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 [decorative delimiter] Class of 1819

Vol. I
p212 212

(Born Ky.)

Joshua Baker1

(Ap'd La.)

10

Born Mar. 23, 1799, Mason County, KY.

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, Sep. 18, 1817, to July 1, 1819, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Second Lieut., Corps of Artillery, July 1, 1819.

Served at the Military Academy, as Asst. Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, Oct. 25, 1819, to June 30, 1820.

Resigned, Oct. 31, 1820.

Civil History. — Counselor at Law, Kentucky, 1822, — and in Louisiana, 1822‑29, and 1832‑38. Engineer of Plaquemine Navigation Company, La., 1827‑29. Parish Judge, and (ex officio) Judge of Probate, La., 1829‑32. Appointed U. S. Surveyor-General for Louisiana, Mar. 3, 1831: declined. Asst. Engineer of the State of Louisiana, 1833‑38. Director of the Board of Public Works of the State of Louisiana, 1840‑45. Colonel, Louisiana Militia, 1826‑29, and Captain of Cavalry, 1846‑51. Member of the Senate of the State of Louisiana, 1852. Member of the Board of Visitors to the Military Academy, 1853. Sugar Planter, Franklin St. Mary's Parish, La., 1829‑75.a

Died, Apr. 15, 1885, at Lyme, Ct.: Aged 86.

Buried, Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY.

The Author's Note:

1 Was examined and graduated with the class of 1819, though at the time a member of, and standing fourth in, the succeeding Class.

Thayer's Note:

a Oddly, Cullum's fails to record that Baker was appointed Military Governor of Louisiana in 1868. It's not as much as it sounds, and trouble, too: see the pages at State of Louisiana and Encyclopedia Louisiana; the latter also has additional biographical information. Col. Baker is also very likely the same Joshua Baker who was Recorder of the Second Municipality of New Orleans in the 1830's and 1840's (Kendall, History of New Orleans, p145).

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Page updated: 15 Feb 13