In part 3 of this arc of Unraveling Ezra, a sub-podcast of Practical Change for Midlife Lesbians, Ezra Baker Jr. rose from Illinois banking commissioner to river-trade entrepreneur, catching the eye of Abraham Lincoln along the way. But ambition and risk brought financial ruin, desperate appeals to his son Dorsey, and partnerships with figures like Ephraim Bishop. This episode traces his bold schemes, costly missteps, and the clever escape that kept him in the game.

References & Sources:

• 1835: Ezra appointed commissioner of the Bank of Illinois – Papers of Abraham Lincoln

• 1837: Lincoln mentions Ezra from the floor of the Illinois legislature – Gutenberg

• 1842: Dorsey Syng Baker moves goods for his father at age 19 – Forty Years a Pioneer, HathiTrust

• 1855: Announcement of Ezra's land auction – Mount Carmel Register, Newspapers.com

• Ephraim B. Bishop's papers, Yale Archives – Yale Library Special Collections

• 1859: Ezra asks Dorsey for financial help – Forty Years a Pioneer, HathiTrust

• Narrative from the Haupt family – Minerd.com

• 1861: Ezra appointed Indian Agent, Washington Territory – National Archives, Bureau of Indian Affairs

This is a production of Practical Change for Midlife Lesbians/Practical Change Coaching. Learn more about Practical Change Coaching at www.practicalchangecoaching.com.