Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm



JAMES EDWARD BAKER. � Although the distinction of being a 
native son of California does not belong to James E. Baker, who was born 
in West Virginia, April 21, 1874. he has been a resident of the Golden State 
since 1876, or for more than forty-three years. His father was Reuben Baker, 
a native of Pennsylvania, and the Baker family consisted of six children, 
James being the second youngest. When J. E. Baker was old enough he 
began working on farms in California. In 1898, he came to Los Angeles 
where his brother, R. C. Baker, had located the year before. His first ex- 
perience in the oil field dates from 1898, when he and his brother formed a 
partnership for contracting oil drilling, for the Rex Oil Company, which 
business they followed for eighteen months. Afterwards they leased lots 
and sunk wells, their undertaking proved so very successful that they con- 
tinued in the producing business in the Los Angeles field until 1900, when 
they sold their wells. 

J. E. Baker moved to Bakersfield where he contracted for drilling wells 
for the Mount Diablo Oil Company, in the Kern River field. He still retained 
his partnership with his brother, R. C. Baker, who went to Coalinga, where 
he engaged in contracting for drilling oil wells for Westlake & Rummel. 
Mr. Baker's next venture in the oil business was as a promoter of an oil 
company formed to prospect for oil at Springvalley, Uinta County. Wyo., 
where Mr. Baker went, and sunk not only a well, but. as is so frequently 
the case, his money too. Undaunted by his loss he returned to California, 
locating at Coalinga, where he followed contracting oil drilling for different 
oil companies. 

In 1902, with others, he leased forty acres on Section 23, and organized 
the Coalinga Western Oil Company. Here he drilled seven wells, later on 
they consolidated with the St. Paul Oil Company as the St. Paul Consoli- 
dated. During this time he also contracted to drill oil wells on Section 6, 
for the Pleasant Valley Farms Company, putting down three wells in about 
eighteen months time, and, fortunately for them, obtained a producing well 
in each case. Another undertaking was the leasing of eighty acres, now 
known as the Coalinga Petroleum Oil Company, where he drilled eight 
wells, 700 feet deep, and all proved to be producers. By his close observa- 
tion and his extensive experience in the various oil fields of the state, he has 
acquired a thorough knowledge of the oil business and in 1904 became super- 
intendent of the Coalinga Petroleum Oil Company. He is one of the original 
stockholders of this company and is also a director in both the Coalinga 
Petroleum and the St. Paul Consolidated Oil Companies. 

James E. Baker was united in marriage with Lillie M. Vestal, a native 
of Shasta County, Cal., the ceremony being solemnized at Redding, Cal. 
This happy union has been blessed with four children: Kern, Ardis, Dale 
and Helen. Mr. Baker is an enterprising citizen and has made a success in 
the oil business, an enterprise that demands energy, tact, quickness of de- 
cision and keen foresight and is numbered among the oldest oil men in the 
Coalinga district, being highly esteemed for his integrity and honesty of 
purpose.