Elijah Baker

Elijah Baker (1742 - November 06, 1798) was an American Baptist minister who preached in Virginia and Maryland. He is known to have preached in Henrico, James City, Charles City, and York Counties before traveling Gloucester County and ultimately founding numerous churches on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Maryland. Elijah Baker's conversion and ordination is credited to Rev. Shubal Stearns of Sandy Creek Baptist Church in Sandy Creek, North Carolina. Baker is credited with planting the following churches: James City Baptist Church, 1773 Charles City Baptist Church, 1776 Grafton Baptist Church, 1777 Lower Northampton Baptist Church, 1778 Mesongoes Baptist Church, 1779 Hungo's Baptist Church, 1783 Matompkin Baptist Church, 1785 Chincoteague Baptist Church, 1786 Seacock Baptist Church, 1787 Portsmouth Baptist Church, 1789 Pungoteague Baptist Church, 1790 Machipongo Baptist Church Boars Swamp Baptist Church Four Mile Baptist Church

Baker was jailed for preaching for 56 days in Accomack County in 1778, one of the last ministers to be jailed in Virginia for opposing the state-sponsored Anglican church.