Person:Margaret Patton (27)

EVAN BAKER

THIS gentleman, one of the representative farmers of Big Spring township, is a native of Shelby county, and was born on the headwaters of Sand creek, in Windsor township, on the 15th of May, 1830. The family to which he belongs is of English and Ir ish descent. His grandfather, Joseph Baker, was born in North Carolina, and moved thence to Tennessee. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. His father, James Baker, was born in Tennessee. About 1820, soon after the admission of Illinois into the union as a state, when the tide of emigration from the south was strong, the family emigrated to Illinois and settled in Gallatin county. In that county James Baker, who was a boy when he came to this state, married

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Margaret Emeline Patton, who was also born in Tennessee, and settled in Gallatin county about the same time with the Baker family. Soon after his marriage he settled on the head-waters of Sand creek, and was amo ng the early settlers of that part of the county, locating there in 1827. Evan Baker was the second of eleven children. When he was eleven years old his father moved to Richland township; afterward lived four years on a rented farm in the vicinity of Shel byville ; moved back to Sand creek one year, and then, after residing three years in Clay county, settled in Big Spring township, where James Baker died on the 31st of January, 1865. Mr. Baker obtained his education in the schools existing in the county in his boyhood. In those days only the simplest branches were taught. By dint of hard study he secured a good education, obtained a director's certificate, and one summer and fall taug ht school. He was married June 1st, 1853, to Francina Jane Ledbetter, who was born in Gallatin county, Illinois, and was a daughter of James Ledbetter. After his marriage he began farming for himself in Big Spring township, on the farm where he now lives. He is now the owner of about three hundred acres of land. His first wife died May 9th, 1859. His second marriage took place Feb. 29th, 1860, to Sarah Ellen Rentfrow, daughter of James M. Rentfrow. She was born in Effingham County. He has seven children - - two by his first, and five by his second marriage -- their names are: Elizabeth Jane, wife of F. M. Robinson, of Big Spring township; John Albert, who is farming on his own account; Alice Alvina, Oretta Arabelle, Florence May, James William E. R., and C harles Rinaldo J. E. Baker. He has always been a democrat in politics. His first vote for president was cast for Pierce in 1852, and he has voted the democratic ticket ever since on general elections; though he is a man of liberal and independent views, a nd in township elections has generally voted for the man whom he considered best fitted for the position, without regard to the party to which he belonged. He is a man who has enjoyed the confidence of the community, and has alwavs stood well as a citizen . He served four years as a justice of the peace, and has been township treasurer and collector. As one of the representative men of the south-eastern part of the county, his name here deserves mention.