In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1909) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1836
From History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio (1909), Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897)
EVI BAKER, one of the most prominent business men of Brookville, Clay township, Montgomery county, Ohio, was born here June 11, 1836, on his father’s farm, and is a descendant of one of the oldest pioneers in the county, Michael Baker, and of one of the wealthiest ante-Revolutionary families of Pennsylvania, whose genealogy will be given at the close of this memoir.
Michael Baker, grandfather of Levi, and his wife, Elizabeth (Smucker) Baker, came from Somerset county, Pa., to Clay township in 1805, and settled on a tract of 200 acres of land in the wilderness, on which there was a camp of 200 Indians, who were friendly and proved to be good neighbors. He cleared up this farm and added to his possessions until he was the owner of about 2,000 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Baker had a family of ten children, viz: John, Samuel, Jacob, Michael, Benjamin, Catherine, Elizabeth, Susannah, Annie and Mary. The father lived to be over eighty-two years of age, and his wife expired at the age of eighty, both devoted members of the Dunkard or German Baptist church, and the large property was distributed among the various children.
Benjamin Baker, son of Michael, and father of Levi, was born on the original Baker homestead in Clay township, March 24, 1810, and was reared to agricultural pursuits. He received as good an education as the schools of the neighborhood afforded at that early day, and in 1830 married Miss Frances Niswanger, the union resulting in the birth of twelve children, viz: Sadie, Malinda, Noah, Levi, Cyrus
(who died at the age of five years), Mary, Simon, Amanda, Sarah H., Sylvester, Jonathan and Minerva..
About 1850, Benjamin Baker engaged in the grain trade in Brookville, being the first to enter into that business in the village. He built a warehouse, and hauled his grain by wagon to Dayton until 1853, when the railroad was constructed and a track or switch extended to his warehouse. For a few years he was associated in this trade with Richard Reily, but in 1860 Levi, his son, bought Mr. Reily’s interest, and the business was continued by father and son until 1866, when the father retired. Benjamin Baker was a most energetic and enterprising business man. He was one of the founders of Brookville, opened its first general store, and was its first station and express agent. He at one time owned about 500 acres in different farms — one of 1 50 acres one-half mile east of Brookville — and in connection with his grain trade was a large buyer and shipper of tobacco.
Benjamin Baker was at first a whig in politics, was one of the original republicans of Montgomery county, and during the Civil war was a pronounced Union man. In religion he was a member of the German Baptist church, in which faith he died, and was highly esteemed for his Christian benevolence and unswerving integrity.
Levi Baker was reared on his father’s farm and received an excellent common-school education. January 10, 1856, he married, near Brookville, Miss Catherine Ganger, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Richard) Ganger, and to this union was born one child, Mary A., who married Louis Cotterman, and died at the age of twenty-two years. Mrs. Catherine (Ganger) Baker died in 1876, a member of the United Brethren church. The second marriage of Mr. Baker took place October 17, 1878, at Chambersville, Va., with Miss Rebecca Koontz, who was born January 3, 1861, a daughter of Abraham and Susannah (Floro) Koontz. Abraham Koontz was from Pennsylvania, was of German descent, was married in Rockingham county, Va., and was a resident of that state at the outbreak of the Rebellion, when he was drafted into the Confederate service, but escaped and brought his family to Montgomery county, Ohio, in 1861 or 1862, and settled near Harrisburg. Here he worked at his trade as carpenter until his death, at the age of about forty-nine years, a member of the German Baptist church and the father of the following children: Sarah, Catherine
(who died when thirty-seven years old), Minerva, Rebecca, Mary and Alice.
Levi Baker began his business life as a farmer, which vocation occupied his time for four years; he then joined his father in the grain trade at Brookville, and in 1867 built a residence in that town, but had the previous year bought his present farm of 114 acres. For several years he was in partnership, in the grain trade, with Daniel Litter, but for the past nine years has been associated with Daniel C. Williamson. This firm bought their brick warehouse in 1885, Mr. Baker being also a buyer and shipper of tobacco on a large scale. The firm of Baker & Williamson do an extensive business in grain, and are also the station and express agents in Brookville.
In politics Mr. Baker is a republican and served as assessor in Clay township for thirteen years; he is postmaster of Brookville, having been appointed under the Harrison administration; he has been land appraiser two terms, a member of the school board and of the town council, for three years county infirmary director, and is the present town treasurer. He is president of the Citizens’ Bank of Brookville, and is in every way energetic and progressive as a business man and citizen. To Mr. and Mrs. Baker have been born two children, named Edith Lillor and Arlie Levi.
