Background
Marcus Baker was born on September 23, 1849, the son of John and Chastina (Fobes) Baker, was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Marcus Baker was born on September 23, 1849, the son of John and Chastina (Fobes) Baker, was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
He was educated in the common schools, in Kalamazoo College, and the University of Michigan, graduating from the latter in 1870.
He taught mathematics at Albion College, 1870-71, and was instructor in mathematics at the University of Michigan, 1871-73.
His first conspicuous work was with Dr. W. H. Dall in a survey of little known and difficult Alaskan waters in 1873. He aided in preparing the Coast Pilot of Alaska and the bibliography of Alaskan geography. In Los Angeles in 1882 he conducted a magnetic observatory. Beginning with 1886 he was for many years a member of the United States Geological Survey and he contributed much to that creative and fruitful period of the Survey's history. He directed the topographic work of the north-eastern division and thus had much to do with the mapping of southern New England and other regions. For a time he was the editor of topographic maps for the Survey. He contributed to American geography constantly and largely as a member of the Board of Geographic Names, serving much of the time as secretary and editor.
In addition to many problems of research in the Survey he prepared for the United States Government an elaborate report on the Venezuelan boundary question and was for a long time employed by Venezuela as an expert in that case. As a member of the Geological Survey he prepared "A Geographic Dictionary of Alaska" (Survey Bulletin No. 187, 1902).
He had an influential place in scientific societies, notably as a founder and manager, until his death, of the National Geographic Society, and as secretary, editor, and president of the Philosophical Society of Washington. Near the end of his life he became assistant secretary of the Carnegie Institution.
He was married in 1874 to Sarah Eldred, who died in 1897. In 1899 he was married to Marion Una Strong, who, with two children, survived him.