"An Illustrated history of Union and Wallowa Counties : with a brief outline of 
the early history of the state of Oregon." Western Historical Pub. Co., 1902.
Union County.  pg. 373.

	JOHN BAKER is the senior partner in the well known firm of Baker & Childres,
liverymen, who handle one of the largest business establishemts of their kind in
the town of Lagrande, and our subject is one of the representative business men
of Union county, having wrought with manifestateion of great energy and wisdom
in his labors here for forty years.
   	Mr. BAKER is the son of James and Elizabeth D. (ROLAND) BAKER, being born in
Van Buren county, Iowa on March 28, 1838, and he was educated in common schools
at Corydon, Iowa, also spending the summer on his father's barn.  It was in 1862
that he was stirred to try his fortunes in the west and accordingly in the
spring of that year he fitted out the requisite conveyances and joined a large
train of sixty wagons and toiled seven months to the Grande Ronde valley,
experiencing no trouble with the Indians, but suffering great deprivations and
hardships on the way.  His parents accompanied him and he soon took up a
homestead, but afterward went to work at freighting for three years then
returned to the farm and the art of agriculture engrossed him for eleven years,
at the expiration of which time he engaged in livery business and for twenty-two
years he has been numbered among the leading business men of Union county and
has handled a first-class livery and feed business continuously since.  He has
now taken as partner his son-in-law, F. P CHILDERS, and they are now handling a
fine business, having their stables supplied with good horses and tasty rigs and
all the necessary equipment.
   	On July 17, 1860, Mr. BAKER married Miss Margaret, daughter of Johnson and
Ruth GOODEN, the nuptials occurring in Bethlehem, Wayne county, Iowa.  Five
children have come to cheer the way and gladden the home:  Mary A., wife of
Frank P. CHILDERS; Etta E., wife of Winfield S. WINES, of Portland; Clara J.,
wife of James L. WATSON, of Lagrande; Joseph W., married to Annie WELLS, of
Legrande; Charles W., married to Bessie LYNCH, of Lagrande.  Mr. BAKER owns in
addition to what has been mentioned a good seven-room house in the city, and
also some vacant property.  He is highly esteemed among his fellows and is one
of the capable, upright and enterprising men who have made the county of Union
what it is to-day with its great prosperity and wealth.

Submitted by: Sandy, scarletgen@comcast.net