Background
Baker, George Fisher was born on March 27, 1840 in Troy, New York, United States. Son of George E. Baker.
Financier private sector banker
Baker, George Fisher was born on March 27, 1840 in Troy, New York, United States. Son of George E. Baker.
Chairman board First National Bank of New York, January since 1909, (ex-president) First Security Company, president New York & Long Branch Railroad Сompany. Vice president Jersey City Water Supply Company. Director numerous companies.
Trustee Mutual Life Insurance Company, Consolidated Gas Company, and many other corporations.
In 1863, Baker, along with his mentor, John Thompson, and Thompson"s sons Frederick Ferris Thompson and Samuel C. Thompson, co-founded the First National Bank of the City of New New York The first national bank to be chartered in New York City under the National Currency Acting of 1863, it became a forerunner of today"s Citibank North.A.
At age 37, Baker became First National"s President on September 1, 1877. His 20,000 shares were worth about $20 million ($444,437,500 today).
He would become chairman of the board in 1909.
An avid investor, he held interests in many corporations and was the largest stockholder in the Central Railroad of New Jersey. In addition, he was a director in 22 corporations, which with their subsidiaries had aggregate resources of $7.27 billion.
Media depiction
The April 14, 1924, edition of Time Magazine said of Baker:
True, he is twice as rich as the original J. P. Morgan, having a fortune estimated at 200 millions. True, at the age of 84 when he has retired from many directorates, he dominates half a dozen railroads, several banks, scores of industrial concerns.
The March 26, 1934, Time magazine article called him
the richest, most powerful and most taciturn commercial banker in United States history
A 1934 article in Newsweek describes him as one of the most imposing figures in banking history.
In the November 1994 issue of Worth magazine, James Grant, editor of a financial newsletter, calls Baker a hidebound turn-of-the-century banker who always got his loans repaid. Baker provided much of the initial funding for Harvard Business School with a 1924 grant of $5 million, for which Harvard gave him an honorary doctorate and named the library after him. He made other large donations to charitable causes throughout New York City and funded the construction of Baker Field, Columbia University"s primary athletic facility.
He provided $2 million for Baker Memorial Library at Dartmouth College.
Built by LeBaron, the car"s roof line was 5 inches taller than standard models so Baker could keep his top hat on. Trim lining in the rear compartment is made of 24-carat gold, as are perfume dispensers and an intercom.
The car was rediscovered in 1978 in a barn in Ohio alongside a Rolls Royce Boat Tail Speedster formerly owned by Fred Astaire. lieutenant is now part of the White Glove Collection in Louisiana Crosse, Wisconsin.
Member of Executive Committee New York Chamber of Commerce. Member Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Fine Arts Society, North.E. Society, et cetera Presented Regault’s famous painting “Salome,” to Metropolitan Museum Art, 1916.
Married Florence Tucker Baker (deceased).