Nathaniel B. Baker

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Nathaniel B. Baker

|image = Nathaniel Bradley Baker.jpg

|order1 = 24th

|office1 = Governor of New Hampshire

|term_start1 = June 8, 1854

|term_end1 = June 7, 1855

|predecessor1 = Noah Martin

|successor1 = Ralph Metcalf

|office2 = Adjutant General of the Iowa Militia

|term_start2 = January 25, 1861

|term_end2 = September 11, 1876

|predecessor2 = Jesse Bowen

|successor2 = John H. Looby

|office3 = Member of the Iowa House of Representatives

|term_start3 = January 9, 1860

|term_end3 = January 12, 1862

|predecessor3 = Benjamin F. Gue, Robert M. Scott, John W. Thompson

|successor3 = John Meyer

|alongside3 = George Washington Parker

|constituency3 = 28th district

|office4 = Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives

|term_start4 = June 5, 1850

|term_end4 = June 1, 1852

|predecessor4 = Samuel H. Ayer

|successor4 = George W. Kittredge

|office5 = Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives

|term_start5 = June 5, 1850

|term_end5 = June 1, 1852

|predecessor5 = George F. Sanborn

|successor5 = Nathaniel White

|alongside5 = Ebenezer Symmmes (1850)

|constituency5 = Concord

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1818|9|29}}

|birth_place = Henniker, New Hampshire, U.S.

|death_date = {{Death date and age|1876|9|11|1818|9|29}}

|death_place = Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.

|party = Democratic
Republican

|spouse = {{Marriage|Lucretia (Lucy) C. Ten Broeck|1843}}

|children = 1

|alma_mater = Harvard University

|profession = Attorney
Newspaper publisher
Militia officer

}}

Nathaniel Bradley Baker (September 29, 1818 – September 11, 1876) was an American politician and military leader who served as the 24th governor of New Hampshire and Adjutant General of the Iowa Militia.

Early life

Nathaniel B. Baker was born in Henniker, New Hampshire, on September 29, 1818, and raised in West Concord. Nathaniel Baker graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1834 and Harvard University. He then studied law under Franklin Pierce, Asa Fowler and Charles H. Peaslee and passed the bar in 1842.Leander Winslow Cogswell, [https://books.google.com/books?id=LAt3rGRO88oC&pg=PA450 History of the Town of Henniker, Merrimack County, New Hampshire], 1880, page 450

Start of career

Baker was a co-owner of a Democratic newspaper, the New Hampshire Patriot. Originally a Democrat, he served as Clerk of the Merrimack County Court of Common Pleas in 1845. The following year he became Merrimack County Clerk.Charles Henry Bell, [https://books.google.com/books?id=sJozAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA164 The Bench and Bar of New Hampshire], 1893, page 164

Baker was also active in the New Hampshire Militia, serving as Quartermaster and later Adjutant of the 11th Regiment. He subsequently served as Aide-de-Camp to Governor John H. Steele with the rank of colonel.John Norris McClintock, [https://books.google.com/books?id=8e6FpX4eu1wC&dq=nathaniel+baker+aide+governor+steele+%22new+hampshire%22&pg=PA614 History of New Hampshire], 1888, page 614

In 1851, Baker assumed the position of Chief Fire Engineer for Concord's Fire Department.New Hampshire Historical Society, [https://books.google.com/books?id=dGojAQAAMAAJ&q=%22nathaniel+b+baker%22 Historical New Hampshire], Volumes 1-8, 1968, page 12 He also served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 1850 to 1852, and was elected Speaker of the House.Leander Winslow Cogswell, [https://books.google.com/books?id=LAt3rGRO88oC&pg=PA450 History of the Town of Henniker, Merrimack County, New Hampshire], 1880, page 450 In 1852 he was a Presidential Elector, and cast his ballot for Franklin Pierce and William R. King.G. W. Carleton & Co., publisher, [https://books.google.com/books?id=h2ggAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA263 Record of the Year: A Reference Scrap Book], Volume 2, 1876, page 263

From 1854 to 1859 Baker was a trustee of Norwich University, and he received an honorary Master of Arts degree from Norwich in 1855.William Arba Ellis, [https://books.google.com/books?id=qFhMAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1 Norwich University, 1819-1911; Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor], Volume 2, 1911, page 1William ARba Ellis, [https://books.google.com/books?id=UJgaAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA502 Norwich University: Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor], Volume 1, 1898, page 502

Governor of New Hampshire

In 1854 he was elected governor and served a single one-year term, June 6, 1854, to June 7, 1855.Phillips, Sampson and Company, [https://books.google.com/books?id=f3UFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA193 The American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge], 1855, page 193 During his term the legislature failed to pass resolutions condemning the Missouri Compromise and the Kansas–Nebraska Act, evidence that New Hampshire was trending away from the Democratic Pierce and Baker and becoming increasingly antislavery.William Royal Oake, author, Stacy Dale Allen, editor, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ut39BFr9ExEC&pg=PA341 On the Skirmish Line Behind a Friendly Tree: The Civil War Memoirs of William Royal Oake], page 341 (In fact, after Baker left office, Republicans controlled the governorship for most of the next 100 years.) He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1855.New Hampshire Secretary of State, [https://books.google.com/books?id=0jdAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA155 The New Hampshire Manual for the General Court with Complete Official Succession], 1891, page 155

