Bibliography: Herringshaw, Thomas William. Herringshaw's Encyclopedia of American Biography of the Nineteenth Century, Chicago, IL:American Publishers' Association, 1902. page 68 BAKER, BENJAMIN W., soldier, minister, college president, was born Nov. 25, 1841, in Coles county, Ill. He has attained prominence as an eloquent methodist minister and as president of Chaddock college, Quincy, Ill. He served as a soldier for three years in the civil war.