In part two of this multipart arc of Unraveling Ezra, a sub-podcast of Practical Change for Midlife Lesbians, we continue our historical detour to follow the messy, fascinating life of Dr. Ezra Baker Jr. Before he ever got tangled in scandal or made his final landing in Philadelphia, he was a young man heading west with his extended family in search of cheap land and new opportunity.

We rewind to the early 1800s, when a newly independent nation was expanding fast, the Midwest was still the Northwest Territory, and capitalism was overtaking a fading mercantile economy. Ezra’s family—two households strong—packed up everything and moved to the frontier of Illinois. We explore what brought them there, who they traveled with (including a baby girl who would one day play a pivotal role in Ezra's life and legacy), and what he did once he arrived. And yes, I promise we’ll get to the Lincoln connection… just not quite yet.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Historic context of Ezra's dad's involvement in a young United States

• The Missouri Compromise and the politics shaping Ezra’s era

• Ezra Jr.’s role as a town-maker and mover and shaker

• A small baby named Kate who later becomes a key player in Ezra's story

• Why The Woodlands was right to keep me from messing with his grave

You can follow Ezra's known and less known story on this page (which I refer to but sometimes dispute): 🔗 https://www.minerd.com/bio-haupt_elisabethbaker.htm

🔗 A wee bit of info about Ezra Baker Sr: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra_Baker

🔗 Learn more about Dr. Dorsey S. Baker—the “famous Baker”—in this overview:   HistoryLink.org — “Baker Boyer Bank opens in Walla Walla on November 10, 1869”   ⠀⠀(covers his career from doctor and merchant to banker and railroad-builder)

https://www.historylink.org/File/8333

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