1914 Biography - William Chapman Baker

Baker, William Chapman. — District attorney, Franklin, St. Mary parish, La., was born on a farm in Copiah county, near Hazlehurst, Miss., June 6, 1878; son of Everard Green Baker, a native of Jefferson county, Miss., and a planter and farmer of Jefferson, Panola, and Copiah counties of that state. The father served in the Confederate Army from the beginning to the end of the civil war, as a member of a Mississippi regiment. He was a graduate of Bardstown University, Kentucky, and a man of unusual culture and refinement. His fortune, like that of many others of the time, was greatly depleted by the ravages of the civil war. The father died in March, 1889. Everard Green Baker was married to Miss Sally Flemming, a daughter of John Flemming, who came from Scotland and located in Adams county, Miss., where he had large land interests which are yet in the family. Sally, his daughter, mother of William Chapman Baker, was born in Adams county, Miss., and is at this time living at Hazlehurst, that State. Everard Green Baker was twice married, his first marriage having been to Miss Laura Alexander. Five children resulted from this first union, three sons and two daughters. To his second marriage fourteen children were born. Fifteen of the father's children grew to maturity, and thirteen are living at this time. William Chapman Baker, who was so named for a Grand Rapids, Mich., cousin of his father, attended a country school, one-and-a-half miles from his home, for two short terms — nine months in all. When thirteen years old he ran away from home, making his way to Raymond, Miss., where a brother-in-law, W. W. Dawning by name, held the office of Clerk of the County court. The lad became a clerk in the store of J. S. Armstrong, and there remained until Sep. 21, 1896, when he secured the position of overseer on the plantation of J. K. G. Kitridge, in Assumption parish, La., occupying this place until the autumn of 1899. At the latter date he removed to St. Mary parish, accepting a place as assistant overseer to J. E. Munson, who was overseer for L. S. Clark, on what is now the Lagenda Plantation, near Patterson. He continued in this latter place until June 1901, when he was commissioned as manager for Capt. J. N. Pharr, on Fairview Plantation, for one year, following this with a summer vacation spent visiting relatives. In the autumn of 1902, Mr. Baker entered the office of Judge Charles O'Neill, at Franklin, now associate Justice of the State Supreme court and began the study of law. After six months of study his finances became so low that he was forced to seek some means for replenishing his pocketbook, and securing a notarial commission he went to Morgan City and opened an office as a notary public. The notary business proved equal to the occasion, and all time that was not required for making affidavits he frugally applied to the private study of his law books. This progressed so well that some time during the winter of 1905 he passed an examination before a committee of the Opelousas Bar Association, and in March of 1906 was examined before the supreme court and obtained a certificate entitling him to practice law. He at once became a practicing attorney of Morgan City, and resided there until Jan. 1, 1909, when his office was changed to Franklin. In 1908 Mr. Baker was a candidate for the state legislature, but failed to poll a sufficient number of votes to put him in the house of representatives. In 1912 he became a candidate for the office of district attorney, and was elected without opposition. Sept. 20, 1904, Mr. Baker was married to Miss Eva Gray, a daughter of C. S. Gray of Morgan City, La. They have one child, Everard Winchester, born July 26, 1905. Mr. Baker is an independent democrat, and a member of the Episcopal church.

Extracted 2020 Nov 01 by Norma Hass, from Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, published in 1914, volume 3, pages 33-34.

---