Lewis Publishing Company, 1904

Transcribed from the original book by Kristin J. Vaughn © 2008

Luther S. Baker Page 569 Luther S. Baker, the well known insurance and real estate man of Endicott, Nebraska, is counted among the old settlers of this part of Southeastern Nebraska, since a third of a century nearly measures the time that this state has been the seat of civilization. He has been a citizen of prominence and public spirit since coming here, and while working for his own material prosperity has given a due share of his time and thought to the demands of society in general. He is esteemed not only in these connections, but also for the part he played as a gallant soldier in the Civil war, in which he was at the front in many a battle, and still bears on his body many scars of grim and desolating war. Mr. Baker was born in Allegany county, New York, March 22, 1839, a son of Daniel and Abigail (Strong) Baker, the former of whom died in 1856, aged fifty-three, and the latter at the age of fifty-three in Pennsylvania. They were parents of fifteen children; five of the sons were Union soldiers, Alanson, who was wounded at Cedar Mountain, Hiram, David, who was killed at Cedar Mountain, Luther, and Amandon, who was in the war, but not at Cedar Mountain battle. Luther S. Baker lived at home in New York until 1856, and then went with his parents to Virginia. In May, 1861, he enlisted at Roulette, Potter county, Pennsylvania, for three months' service, but did not leave the state of Pennsylvania. September 28, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Forty-sixth Pennsylvania Infantry, Captain Alexander W. Selfridge and Colonel Joseph F. Knight, his term of enlistment being for three years, and he received his honorable discharge at Alexandria, Virginia, July 16, 1865. He was in the battle at Ball's Bluff, where Colonel Baker was killed; at Winchester, May 25, 1862; at Chancellorsville and Antietam; and at Cedar Mountain, August 9, was taken prisoner, and held at Belle Island until the following November, when he made his escape and joined his regiment; he suffered from the scurvy while in prison. He was once wounded by a fragment of shell in the right foot, and at the great battle of Gettysburg was wounded in the left leg. He was with General Hooker at Lookout Mountain, and in all the battles of that campaign, during which he was wounded in the right leg, and still carries the bullet. He was at Peach Tree Creek, at Rome, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, thence to Savannah, north to Bentonville, on to Richmond, and participated in the grand review down Pennsylvania avenue, Washington, at the termination of most praiseworthy and noble service for his country. He returned home to Potter county, Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1870, when he came to the state of Nebraska and took a homestead in Jefferson county. He has since been engaged in farming and other lines of activity, and now has a large business in insurance and real estate, which nets him a prosperity of which he is well worthy. On August 11, 1872, Mr. Baker was married in Nebraska to Miss Amanda M. Wells, who came here in 1867, a daughter of one of the old settlers, James A. Wells, who was a soldier in the Twentieth Iowa Infantry and now lives at Lamar, Missouri. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Baker, as follows: Alvin, Adella, Andrew, Florence, William, James, Maud, Rosetta, David, and Wanda, who is deceased. Mr. Baker is a strong Republican, and is a Grand Army man, having been commander of his post. He is frank and genial with all, and loved in his domestic circle and popular with all his associates.