The Biographical Dictionary of America/Baker, Jehu

BAKER, Jehu, representative, was born in Fayette county, Ky., Nov. 4, 1822; son of William and Margaret (Caldwell) Baker. He was educated at McKendree college. Ill., but did not graduate. He studied medicine for a time and subsequently studied and practised law in Belleville, Ill. He was master in chancery for St. Clair county, 1861-'65; and a Republican representative in the 39th and 40th congresses, 1865-'69, where he served as chairman of the committee on expenditures in the post-office department and as member of the special committee on civil service, and also as chairman of the committee on education. He was U.S. minister resident at Caracas, Venezuela, 1878-'81, and 1882-'85, acting for a time as consul-general. He was again a representative in the 50th congress, 1887-’89, and in the 55th congress, 1897-'99. He received from McKendree college the honorary degrees of M. A. and LL. D. He is author of an annotated translation of Montesquieu's "Considerations on the Causes of the Grandeur and Decadence of the Romans." He died at Belleville, Ill., March 2, 1903.