Fred L. Baker

Fred L. Baker (1872–1927) was an industrialist, business owner, shipbuilder, president of the Automobile Club of Southern California and member of the Los Angeles City Council. One of his ships caught fire and sank on its maiden voyage between Los Angeles and Honolulu.

Baker was born in 1865 in Lansing, Michigan, the son of Milo Stannard Baker, and in 1875 was brought to Los Angeles with the family when he was nine years old. He had a younger brother, Milo A., and a sister, Belle.

Baker's wife was Lillian T. Baker, and they had a son, Lawrence T. Baker, and two daughters, Mrs. Guy C. Boynton and Mrs. Fulton Lane. A 1913 article listed Walter J. Wallace, president of the Sierra Vista Ranch Company, as Fred L. Baker's son-in-law.

Baker was a member of the California Club, the Los Angeles Country Club, the Los Angeles Athletic Club, Midwick, California Yacht Club and the Uplifters.

After an illness of some fifteen months, Baker died on January 9, 1927, in his suite at the Gaylord Apartments, 3355 Wilshire Boulevard, the diagnosis being heart disease. Cremation was at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

In July 1896 Baker was a member of a committee to plan the reorganization of the city government. And four days after the start of the Spanish–American War, he sent a telegram on behalf of the Merchants and Manufacturers Association to California Senator Stephen M. White stating:

Whereas, the city of Los Angeles is totally without any defenses and absolutely at the mercy of invading forces no matter how small in number[,] Resolved that the Secretary of War be strongly urged to garrison Los Angeles with a battery of rapid-firing guns.

Baker, a Republican, was elected to represent the 2nd Ward on the Los Angeles City Council in December 1896 and was re-elected in 1898, for four years altogether.

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