David J. Baker
Encyclopedia
David Jewett Baker was a United States Senator from Illinois
. Born in East Haddam, Connecticut
, he moved with his parents to Ontario County, New York
and attended the common schools. In 1816 he graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York
. He studied law, and was admitted to the Illinois bar
in 1819. The first place he practiced law was Kaskaskia, Illinois
.
He was probate
judge of Randolph County
from August 1827 to December 6, 1830 when he resigned to become a Senator; he was appointed as a Democrat
to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John McLean
and served from November 12, 1830, to December 11, 1830, when a successor was elected and qualified. He thus is one of only a few people who have served in congress for less than a month.
Baker was not a candidate for election in 1830 to fill the vacancy, and was appointed United States Attorney
for the district of Illinois in 1833 and served until 1841. He resumed the practice of law, and died in Alton
, and was interred in City Cemetery.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Born in East Haddam, Connecticut
East Haddam, Connecticut
East Haddam is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,333 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, he moved with his parents to Ontario County, New York
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
and attended the common schools. In 1816 he graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York
Clinton, Oneida County, New York
Clinton is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 1,952 at the 2000 census. It was named for George Clinton, a royal governor of the colony of New York....
. He studied law, and was admitted to the Illinois bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1819. The first place he practiced law was Kaskaskia, Illinois
Kaskaskia, Illinois
Kaskaskia is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. In the 2010 census the population was 14, making it the second-smallest incorporated community in the State of Illinois in terms of population. A major French colonial town of the Illinois Country, its peak population was about...
.
He was probate
Probate
Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property under the valid will. A probate court decides the validity of a testator's will...
judge of Randolph County
Randolph County, Illinois
Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 33,476, which is a decrease of 1.2% from 33,893 in 2000. Its county seat is Chester....
from August 1827 to December 6, 1830 when he resigned to become a Senator; he was appointed as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John McLean
John McLean (Illinois politician)
John McLean was a United States Representative and a Senator from Illinois.Born near Guilford Court House , Guilford County, North Carolina, February 4, 1791, McLean moved with his parents to Logan County, Kentucky in 1795. He moved to Illinois Territory in 1815...
and served from November 12, 1830, to December 11, 1830, when a successor was elected and qualified. He thus is one of only a few people who have served in congress for less than a month.
Baker was not a candidate for election in 1830 to fill the vacancy, and was appointed United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for the district of Illinois in 1833 and served until 1841. He resumed the practice of law, and died in Alton
Alton, Illinois
Alton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
, and was interred in City Cemetery.
External links
- David J. Baker at Find-A-Grave