Howard Baker

Birth Name: Howard Henry Baker, Jr.

Date of Birth: November 15, 1925

Place of Death: Huntsville, Tennessee, U.S.

Date of Death: June 26, 2014

Place of Death: Huntsville, Tennessee, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish

Howard Baker was an American politician and diplomat. A Republican, he served as a U.S. Senator from Tennessee, from January 3, 1967 to January 3, 1985, Senate Minority Leader, from January 3, 1977 to November 1, 1979, and again from March 5, 1980 to January 3, 1981, Senate Majority Leader, from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1985, White House Chief of Staff, from February 27, 1987 to July 3, 1988, and U.S. Ambassador to Japan, from July 5, 2001 to February 17, 2005.

He was a candidate for the Republican Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 1980.

Howard was the son of Dora Ann (Ladd) and Howard Baker, Sr., a politician, who was a Republican Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee, from 1951 to 1964.

Howard was married to Joy Dirksen, until her death, and then to politician, U.S. Senator from Kansas, Nancy Kassebaum, until his death. Howard had two children with Joy. Joy was the daughter of U.S. Senator and Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen. Nancy Kassebaum was the daughter of Governor of Kansas and Republican Presidential nominee Alf Landon.

Howard’s paternal grandfather was James Francis Baker (the son of George Washington Baker and Jane Irwin). James was born in Tennessee. Jane was the daughter of George Irwin and Lucy Miller.

Howard’s paternal grandmother was named Helen Blanche Keen. Helen was born in Kentucky.

Howard’s maternal grandparents were born in Tennessee.

Sources: Genealogy of Howard Baker (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Howard Baker on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org