It may be proper here to trace the Baker family of Ohio to its origin in America. George Peter Baker, who was born and who lived and died in Strasbourg, Germany, had four sons who came to America in 1727, viz: George, Jacob, Henry and Peter. Of these, George died a youth; Jacob married, but died without issue; Henry died a bachelor; Peter inherited property from his father, and the accumulated property of his brothers through long leases and also by will. Part of this estate is now covered by Fairmount park, in Philadelphia, and by the zoological gardens in the same city. To this valuable estate the Baker family of to-day still lay claim, as the original deed granted it “To Peter Baker, his children and grandchildren forever;” and, being thus entailed, the claim is considered to be valid. Peter had born to him two children — Jacob and Elizabeth. Jacob married Hannah Lemon, and Elizabeth married Leonard Ellmsker. Jacob had born to him ten children, of whom one, Lemon Baker, is the great-grandfather of Isaac Baker, of Lawrence, Kans. Peter, to whom the above mentioned estate was granted or devised, was the great-great-grandfather of Levi, the subject; Jacob was the great-grandfather; Michael, who settled in Montgomery county, Ohio, was the grandfather, and Benjamin the father, as has already been shown. Many members of the Baker family went to Canada about the beginning of the present century, and in that country have been found the bibles containing the old family records, establishing the identity of the many heirs there and in the United States without a missing link. One of these ancient volumes is 165 years old and another is 135, but the records are all legible and convincing.
As printed in Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
LEVI BAKER.
Levi Baker is a representative of one of the oldest families in Montgomery county and was born on the 9th of June, 1836, in Clay township within the corporation limits of Brookville, where he has always lived. He is a son of Benjamin and Frances (Niswonger) Baker, who came from Virginia in 1810 when the entire country was a wilderness. Large bands of Indians camped on the place which he took up and every evidence of pioneer life was to be seen. Not only did red men roam through the forests but the woods were also the haunts of many wild animals and through the forests in places there were only Indian trails. The father, however, turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits and for many years was well known as a successful farmer and grain merchant.
Levi Baker was reared on the old homestead and his memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. He can relate many interesting incidents of the early days. His education was acquired in the public schools and at the age of twenty-six years he entered into active business relations with his father. They not only carried on farming and purchased grain but also had charge of the postoffice and had the agency of the Panhandle and Pennsylvania Railroad at this point, being the first agents of those lines. They likewise conducted a general store and were thus closely associated with diversified lines of activity that contributed to the improvement and general progress of the community. The business was conducted under the firm style of Baker & Son. After six years Levi Baker sold his interest, purchased a farm and in connection with the cultivation of his fields also carried on the grain business on his own account. His worth as a citizen and business man led to his selection for various positions of honor and trust. For thirteen years he was township assessor and for two terms was land appraiser. In 1883 he entered into business relations with D. C. Williamson as railroad and express agent under the firm style of Baker & Williamson and this connection was continued for about twenty years. Again Mr. Baker was called to public office, acting as county infirmary director for three years, as township treasurer for four years and as city treasurer for twenty-five years. Fie was also assistant postmaster and for six years filled the position of postmaster. In all of these offices he proved loyal, competent and faithful and his public record is one over which there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil.
Mr. Baker was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Gauger and unto them was born a daughter, Mary Ann, now deceased. For his second wife he those Rebecca Koontz, and they had two children: Arlie L. and Edith L., who is now the wife of Ira B. Miller, a butcher of Brookville. They have one child, Donald B.
As a further expression of the confidence reposed in Mr. Baker it may be cited that he has settled as assignee and administrator many of the states in this part of the county and never with a loss of a single dollar to any. His name is associated with many events and business projects of the community. He put up the first tobacco warehouse in Brookville and for many years has bought tobacco for others averaging about one hundred thousand pounds annually for the last twelve years. He may well be termed the father of the tobacco industry in Brookville, which has been such an important source of revenue to the town. The village of Brookville has been built upon part of the old Baker farm and Mr. Baker has laid out two additions thereto. He enjoys the highest esteem of his neighbors and his friends are legion. He is often consulted upon matters relative to the history of this section of the state and seldom is his memory at fault concerning any matter that has left its impress upon the public life.
As printed in History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio (1909). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Their biographies name Levi Baker: Jacob Baker (b. 1836) Levi H. Turner (b. 1844)
The printed record stops around 1909. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.