Tulare County
Biographies
J. T. BAKER
J. T. Baker, the pioneer druggist of Hanford,
Tulare County, California, is a native of Muscatine County, Iowa, born in 1848.
His father, a native of Ohio, became one of the early settlers of Iowa, and was
there engaged in agricultural pursuits.
After securing a common-school education, young Baker started out in life at the
age of seventeen years; went to Moscow, same county, and in the employ of his
cousin, M. Baker, began the study of the prescription business, remaining there
until 1870. He then came to California to join his uncle, Martin Baker, a
practicing physician of Visalia, and to take charge of his drug store and
business. In 1873 he bought an interest in the store, but sold it in 1875 and
accepted the position of prescription clerk in the drug store of Mr. Bishop, at
a salary of $125 per month. Here he faithfully performed his duties, often
working eighteen hours a day. Wishing to start business for himself, he attended
the auction sale of town lots at Hanford, in February, 1877, and purchased lots
on Sixth street. He immediately built a small store for the drug business, and
his was the first building completed and the first store to open its doors in
the present prosperous town of Hanford. On March 26, 1879, fire devastated
Hanford, and Mr. Baker's stock was entirely swept away, he sustaining a loss of
$6,000. He then rebuilt in brick with increased facilities and enlarged his
stock, and prosperity attended his business enterprises. July 11, 1887, the town
was again visited by fire, and Mr. Baker sustained a still greater loss, this
time about $18,000. With renewed energy he set about rebuilding, and erected his
present fine brick building, 50 x 70 feet and two stories high. The upper story
is divided into offices, and has a hall 38 x 40 feet, which is occupied by
different secret orders at stated intervals. Mr. Baker has an outside cellar, 21
x 40 feet, brick-lined and cemented and made fire-proof, which he uses for the
storage of miscellaneous drugs, and his fine storeroom contains one of the
largest and most complete stocks of medicines.
Mr. Baker was married at Visalia in July 1875, to Miss Mary Lindsey, a native of
Indiana, and to their union has been added two children, George R. and Lella A.
He is a member of Hanford Lodge, No. 189, A. O. U. W., and has been Receiver of
the lodge for eight years. On Seventh street Mr. Baker owns a lot 100 x 150
feet, where he located his attractive and comfortable home.
.
SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare and
Kern, California: Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company 1892 Page 395
Transcribed by Beverly Green
P. Y. BAKER
P. Y. Baker, a prominent citizen of Tulare County and one of the founders of the
town of Traver, dates his birth in Rock Island County, Illinois, April 13, 1842.
He comes of German ancestry and is the son of Thomas Jefferson and Catharine (Yaple)
Baker, both natives of New York, his mother's ancestors having originated in
Holland. To his parents thirteen children were born; eight grew to maturity and
five are still living, Peter Yaple Baker being their youngest child. He was
reared and educated in his native place until he reached his seventeenth year.
He had the misfortune to lose his parents when a small boy, his father dying in
1847 and his mother in 1849.
In 1859 Mr. Baker came to California and sought his fortune in the mining
districts of Placer County. Previous to his coming here he had been working as a
farm hand in Illinois for seven dollars per month, the usual price paid for that
kind of labor there then, receiving his money in paper currency. Upon his
arrival in the mines he had a one-dollar bill left, which was a curiosity to the
miners, but which was of no intrinsic value where the yellow gold was so plenty.
Mr. Baker began work at three dollars per day, and from the last of 1859 to the
first of 1861 he saved from his mining operations about $1,500. Then the great
excitement of the war came on. He became deeply interested in the Union cause,
and in September, 1861, enlisted in the California Volunteers, expecting to go
East. He first enlisted in Company C, and afterward as a veteran in Company G,
Second Infantry. They, however, were retained on the coast, and did efficient
duty in keeping the Indians in subjection at Fort Collerville and in Humboldt
County and the Indian reservation in Del Norte County.
At the close of the war Mr. Baker was honorably discharged and returned East. He
settled in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, where he farmed and dealt in real estate
for nine years. While there he was elected County Surveyor and County Clerk and
also served two terms in the State Legislature, 1868-'69. He came back to
California in 1875, and for a time was employed in surveying and making colored
maps of Stanislaus and Tulare counties, for which he received fair compensation.
Then for six years he was engaged in the real-estate and abstract business at
Visalia. In 1882 he organized the "'76" Land and Water Co., and became the
superintendent of construction of its canals. This canal is 100 feet wide at the
bottom, with a slope of from one to three feet, five feet deep and conveys 1,400
cubic feet of water every second. At this writing (1891) it supplies 130,000
acres of land with an abundance of water for irrigating purposes, and it is
expected that in time it will cover 300,000 acres of land. It is the largest
canal in the United States. The company purchased 30,000 acres of land at four
dollars per acre, have sold large quantities of it, and its present value is
$100 per acre. In 1887 Mr. Baker sold his interest in it, and in 1888 became
largely interested in the formation of the Alta Irrigation district, being one
of its directors from the start. In 1890 the people of the Alta irrigation
district purchased the canal and they are now engaged in putting water on the
whole tract.
Mr. Baker owns a farm of 400 acres, located two miles and a half east of Traver,
where he has built a nice residence and where is engaged in raising fruit,
grain, alfalfa and fine stock. His specialty in cattle is the Holstein breed,
and he is the importer of some fine specimens of this stock. His horses are
Electioneer stock, he being the owner of "P.Y.B," an animal of great merit.
Fifty acres of his land are devoted to raisin grapes and ten are in French
prunes. he has 200 date trees, four years old, grown from seed. In addition to
all this, Mr. Baker continues his real-estate business and has an office at
Traver.
In 1867 he was married to Miss Josephine Smith, and by her had one daughter,
Josephine L. After seven years of happy married life Mrs. Baker died, in 1874.
Two years later he wedded Miss Augusta Ferguson, and their union has been
blessed with two sons, Max E. and Ray W.
Mr. Baker is a member of the A. O. U. W. and of the G. A. R. He is the
Quartermaster of the Sixth Regiment of National Guards of California. They are
equipped by the State, and he has the matter of supplies to attend to. In
politics he has always been a stanch Republican, having cast his first
presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln.
Having helped to found the town of Traver and develop the resources of the
surrounding country, Mr. Baker takes a just pride in the progress already made
and has great faith in its future.
SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare and
Kern, California: Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company 1892 Page 404, 405
Transcribed by Beverly Green