| 1799 March 23 |
Born in Mason County, Kentucky. His father was Joshua Baker and his mother was Susan Lewis. |
| 1803 | The family moves to Mississippi Territory. |
| 1811 | The family moves to Oaklawn Plantation in St. Mary Parish in Orleans Territory. |
| 1817 October 25 |
Appointed to West Point. |
| 1819 July 1 |
Commissioned 2nd Lt. U.S. Army and later briefly becomes a Professor of Engineering. |
| 1821 | Moves to Litchfield Connecticut to study law |
| 1822 | Passes bar in Mason County, Kentucky. Returns to Louisiana to practice law at the Opelousas office of John Bronson 1822-1829 and 1832-1838. |
| 1825 March |
Marries Fanny Assherton in Opelousas. They will have three children before she dies August 17, 1831. |
| 1826-1829 | Colonel in the Louisiana State Militia. |
| 1827 | Engineering work in Plaquemines Parish until 1829. |
| 1829 | Judge in St. Mary Parish, Judge of Probate until 1839. |
| 1832 December |
Marries Catherine Patton from Fairfax, Virginia. They will have two children. |
| 1833 | Assistant State Engineer, State of Louisiana until 1838. |
| 1840 | Director of Public Works, State of Louisiana until 1845. |
| 1846 | Captain of Cavalry, Louisiana State Militia until 1851. |
| 1853 |
Board of Visitors United States Military Academy until 1861.
Owns three sugar plantations: Black Bayou, Terrebonne Parish; Grand River, St. Martin Parish; Fairfax Plantation, St. Mary Parish (1831-1861) Invests in steamboat properties. |
| 1861 | Retires to Franklin, Louisiana. He is a Conservative Democrat who opposes secession and will collaborate with the Union Army of Occupation. |
| 1868 January 8 |
Takes Oath of Loyalty to the Union. Appointed Military Governor by General Winfield Scott Hancock upon the resignation of Flanders. Supports the lenient reconstruction plan of Andrew Johnson. His administration has little influence on the course of the Louisiana government. |
| 1868 March 10 |
Arrested and brought before a commissioner charged with perjury for claiming not to build a barricade across Bayou Teche. |
| 1868 | General Hancock removes 9 New Orleans City Councilmen. President U. S. Grant reverses this order and Hancock asks to be reassigned. |
| 1885 | Dies at the house of his daughter in Lynne, Connecticut. |