George W. C. Baker
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Earle D. Baker
, Los Angeles City Council member, 1951–59.
George Washington Conrad Baker (1872–1953), known as George W.C. Baker, was a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council from 1931 to 1935.
| |}>
and "was instrumental in developing the oil industry in Central California
counties."
Baker was married in 1872 in Philadelphia to Carrie L. Moulton; they divorced in 1918. Baker next married Lura Cassingham in 1921 in San Jose, California. Baker had three sons, Conrad, Addison and Edwin L., and a daughter, Mrs. William N. Luther.
He moved to Los Angeles in 1923 and, with others, did civic work in developing East Los Angeles
with parks, roads, drainage systems and playgrounds. Baker was a member of the City Club, Native Sons of the Golden West
, Kiwanis
and Masons. He was a Protestant and termed himself a Progressive Republican. He was connected with the Arcadia-Baker-Bandini Estates.
Baker died at the age of 83 on April 13, 1953, in his home, 428 Rosemont Boulevard, San Gabriel. He was buried in Rosehill Cemetery
.
Baker was elected to the 9th District
seat in 1931 over the incumbent, Winfred J. Sanborn
. In that era, the boundaries were Alhambra Avenue on the north, the Vernon
city line on the south, Hill Street on the west and Indiana Street on the east, with the Los Angeles River bisecting the district. He was reelected in 1933 but lost the 1935 election to Parley Parker Christensen. Baker ran again in 1939 but failed to be nominated.
groups." As part of the squabble, Baker also "hurled defiance" at the Rev. Robert P. Shuler
, whom he called "that loud-mouthed radio preacher down on Flower Street.
1932 Baker introduced a resolution asking for an ordinance to require inspection and certification of raw-milk dairies, a move opposed by Council Member Evan Lewis
, who asserted it was a scheme to raise the price of milk.
1934 He urged that the City of Los Angeles
withdraw from Los Angeles County and form a county
of its own.
Earle D. Baker
Not to be confused with George W. C. Baker, Los Angeles City Council member, 1931–35.Earle D. Baker was a prominent Hollywood food broker who was a member of the Los Angeles City Board of Education from 1949 to 1951 and of the Los Angeles City Council from 1951 until 1959.-Biography:Baker was born...
, Los Angeles City Council member, 1951–59.
George Washington Conrad Baker (1872–1953), known as George W.C. Baker, was a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council from 1931 to 1935.
Biography
Baker was born on September 28, 1872, in San Francisco, California, the son of Conrad Baker of Philadelphia and Angelia Ingargiola of New Orleans. He had three siblings, Dollie E., Andrew Jr. and Cora. Baker attended Lincoln Grammar and Hayes Valley Grammar schools in San Francisco and graduated from Commercial High School in that city; he then did four years of legal study with the firm of Frank and Eisner, also in San Francisco. He was president of the Roadamite Paving Company and spent some years in engineering and construction. He lived briefly in San JoseSan Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
and "was instrumental in developing the oil industry in Central California
Central California
Central California, sometimes referenced as Mid-State, is an area of California south of the San Francisco Bay Area and north of Southern California...
counties."
Baker was married in 1872 in Philadelphia to Carrie L. Moulton; they divorced in 1918. Baker next married Lura Cassingham in 1921 in San Jose, California. Baker had three sons, Conrad, Addison and Edwin L., and a daughter, Mrs. William N. Luther.
He moved to Los Angeles in 1923 and, with others, did civic work in developing East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles (region)
East Los Angeles is the portion of the City of Los Angeles that lies east of Downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles River and the unincorporated areas of Lincoln Heights, west of the San Gabriel Valley, East Los Angeles and City Terrace, south of Cypress Park, and north of Vernon, California and...
with parks, roads, drainage systems and playgrounds. Baker was a member of the City Club, Native Sons of the Golden West
Native Sons of the Golden West
-History:The Native Sons of the Golden West was founded July 11, 1875 by General A. M. Winn, a Virginian, as a lasting monument to the men and women of the Gold Rush Days...
, Kiwanis
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations...
and Masons. He was a Protestant and termed himself a Progressive Republican. He was connected with the Arcadia-Baker-Bandini Estates.
Baker died at the age of 83 on April 13, 1953, in his home, 428 Rosemont Boulevard, San Gabriel. He was buried in Rosehill Cemetery
Rose Hills Memorial Park
Rose Hills Memorial Park is the largest cemetery in the United States and is located in Whittier, California. It is owned and operated by Service Corporation International .-Mausoleums and Chapels:...
.
Elections
See also List of Los Angeles Municipal election returns, 1931–35, 1939Baker was elected to the 9th District
Los Angeles City Council District 9
Los Angeles City Council District 9 is one of the 15 districts of the Los Angeles City Council. The Ninth District encompasses the western section of Downtown Los Angeles and much of South Los Angeles. The current council member is Jan Perry....
seat in 1931 over the incumbent, Winfred J. Sanborn
Winfred J. Sanborn
Winfred Joseph Sanborn. known as Winfred J. Sanborn, was on the Los Angeles City Council under an at-large election system from 1919 until a new city charter was adopted in 1925, when representation was changed to a fifteen-district system. Sanborn served the new Ninth District from 1925 until...
. In that era, the boundaries were Alhambra Avenue on the north, the Vernon
Vernon, California
Vernon is a city five miles south of downtown Los Angeles, California. The population was 112 at the 2010 United States Census, the smallest of any incorporated city in the state....
city line on the south, Hill Street on the west and Indiana Street on the east, with the Los Angeles River bisecting the district. He was reelected in 1933 but lost the 1935 election to Parley Parker Christensen. Baker ran again in 1939 but failed to be nominated.
Controversies
1931 Baker was in the forefront of an attempt to rid the City Hall of what were called "snoopers" — employees of both the city prosecutor's and the mayor's offices, who were authorized to make investigations on those officials' behalf. The functions of the employees overlapped those of the police department, it was said. His particular targets were the Rev. Martin Luther Thomas, chief investigator for t he prosecutor, and W.J. Mosher, the mayor's confidential secretary, whom he called "pussy-footers" valueless to the city. Thomas replied: "Mr. Baker is either wilfully ignorant of the activities and duties of the investigating department of the City Prosecutor's office, or else has deliberately allowed himself to be made the mouthpiece of designing politicians and underworldUnderworld
The Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
groups." As part of the squabble, Baker also "hurled defiance" at the Rev. Robert P. Shuler
Robert P. Shuler
Robert Pierce "Fighting Bob" Shuler, Sr. , was an American evangelist and political figure. His radio broadcasts from his Southern Methodist church in Los Angeles, California, during the 1920s and early 1930s attracted a large audience and also drew controversy with his attacks on politicians,...
, whom he called "that loud-mouthed radio preacher down on Flower Street.
1932 Baker introduced a resolution asking for an ordinance to require inspection and certification of raw-milk dairies, a move opposed by Council Member Evan Lewis
Evan Lewis (politician)
Evan Lewis was a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council between 1925 and 1941.-Biography:Lewis was born in Wales on July 2, 1869, and was taken to Iowa when young. He became a U.S. citizen in 1890, two years after moving to California. He was at various times a deputy sheriff, a...
, who asserted it was a scheme to raise the price of milk.
1934 He urged that the City of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
withdraw from Los Angeles County and form a county
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
of its own.