From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, 
publ. 1912 - Page 488
 
CHARLES MINTON BAKER, son of James BAKER (1779-1851) and Elizabeth PRICE (1780-
1870), grandson of David BAKER, of Morristown, New Jersey, was born at New York 
(city), October 18, 1804; the next year his parents went to Addison county, 
Vermont; he entered Middlebury College in 1822; studied law at Troy in Samuel 
G. HUNTINGTON's office; was named in a roll of attorneys at Troy in 1831, and 
also as commissioner of deeds; married, first, Martha W. LARRABEE, of Shoreham, 
Vermont, September 6, 1830; settled on section 1, Linn, in 1838; district 
attorney 1839-40; married, second, Eliza HOLT, July 1, 1841; served four years 
in Territorial Council, 1842-6; chairman of committee on organization of 
judiciary in first constitutional convention; in 1849 was head of the 
commission to revise statutes; early in March 1856, appointed to vacancy in 
circuit judgeship, but refused nomination at the April election, and hence 
served but six or seven weeks, holding a term in Racine county for April.  In 
the latter part of the Civil war he was draft commissioner for his 
congressional district.  In April, 1871, he was chosen justice at Lake Geneva 
for one year.  He died there, February 5, 1872.  Mr. SIMMONS wrote of him: "As 
a man he was foremost in the promotion of every cause which tended to the real 
advantage and permanent benefit of his fellow citizens.  As a lawyer his 
talents were of a high order but he was not ambitious to make them known.  He 
was from his early youth a Christian, and was always recognized here as a 
strong and earnest one, a pillar in the church, the right hand of his pastor 
and a chosen leader among his brethren."  This testimony is useful since it may 
explain why Judge BAKER did not ask his fellow citizens for high places among 
them, and why they did not offer many such tokens of their favor.

Submitted By:  Carol
(carolann612@charter.net)