Page County, Iowa History 1909 Biographicals

(transcribed by Pat O'Dell: genpat@netins.net)

[page 488] LEVI BAKER. Levi Baker, a man of action rather than of theory, who carefully formulates his plans and is determined in their execution, was born at Middlegrove, Illinois, in 1846. He resided upon a farm until about fourteen years of age and during that period acquired his early education in the public schools of Canton and of Galesburg, Illinois. He also attended the State Normal University at Bloomington and was thus well qualified by liberal educational training for life's practical and responsible duties.

The year 1868 witnessed his arrival in Page county, at which time he settled in the eastern part of Grant township on the West Tarkio river. His place was on a tract of land of eighty acres and upon this he began raising corn and hogs. His finanical progress is due to his close application and his earnest purpose. As the years have gone by he has prospered in his farming operations and has also extended his business activities into other fields, becoming a director of the First National Bank of Shenandoah and also the president of the Indepenedent Mutual Telephone Company, which is capitalized for one hundred thousand dollars. Mr Baker is also president of the Commerical National Bank of Essex, Iowa, which is one of the oldest and most substantial financial institutions of Page county, established in 1875.

[page 489] On the 13th of May, 1873, Mr Baker was united in marriage to Miss Ernestine C. Farnham and unto them were born four children, three daughters and a son, all of whom are now living, namely: Estella, the wife of J.J. Weber, of Sedalia, Missouri; Wilma, the wife of J.W. Ratekin, of Shenandoah; Louise, the wife of R.R. Lawson, also of Shenandoah; and Eugene, of the same city.

Mr Baker has always loved agricultural life and now resides on a farm within the city limits of Shenandoah. He takes life quite easy, for his enterprise and diligence in former years have brought to him a substantial competence, releasing him from the necessity of further arduous labor. However, indolence and idleness are foreign to his nature and when not occupied with business cares his activity reaches out to other interests, many of which directly are beneficial to the county and to the country at large. He is now a member of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress and also vice president in the congress of Iowa. He has never allowed the words discouragement or failure to have place in his vacabulary, believing that effort to do so. In all that he has undertaken Mr Baker has found success for he has never allowed obstacles or difficulties to bar this path when they could be overcome by honest purpose and indefatigable energy.