Frederick Richard Baker (c. 1844–1906) was an American farmer, soldier, and politician. Private Frederick Richard Baker Union Light Guard

Biography

Frederick Baker was born in

Spratton Spratton is a village and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority area of Northamptonshire, England. Before changes in 2021 it was governed by Daventry District Council. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's populat ...

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, England. He emigrated from there with his parents and seven siblings to

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in 1852. In 1863, he was selected to be a member of the Seventh Independent Company of Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, also known as the Union Light Guard. Soon after arriving in Washington D.C. members of the unit learned they were selected to serve as a mounted escort and guard for President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

. During the year of 1865 Baker kept a diary of his experiences as a member of the Union Light Guard. The diary reveals that he was a frequent observer of the proceedings at the Senate and House, was exposed to the workings of a wartime White House, and had casual contact with Lincoln and other dignitaries, witnessed Lincoln's second inauguration, and was part of the events immediately following the President's assassination. Frederick served from December 17, 1863, to September 9, 1865. Baker homesteaded in Ft. Collins,

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in 1873. He established himself as a successful farmer, rancher, businessman, civic leader, and community member. Baker served as

Larimer County Larimer County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 359,066. The county seat and most populous city is Fort Collins, Colorado, Fort Colli ...

commissioner from 1890 to 1893 and Ft. Collins mayor for four terms from 1895 to 1902. During his time as mayor Lincoln Park and Carnegie library in Fort Collins were conceived. Baker's residence while mayor of Ft. Collins was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

on July 20, 1978. In January 2019, Baker's 1865 Civil War Diary was donated to the Ft. Collins Local History Archive located at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Frederick R. 1840s births 1906 deaths 20th-century mayors of places in Colorado Mayors of places in Colorado English emigrants to the United States History of Fort Collins, Colorado Ohio in the American Civil War Ranchers from Colorado Union army soldiers