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Jehu Baker

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American politician

Jehu Baker
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois
In office
March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1869
Preceded byWilliam Ralls Morrison
Succeeded byJohn B. Hay
Constituency12th district
In office
March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889
Preceded byWilliam Ralls Morrison
Succeeded byWilliam St. John Forman
Constituency18th district
In office
March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899
Preceded byEverett J. Murphy
Succeeded byWilliam A. Rodenberg
Constituency21st district
United States Minister to Venezuela
In office
March 18, 1878 – September 5, 1881
PresidentRutherford B. Hayes
James A. Garfield
Preceded byThomas Russell
Succeeded byGeorge W. Carter
In office
May 16, 1882 – June 20, 1885
PresidentChester A. Arthur
Grover Cleveland
Preceded byGeorge W. Carter
Succeeded byCharles L. Scott
Personal details
Born(1822-11-04)November 4, 1822
Lexington, Kentucky
DiedMarch 1, 1903(1903-03-01) (aged 80)
Belleville, Illinois
Political partyRepublican

Jehu Baker (November 4, 1822 – March 1, 1903) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.

Born near Lexington, Kentucky, Baker moved with his father to Lebanon, Illinois, in 1829. He attended the common schools and McKendree University. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1846, entering private practice in Belleville, Illinois. He served as master in chancery of St. Clair County, Illinois from 1861-1865.

Baker was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-ninth and Fortieth Congresses (March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1869), defeating incumbent William R. Morrison. He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Post Office Department (Thirty-ninth Congress), Committee on Education and Labor (Fortieth Congress). In 1876, he campaigned in Illinois for Rutherford B. Hayes, who rewarded him by appointing him as United States Minister to Venezuela (1878–1881 and 1882–1885).

Baker was elected also as a Republican to the Fiftieth Congress (March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1888 to the Fifty-first Congress. He continued the practice of law.

He later switched parties and was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-fifth Congress (March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899). He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1898 to the Fifty-sixth Congress. He resumed the practice of law. He died in Belleville on March 1, 1903, and was buried in Walnut Hill Cemetery.

References

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byWilliam R. Morrison Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 12th congressional district
March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1869 		Succeeded byJohn B. Hay
Diplomatic posts
Preceded byThomas Russell U.S. Minister to Venezuela
March 8, 1878 – September 5, 1881 		Succeeded byGeorge W. Carter
Preceded byGeorge W. Carter U.S. Minister to Venezuela
May 16, 1882 – June 20, 1885 		Succeeded byCharles L. Scott
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byWilliam R. Morrison Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 18th congressional district
March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889 		Succeeded byWilliam St. John Forman
Preceded byEverett J. Murphy Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 21st congressional district
March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899 		Succeeded byWilliam A. Rodenberg
Chairs of the United States House Committee on Education and the Workforce
Education and Labor
(1867–1883)		 Seal of the United States House of Representatives
Education
(1883–1947)
Labor
(1883–1947)
Education and Labor*
(1947–)
Note Alternately named Economic and Educational Opportunities in 104th Congress and Education and the Workforce in 105th through 109th and 112th through 115th Congresses.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

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