Joseph Baker: Early Texas Figure
historic place
This historical marker in Austin, Travis County, Texas, was erected in 1936 by the State of Texas. It commemorates Joseph Baker, a significant figure in early Texas history. Born in Maine in 1804, Baker arrived in San Felipe de Austin in December 1831. In October 1835, he co-founded 'The Telegraph and Texas Register'. This newspaper provided a printed voice for the Texas independence movement. Baker also served as a soldier at the Battle of San Jacinto. Following the revolution, he held public office in the new Republic of Texas. He was the first chief justice of Bexar County and a member of its Congress in 1837. Joseph Baker died in Austin in July 1846. His roles as a printer, soldier, and public official were central to the Republic of Texas.