In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. A few names of people born after 1905 are withheld for privacy. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1876
From History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916)
HARRY BAKER.
Aside from being the owner of a considerable tract of land situated in Alberta, Canada, as well as the proprietor of a farm in Candor township, comprising one hundred and forty-two acres, considerable interest attaches itself to the man whose name heads this biographical sketch in that he is reputed to be the first child born in Lida township.
Harry Baker was born in Lida township, Otter Tail county, on April 15, 1876, the son of Harrison and Lena (Ulven) Baker, the former of whom was born in Clay county, Kentucky, in 1848, and the latter in Norway in 1842. Harrison Baker served valiantly throughout the entire Civil War, having enlisted as a mere lad of thirteen years. After the close of the great struggle, he moved to Ft. Abercrombie, North Dakota, where he was married. Subsequently, in 1874, he removed from North Dakota and settled in Otter Tail county, living at Pelican for a period of one year and then moving to Lida township, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of virgin land. He spent his entire life on this homestead, passing away in 1891 at the age of forty-three years. His beloved wife survives him and is now residing at Yergas. To Mr. and Mrs. Baker there were born six children, namely: Robert, Julia. Harry, John, Minnie and George, all of whom are still living.
Reared on his father's homestead and receiving his elementary education in the public schools of his community, Harry Baker, when a lad of but seventeen years of age, removed to North Dakota, where five years later he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land. After spending seven years on this homestead, he then immigrated to Alberta, Canada, purchased six hundred and forty-five acres of land and occupied this land for ten years. In 19 1 2, however, still retaining his Canadian land, he returned to the county of his birth and bought one hundred and forty-two acres in section 34, of Candor township. Since that time he has devoted his attention and efforts to general farming and stock raising.
In 1912 Harry Baker was united in marriage to Emma Hoffman, a native of Otter Tail county, born in Dora township in 1890, and the daughter of Charles and Bertha (Kratzke) Hoffman. Her parents settled in Otter
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Tail county in 1882 and are still living in section 5, of Dora township. To Mr. and Mrs. Harry Baker there has been horn one child, [name withheld], born on December 19, 1914.
Mr. Baker is at present serving in the capacity of treasurer of the school board of his township and is serving this position creditably to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the people of the township.
As printed in History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1916. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.