Raymond T. Baker

Raymond T. Baker
Raymond T. Baker and Anthony de Francisci inspecting model of new silver dollar.

Raymond Thomas Baker (1877–1935) was a rich United States businessman who was Director of the United States Mint from 1917 to 1922.

Biography

Raymond T. Baker was born in Eureka, Nevada in 1877, the son of George Washington Baker, the lead counsel of the Southern Pacific Railroad, and Mary Agnes (Hall) Baker.[1] He was educated at the University of Nevada, Reno, then at Stanford University.[2]

After college, Baker became involved in gold mining, being one of the first investors active in Rawhide, Nevada.[2] He became a rich man when he sold his claims.[2] He then moved east and had a brief romantic relationship with Elinor Glyn.[2] Baker had a longtime interest in prison reform and in 1911, with his brother, Cleve Baker, serving as Nevada Attorney General, Raymond T. Baker became warden of the Nevada State Prison, a position he held from February 1, 1911 to May 10, 1912.[3] In 1915, Baker traveled to Russia to become confidential secretary to United States Ambassador to Russia George T. Marye, Jr.[3]

In 1917, President of the United States Woodrow Wilson named Baker Director of the United States Mint and Baker subsequently held this office from March 1917 until March 1922.[4]

On June 12, 1918, he married Margaret (Emerson) Vanderbilt, widow of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt I, who had died when the RMS Lusitania was sunk.[2]

During the 1926 Senate elections, Baker sought election as United States Senator from Nevada on the Democratic ticket, but was defeated by the Republican incumbent, Tasker Oddie.[5]

After a decade of marriage, Baker and his wife divorced.[6] On December 4, 1928, he married a second time, to Delphine (Dodge) Cromwell, daughter of Horace Elgin Dodge and ex-wife of James H. R. Cromwell.[1]

Baker died on April 28, 1935, approximately three months after suffering a heart attack.[7]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Raymond T. Baker.
  1. 1 2 Political Graveyard
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Political Notes: High Adventure", Time, Apr. 5, 1926
  3. 1 2 "Mrs. A.G. Vanderbilt to Wed R.T. Baker", New York Times, May 31, 1918
  4. ↑ List of Directors of the United States Mint
  5. ↑ "Famous Nevadans"
  6. ↑ vintagememorabilia.com
  7. ↑ Political Graveyard, vintagememorabilia.com
Government offices
Preceded by
Friedrich Johannes Hugo von Engelken		 Director of the United States Mint
March 1917 – March 1922 		Succeeded by
Frank Edgar Scobey
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