By: Mark Holtsberry
John Baker was farmer and manufacturer of tile and closely associated with the production of cut lumber from his sawmills, he was well known and respected throughout the Latty Township Community. John was born in the Shenandoah Valley region in Virginia, on a farm, September 10, 1841.
The son of Adam and Delilah (Vance) Baker. John received his education from common schools of the neighborhood and his thought of work and getting ahead from working the farm ground. Responding to the call to arms and fighting for what he believed right, John enlisted in 1861, to serve with Company K., 12th Virginia Regiment, Confederate States of America. At the Battle of Winchester, not known which Battle of Winchester, because Winchester had changed hands numerous times, John was captured and taken prisoner. John was sent to Camp Chase, Ohio. Over 25,000 prisoners were held at the facility at one time. Over 2260 died and are buried in the Cemetery on the grounds. Early in the war, it was custom to allow Southern officers to take a Pledge of honesty which permitted them to walk the streets of Columbus, spend the nights in hotels and eat at some of the fine restaurants within the city, then return back to Camp Chase.
I was not able to come up with information to know if John was an officer. John was shipped to Johnsons Island two and a half miles offshore from Sandusky. Average number of prisoners confined at one time were 2000 – 2500. I am guessing, that John was there after or mid 1863, because after Gettysburg, prisoners would be kept for twelve to eighteen months. John was held as a prisoner of war until 1864, at that time, John took the oath of allegiance to the United States and was released. In 1866, John married Amanda Krall, the daughter of Jacob and Mary Krall of Columbus, Ohio. Their marriage produced seven children. By 1870 John and his wife moved to Shallow Ford, Dekalb County, Georgia, where he was an engineer at a steam mill. Gaining this trade helped him later in life.
By 1880, John, his wife and three children moved to Jefferson, Franklin County, Ohio, he worked as a day laborer. In 1887, John and his family moved to Latty Township. He first settled and installed a sawmill within a few rods of the corner, one mile north of the present site of Grover Hill in section 24 of Latty Township. He kept the saw mill running until around 1890. John Cut the lumber for the Methodist Episcopal Church, located one half mile north of Latty Center. The saw mill covered about one acre of land. John discontinued the saw mill and started making tile and brick. John also ran a cane mill and gristmill at the same location.
John’s mother, Delilah, passed away December 17, 1895 in Orange County, Virginia. It is unclear when his father passed away, his parents were divorced.
John continued to be a producer of tile and brick, producing a daily output of 8,000 tile and 6,000 brick. He had four full time men and two 20 x 100 buildings. John discontinued this operation in 1911 and dismantled the following year. His wife, Amanda, passed away in 1914. John remarried a lady named Ella C. (Hakes), between the years 1915 and 1920. Ella passed away in 1926, followed by John, who passed away October 27, 1927 in Latty. John and his two wives are all buried in Mount Zion Cemetery, Grover Hill. John was affiliated with the Democratic Party, a member of the Lutheran Church. His success had been largely achieved by thrift, energy and wisdom in the management of his affairs.
Until Next Time!
