John Reagen Baker
Stockdale, Wilson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Adventurer-soldier of early Texas. Fought in Mexico to win freedom for the unsuccessful "Republic of Rio Grande" in 1840. Was elected sheriff of Refugio County and organized a company of minutemen. In 1842 he fought against three Mexican raids into Texas. Then participated in the disastrous Somervell and Mier expeditions into Mexico, during which he was wounded. Returned to Texas and entered mercantile business. Wife was Avis (Brown). Recorded -- 1969
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
John Reagen Baker was a soldier of fortune in the turbulent borderlands of the 1840s — fighting for the short-lived Republic of the Rio Grande, serving as sheriff of Refugio County, raising minutemen, and repelling Mexican raids into Texas in 1842. He joined the disastrous Somervell and Mier expeditions, was wounded, and afterward settled into the quieter life of a merchant. His career reflects the violent, unsettled decade before Texas found its footing.
Why it matters
Baker's exploits illuminate the chaotic border warfare that shaped the Texas–Mexico frontier in the years after independence.
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Related people
- · John Reagen Baker
- · Avis Brown
Themes & tags
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