Conrad Baker was a lawyer, U.S. Army officer, and politician, serving as the Governor of Indiana from 1867 to 1873.

Born on February 12, 1817 in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Baker studied law under Thaddeus Stevens, one of the leaders of the Radical Republicans in the 1860s. Baker became a lawyer and opened his own law firm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1839. In 1841, however, he relocated his practice to Evansville, Indiana, where he became involved in politics. He served a one-year term as an Indiana state representative in 1845 and served on a county court from 1852 to 1854. An opponent of slavery, Baker joined the Republican Party at its genesis in 1854 and maintained his law practice in Evansville.

During the Civil War, Baker was active in recruiting Indiana men to serve in the U.S. Army. He enlisted himself, serving as colonel of the 1st Indiana Cavalry Regiment. His assignments remained in the western theater of the war, particularly involving logistics. Baker served in the army for three years before resigning in 1864 when he was elected as the Lieutenant Governor of Indiana. Oliver Morton was elected as the Governor.

After the war, Baker continued his duties as lieutenant governor, serving as the acting governor for five months in 1865, while Morton recovered from a stroke. In 1866, Morton became a Senator, leaving Baker to serve as the Indiana Governor from 1867 to 1873. Some of Baker's administrative highlights were reforming the Indiana school system, including schools for Black children, assisting returning veterans, and ensuring Indiana ratified the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.

After his term as governor ended, Baker resumed work as a lawyer, entering the law firm Henricks, Hord, & Hendricks. Baker replaced Thomas A. Hendricks who was his successor as governor. The law firm continues today under the name Baker & Daniels LLP. Baker also remained active in local politics, particularly in the struggle for equal opportunities for Black families and the fight for women's suffrage.

Baker was married twice. His first wife was Matilda Escon (Sommers) Baker, who preceded him in death in 1855. The pair had four children. Baker's second wife was Charlotte Frances (Chute) Baker. The pair had three children. Of Conrad Baker's seven children, three sons and three daughters lived to adulthood. Baker died on April 28, 1885 in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana and was buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Evansville.

(Wikipedia; FindaGrave; "Indiana Governor Conrad Baker (1817-1885)," Indiana Historical Bureau)

Conrad Baker belonged to the following social groups: