William Benjamin Baker
Encyclopedia
William Benjamin Baker was a U.S. Congressman
who represented the second Congressional district of Maryland
from 1895 to 1901.
Baker was born near Aberdeen, Maryland
and attended the common schools. He engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1872, when he became interested in the canning industry, and later in banking. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Aberdeen and served as its first president from 1891–1911. He was also an organizer and director of the First National Bank of Havre de Grace.
In 1868 he married Olivia Wells, of Aberdeen, who lived only a little more than one year. In 1872 he married again to Mary C. Hollis, of Bush Chapel.
He served as a delegate to several State and congressional conventions, and was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates
in 1881. He also served in the Maryland Senate in 1893.
Baker was elected as a Republican
to the Fifty-fourth
, Fifty-fifth
, and Fifty-sixth
Congresses
, serving from March 4, 1895, to March 3, 1901. He represented the Second Maryland Congressional District which included, at that time, Harford
, Baltimore
, and Carroll
Counties. He was the father of the rural mail delivery. When the matter of rural mail delivery was spoken of in Congress, there were none willing to assume the responsibility, for it was considered controversial to have rural merchants serve as postmaster
s. Mr. Baker, however, was willing for the experiment to be made in his district, and the first rural route of the country was started in Carroll County, from Westminster
post office.
He was not a candidate for renomination in 1900, and resumed the canning business. He died in Aberdeen in 1911, and is interred in Baker’s Cemetery.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
who represented the second Congressional district of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
from 1895 to 1901.
Baker was born near Aberdeen, Maryland
Aberdeen, Maryland
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,842 people, 5,475 households, and 3,712 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,166.2 people per square mile . There were 5,894 housing units at an average density of 922.4 per square mile...
and attended the common schools. He engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1872, when he became interested in the canning industry, and later in banking. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Aberdeen and served as its first president from 1891–1911. He was also an organizer and director of the First National Bank of Havre de Grace.
In 1868 he married Olivia Wells, of Aberdeen, who lived only a little more than one year. In 1872 he married again to Mary C. Hollis, of Bush Chapel.
He served as a delegate to several State and congressional conventions, and was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
in 1881. He also served in the Maryland Senate in 1893.
Baker was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the Fifty-fourth
54th United States Congress
- House of Representatives :-Leadership:- Senate :* President: Adlai E. Stevenson * President pro tempore: William P. Frye - Majority leadership :* Republican Conference Chairman: John Sherman- Minority leadership :...
, Fifty-fifth
55th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:* Republican: 206 * Democratic: 124* Populist: 22* Silver Republican: 3* Silver: 1* Independent Republican: 1TOTAL members: 357-Leadership:-Senate:* President: Garret Hobart * President pro tempore: William P...
, and Fifty-sixth
56th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Leadership :- Senate :* President: Garret Hobart , until November 21, 1899 , vacant thereafter.* President pro tempore: William P. Frye * Democratic Caucus Chairman: James K. Jones...
Congresses
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, serving from March 4, 1895, to March 3, 1901. He represented the Second Maryland Congressional District which included, at that time, Harford
Harford County, Maryland
Harford County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 244,826. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.-History:...
, Baltimore
Baltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
, and Carroll
Carroll County, Maryland
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 167,134. It was named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton , signer of the American Declaration of Independence. Its county seat is Westminster....
Counties. He was the father of the rural mail delivery. When the matter of rural mail delivery was spoken of in Congress, there were none willing to assume the responsibility, for it was considered controversial to have rural merchants serve as postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
s. Mr. Baker, however, was willing for the experiment to be made in his district, and the first rural route of the country was started in Carroll County, from Westminster
Westminster, Maryland
Westminster is a city in northern Maryland, United States. It is the seat of Carroll County. The city's population was 18,590 at the 2010 census. Westminster is an outlying community within the Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA, which is part of a greater Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV...
post office.
He was not a candidate for renomination in 1900, and resumed the canning business. He died in Aberdeen in 1911, and is interred in Baker’s Cemetery.