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Capt. William Smith Baker, who died at Sedalia, Mo., at the age of eighty-one years, was one of that city's most highly respected citizens and enjoyed the friendship and esteem of all who knew him, He was born at Princeton, Ky., August 12, 1834, the son of Andrew Baker, who removed to Missouri when the boy was six years of age and settled in St. Clair County. Later the family went to Benton County, but in 1854 William Baker returned to St. Clair County and was in business for some years at Osceola. In May, 1861, he enlisted in the Missouri Militia under General Price, serving under Capt. J. T. Crenshaw until the latters resignation, and in September he was elected captain of his company following the battle of Lexington. At the close of his term of service he returned to Osceola and in February, 1862, joined the regular Confederate forces at Springfield and was assigned to the company of Captain Buss, in Waldo P. Johnston;s battalion, being later appointed sergeant under Capt. John Ferguson, quartermaster. After the battle of Pea Ridge, he went to Van Buren, Ark., and later with other troops, to Memphis, where the commands of McFarlane and Johnson were united. Captain Baker was severely wounded in the battle of Corinth. After the war he went to Sedalia, Mo., and engaged in business, in which he prospered, and at the time of his retirement, some twenty-five years ago, he was one of the city's most substantial citizens. For many years he had been one of the directors of the Citizen's National Bank.

In 1870 Captain Baker was married to Miss Susan White, whose death occurred in 1897. A brother and sister survive him. The funeral services were conducted by the Masonic fraternity, and the internment was in Crown Hill Cemetery, at Sedalia.