bakers closed his practice in 1841, and moved his family west to settle in evansville, indiana. he opened a new law office there, and took an interest in the city's civics. in 1845 he ran as the whig candidate for representative of vanderburgh county in the indiana house of representatives. he served one one-year term before returning to his practice. he was elected to serve on a county court in 1852 but resigned in 1854. his brother, william baker, had also become active in the local politics, and served four terms as major of evansville during the same time period.