Baker, Francis Ransom, 1842-1918
Dates
- Existence: 1842 - 1918
Biography
Francis Ransom Baker was born on October 10, 1842, north of Vicksburg, Mississippi, son of Henry Baker and Sarah Baxter Baker. Because of Mrs. Baker's poor health the family moved back to Ohio where Henry and Sarah had lived for several years after their marriage. On November 19, 1861, Francis enlisted for a term of three years in the 78th Ohio Infantry. Two of his brothers, Farnandis and James A., enlisted in the same regiment. The material in the Baker Papers concerning Francis consists of two typed copies of Francis' journal describing his war experiences from his enlistment to his discharge on January 12, 1865, at Beaufort, South Carolina, and his return home. Francis was at the siege of Vicksburg and also saw some heavy fighting in Georgia with Sherman. No indication is given of the location of the manuscript journal.