Later career

After Baker's term as governor, he moved to Clinton, Iowa, where he continued to practice law.New Hampshire Adjutant General, [https://books.google.com/books?id=PLqS8BCblmwC&dq=%22nathaniel+b+baker%22+clinton+iowa&pg=RA1-PA314 The Military History of the State of New-Hampshire], 1869, page 314 He was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1859 as a Democrat.Benjamin F. Gue, [https://books.google.com/books?id=2FM0AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22baker+nathaniel+b%22+iowa+%22house+of+representatives%22&pg=PA11 Iowa Biography], 1903, page 11 His increasingly antislavery views later caused him to join the Republican Party.State Historical Society of Iowa, [https://books.google.com/books?id=gnlQAQAAIAAJ&q=%22nathaniel+b+baker%22 The Iowa Journal of History and Politics], Volumes 51-52, 1953, page 9

Baker's work as chairman of the Iowa House's Military Affairs Committee at the start of the American Civil War led to his appointment as adjutant general of the Iowa Militia, and he served until his death.Olynthus B. Clark, [https://books.google.com/books?id=w3BDAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22nathaniel+b+baker%22+iowa+%22military+affairs%22&pg=PA93 The Politics of Iowa During the Civil War and Reconstruction], 1911, page 93Iowa Secretary of State, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Sl8kAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22nathaniel+b+baker%22+iowa+%22adjutant+general%22&pg=PA317 Iowa Official Register], 1984, page 317 By now a resident of Des Moines, during the war he was praised for his efforts to recruit, equip and train soldiers for front line regiments, and to keep track of their service records, including enlistments, promotions, wounds, deaths, and discharges.R. P. Clarkson, printer, [https://books.google.com/books?id=8O8gAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22nathaniel+bradley+baker%22+iowa+%22adjutant+general%22+soldier+records&pg=PA9 Legislative Documents Submitted to the Seventeenth General Assembly of the State of Iowa], Volume I, 1877, page 9 In addition, at the end of the war, Baker was credited with acquiring from returning Iowa units captured Confederate regimental flags and other memorabilia, and arranging to have it preserved.Iowa Battle Flag Committee, [https://books.google.com/books?id=CxMhEagfR2AC&dq=%22nathaniel+b+baker%22+iowa+preserved+colors&pg=PA61 Report of the Battle Flag Committee], 1894, page 61Johnson Brigham, [https://archive.org/stream/iowaitshistoryit01brig#page/340/mode/2up/search/baker Iowa: Its History and Its Foremost Citizens], Volume 1, 1918, page 340

Death and burial

File:Grave of Nathaniel Bradley Baker (1818–1876) at Woodland Cemetery, Des Moines.jpg

In 1874 Baker took part in an effort to combat a massive grasshopper infestation in Northwestern Iowa, exposing himself out of doors in harsh weather including sleet, snow and high winds.R. P. Clarkson, printer, [https://books.google.com/books?id=JXBMAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA5-PA69 Legislative Documents Submitted to the Seventeenth General Assembly of the State of Iowa], Volume I, 1877, pages 76-79 His health began to decline as a result, and Baker died in Des Moines on September 11, 1876.Harvard University Association of Graduates, [https://books.google.com/books?id=4DNYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA404 The Harvard Graduates' Magazine], Volume 10, 1902, page 404 He was buried at Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines.Iowa Adjutant General, [https://books.google.com/books?id=QycwAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA22 Annual Report], 1900, page 22

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20050915040306/http://www.state.nh.us/nhdhr/glikeness/bakenath.html Baker at New Hampshire's Division of Historic Resources]
[http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_new_hampshire/col2-content/main-content-list/title_baker_nathaniel.html Nathaniel B. Baker] at [http://www.nga.org/ National Governors Association]
{{cite BDA1906 |wstitle= Baker, Nathaniel Bradley |volume= 1 |pages=192-193 |short=1}}

{{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Governor of New Hampshire|years=1854, 1855}}

{{succession box |title=Governor of New Hampshire | before=Noah Martin | after=Ralph Metcalf | years=1854–1855}}

Category:1818 births

Category:1876 deaths

Category:Burials at Woodland Cemetery (Des Moines, Iowa)

Category:Politicians from Concord, New Hampshire

Category:Harvard University alumni

Category:Phillips Exeter Academy alumni

Category:19th-century American newspaper publishers (people)

Category:New Hampshire lawyers

Category:New Hampshire Democrats

Category:Members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives