Finding aid for the Newton D. Baker Letters

Biography of Newton D. Baker

Newton Diehl Baker (1871-1937), was born on December 3, 1871, in Martinsburg, West Virginia, the second of four sons of Newton Diehl and Mary Ann (Dukehart) Baker. Baker entered Johns Hopkins University in 1888 and graduated from there in 1892. That same year, Baker went to Washington and Lee University where he obtained a law degree in 1894. From 1894 to 1896 Baker practiced law in Martinsburg. In 1896 he was summoned to Washington to serve as secretary to William L. Wilson, Postmaster-General in Cleveland's cabinet. When the Democrats left office the next year Baker went to Europe for a brief vacation. On his return voyage he met Martin A. Foran who invited him to practice law with his firm in Cleveland.

Baker accepted his offer and became a law clerk in Foran's firm until 1901 when he took the post as the assistant director of the city's law department. He became the city solicitor, a post he held until 1911. He was married to Elizabeth Leopold (ca. 1873-1951) in 1902. In 1911 he ran successfully for mayor and held that post until January I., 1916. After leaving office Baker had intended to practice law privately but his plans were altered on March 6, 1916, when President Wilson called him to Washington to be his Secretary of War. Baker served in this capacity until the end of Wilson's term. In 1921, Baker returned to practice law in Cleveland with his firm of Baker, Hostetler, Sidlo and Patterson. Baker died on December 25, 1937, and was survived by his wife and three children, Elizabeth B., Newton Diehl III, and Margaret B. Baker.

Scope and Content

The Newton D. Baker Letters, 1891-1937, consist of letters and typescript copies of letters from Newton D. Baker to his relatives and political associates, including 211 letters to his wife Elizabeth Baker (1902-1937), 44 letters to his brother, Frank Baker, and sister-in-law, Harriet Baker (1915-1936), three bound volumes of typescript copies of letters to his children, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Newton III (1918-1937), and 32 letters from notable political figures.

This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of Cleveland, Ohio, and the life and career of Newton Diehl Baker. The collection mainly consists of a series of 211 letters from Baker to his wife, Elizabeth L. Baker; 44 letters from Baker to his brother, Frank H. Baker and his wife, Harriet Lamon Baker; and typescript copies of Baker's letters to his children. Also included are 32 items of correspondence with notable political figures. Although these letters are largely personal in nature, they do contain Baker's comments on his political and business activities, particularly while he was a public official for the City of Cleveland and Secretary of War. They also contain references to people (Tom L. Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, etc.) with whom he came in contact and events, such as World War I, which which he was involved. Subjects referred to include the League of Nations, woman suffrage, Prohibition, the New Deal, presidential elections, and in general, most of the major political issues of Baker's time.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

None.

The researcher should also consult MS 3845 Newton D. Baker Papers; MS 3867 Newton D. Baker Papers, Series II; and MS 4564 Newton D. Baker Papers, Series III.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 3491 Newton D. Baker Letters, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gift of Hazel P. Hostetler in 1970.

Detailed Description of The Collection