Hallowell Village Cemetery.
   
   HENRY KNOX BAKER
   BORN
   DECEMBER 2, 1806,
   DIED
   JUNE 28, 1902.
   
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11} White, Almira Larkin. Genealogy of the Descendants of John White of Wenham and Lancaster, Massachusetts. (Haverhill, Massachusetts: Chase Brothers Printers, Press of the Nichols Print, 1900-1909)
   2:514-7.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Nason, Emma Huntington. Old Hallowell on the Kennebec. (Augusta, Me.: Press of Burleigh & Flynt, 1909)
   157.
4.   Chase, Henry ed. Representative men of Maine: a collection of portraits with biographical sketches of residents of the state, who have achieved success and are prominent in commercial, industrial, professional and political life : to which is added the portraits and sketches of all the governors since the formation of the state : the men who have helped make and who are making the history of the state. (Portland, Me.: Lakeside Press, 1893)
   159.
5.   Maine Press Association. Report: Annual Report of the Proceeding of the Maine Press Association. (Portland, Cumberland, Maine, United States: Portland [etc.], 1899-1913).