For the past 6 months I have been heavily researching the Baker family - mostly Lafayette and Luther. According to history, Lafayette and Luther participated in the finding of Booth. So far I have amassed over 800 pages of photocopies of original documents and have discovered 2 aspects that I do not think many people are aware of.

1) The Baker family moved to Lansing, Michigan in 1843 while Lafayette was still a child. In 1848, when gold was discovered in California, Lafayette went to try his luck. He didn't get rich BUT did join the San Francisco Vigilantes and guess who was a member of the same ward: None other than Junius Booth - the son, not the father.

2) Although history books claim that Lafayette was at the Garrett farm when Booth was captured. He WAS NOT. Also Luther, by way of Stanton's orders, had full control over the mission and it was Luther that held the conversation with Booth in the barn. It was also Luther that had Booth moved to the porch of the house and took the body back to Washington City. Lafayette and Luther both mustered out of the military before the hunt for Booth and, despite having 25 members of the 16th New York with him, it WAS NOT considered a military operation.

Rick Brown
HistoryBuff.com
A Nonprofit Organization

Good stuff Rick. Being a Michigander, the Lansing connection is especially interesting. Are there still members of the Baker family still in Michigan?

William Tecumseh Sherman was in San Francisco during the days of the SF Vigilantes.
He considered them nothing more than lawless rabble and troublemakers.

Hi Historybuff, I may be wrong but I believe Rob Wick on this forum did a lot of research into the Bakers.

(02-21-2013 07:09 AM)LincolnMan Wrote:  Good stuff Rick. Being a Michigander, the Lansing connection is especially interesting. Are there still members of the Baker family still in Michigan?

The Baker family was highly involved in the Lansing, Michigan area. Between 1843 and 1870 I found 34 property transactions by Lafayette, his brothers Milo and Alonzo, and Luther Baker. At the turn of the 19th/20th century, a son of Luther founded Michigan Millers Insurance. As far as the Baker sir name, there are none left in the Lansing area that a direct descendants.

Perhaps folks here in the form can help me figure out a strange situation about Luther. In 1865 Luther bought a 5.6 acre farm outside the city Limits of Lansing. He paid $8,000 for it. This purchase price did not include any crops or livestock. Other farms in the area sold for $750 or less at the time. Two years later, Luther decided he could not make a living as a farmer. He sold the same 5.6 acre farm for $500. What was going on here to explain why Luther paid such a high price for the farm?

More interesting information Rick. It would be wonderful to hear from descendants of the Baker family. On my Lincoln blog, I have had family members of Conger, Zachariah Chandler, and Custer-to name a few-make contact. We really are not that far removed from the events of the Civil War era.

Rick, What do you think about "Death to Traitors" by Jacob Mogelever? The treasury scandal of 1863 was all new to me, and very intersting.

I have copies of Lafayette Baker's 48 page report of the treasury investigation. I also have copies of the 481 page Congressional Select Committee to investigate the Treasury scandal. Future president James Garfield headed the proceedings. Despite mega wrongdoing, only one person was found guilty of stealing $20,000 from the treasury. Two others, although they stole more money, were found not guilty. Also, many of the managers propositioned many female employees. As a result, the females involved were fired. The managers received no punishment. The biggest offender, "Dr" Swyn, managed to receive over $40.,000 to supply presses even though none of them worked.

As to Mogelever's book, I am highly disappointed that he did not use ANY primary source material for his book.

Rick Brown

Is Arthur Ormonts book "Mr Linclon's Master Spy" any better?

Any book about Lafayette Baker you would recommend?

(02-22-2013 07:45 PM)Gene C Wrote:  Is Arthur Ormonts book "Mr Linclon's Master Spy" any better?

Any book about Lafayette Baker you would recommend?

I haven't read Ormonts book and didn't realize it existed. Thanks. The only other book about Lafayette is his own.,

Rick Brown
HistoryBuff.com
A Nonprofit Organization

Which was ghost-written, I understand?