David Jewett Baker (
September 7,
1792 –
August 6,
1869) was a
United States Senator from
Illinois. Born in
East Haddam, Connecticut, he moved with his parents to
Ontario County, New York and attended the common schools. In 1816 he graduated from
Hamilton College in
Clinton, New York. He studied law, and was admitted to the Illinois
bar in 1819. The first place he practiced law was
Kaskaskia, Illinois.
He was
probate judge of
Randolph County from August 1827 to December 6, 1830 when he resigned to become a Senator; he was appointed as a
Democrat to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of
John McLean and served from November 12, 1830, to December 11, 1830, when a successor was elected and qualified. He thus is one of only a few people who have served in congress for less than a month.
Baker was not a candidate for election in 1830 to fill the vacancy, and was appointed
United States Attorney for the district of Illinois in 1833 and served until 1841. He resumed the practice of law, and died in
Alton, and was interred in City Cemetery.
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