J.W. Baker

    J.W. Baker, editor and proprietor of the Columbia City Commercial came to Columbia City in January, 1869, and purchased the material of the Whitley County Republican, then defunct, and upon its ashes has built up the structure of the Commercial to its present proportions. Mr. Baker's life  has been devoted to newspaper work, and he possesses the true journalistic sense, a faculty indispensable to the editor. Mr. Baker was born in Hancock County, Ohio, March 7, 1845, and attended public school until fifteen years of age, when he removed to Warsaw, Indiana, June 7, 1860, and took a higher course of study at Warren Seminary. He served a thorough apprenticeship in the "art preservative" in the office of the Northern Indianian, then owned by Judge James H. Carpenter, remaining here two and a half years. He was then engaged for some time on the Whitley County Republican, then owned by the late Hon. A.Y. Hooper. Also worked at the Call for a few months, in the office of the Marshall County Republican, published at Plymouth by J. Mattingly, now publisher of the Bourbon Mirror.

    Mr. Baker re-entered the Northern Indianian in 1864, as foreman of the office, and served as such under the proprietorship of Messrs. Luse, Rippey & Williams, present proprietors of the office. Mr. Baker was elected by the Legislature of 1877 as a Director of the Northern Prison, served two and half years, but was subsequently defeated because of the Democratic majority.

Source: Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana, Historical and Biographical. Weston A. Goodspeed, Charles Blanchard, 1882. Page 239.