The Ulrich/Baker Ancestral Lines

“Mr. Eli Baker, an enterprising gentleman, has come to our city and takes a prominent step on the march of progress.” Sioux City Daily Times, May 14, 1870

      Eli Hostetler WAS a hotelier.  An innovator, a risk-taker, taking his shot at being a Hotel Builder and Owner.  This is what our family verbal history has told us, yet when looking for actual information or ‘proof’ of this, it was few and far between.  Based on the 1870 Iowa Census, he was a ‘keeping hotel’, which could mean that he worked in a hotel.  In our present day understanding of Baker’s – within a Mennonite culture –  well, it seemed more appropriate that he was a worker IN a hotel, rather than someone so daring, with such lofty dreams to be a Hotel Proprietor.  We would expect more practical dreams.  Yet, Stanley Kropf researched news articles from Sioux City, Iowa and found the real story.

“A New Hotel.- Mr. Eli Baker, an enterprising gentleman from Lake Country, Illinois; has come to our city and takes a prominent step on the march of progress.  He has put up an elegant and capacious building, which he proposes to style the “International Hotel” on Douglas street near the corner of Fifth.  It is a substantial two-story frame edifice, 24 feet front by 65 feet deep, with a neat-office, a dining room 18×25 feet, cooking rooms, store rooms, larder, and sleeping accomadations for 56 guests.  The house is undergoing the finishing touches and presents a good appearance.  The furniture is entirely new and comfortable.  We shall be sadly surprised if a gentleman of Mr. Baker’s business tact and calibre will not make the “International” a credit to Sioux City.”  -Sioux City Daily Times, Saturday, May 14, 1870.

In spite of the glowing prospects of the future, Eli and his wife Lenora (Ellen) were experiencing tragedy due to illnesses that were rampant in these years.  In the years of building and opening the International Hotel, Emily died at the age of 15, in 1869, with what is listed as “Congestion of the Lungs” (Death Certificate). Her younger brother – George William – died the next year, in 1870, likely of the same ailment, a type of tuberculosis.  

In spite of these family tragedies on the Western frontier, there was also exciting news. While the finishing touches were being done on the hotel in 1870, his son Eli Freidrich Baker was born.  (Eli would grow up to be afflicted with Scarlett Fever and loose his hearing at 8yrs old.) Months later the following news article reported on the next tragedy to hit the Baker family. 

“Destructive Fire.- At midnight last night, as the last lines of manuscript were in the printers’ hands in the TIMES office, the dreadful cries of “Fire! Fire!” were heard along the streets.  Going four sanctum window, we discovered the International Hotel to be on fire, the flames bursting out in several places on the roof.  Rushing up Douglas street to the corner of Fifth, the agonizing cries of women, as thy rushed down the stairs with babies in their arms.  One moment more, and all had escaped.  Several men set to save the furniture on the lower floor, and through they efforts much property was saved.  Fifteen minutes after the first alarm was given the building was in flames.  About this time Hood and Ladder could do nothing to save the building and consequently set to work tearing the burning structure and save Forbes’ livery stable, which stood along side.  Fortunately, the wind blew from the northwest, turning the flame from the stable, and across a vacant street.  If it had blown in an opposite direction, nothing could save the stable.  The damage was confined to the International Hotel, which burned down in twenty minutes, and as we write, nothing remains of the building but charcoal and ashes.  The building was the property of Eli Baker.  There were sixteen boarders in the house, and the loss is between $4,000 to $5,000 ; Insurance, $2,500.” – Sioux City Daily Times, Thursday, March 9, 1871.

The Forbes livery stable is listed in the 1870 Iowa Census, on the very same page, meaning the Forbes and Bakers were neighbors.  Andrew Forbes’ real estate value was listed as $15,000, with a personal estate of $6,000.  Eli Baker’s values were listed as $6,000 / $3,000 respectively.    The hotel’s destruction would have cost Eli Baker all his estate.   This is noted in a news article the following month: 

“Two teams of oxen, the property of Eli Baker, late proprietor of the International Hotel were seized yesterday by Sheriff Kingsnorth to secure a bill of $100 to Doctor Vanderhule, alleged to be due to him by Baker. Eli’s oxen were restored to him by writ of replevin last evening, and Judge Pendleton for Baker, will question the justice and validity of the bill in court.”  -Sioux City Daily Times, Thursday, April 20, 1871.

By 1880, the Iowa Census lists Eli Baker as a “Cooper”, a maker of wooden barrels.  His real estate value listed at $1,000 / with $300 personal value.

Still researching: Eli F. Baker, the youngest child of Eli and Ellen, was one of the first students in the “Oregon School of the Deaf and Dumb”, meaning Deaf and Mute.  It is unknown how this was paid for since it appears Eli & Ellen lived humbly after the Sioux City Fire.