Martin Edward baker was born on November 24, 1912 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. His parents were Peter Edward Baker (1883-1944) and Estelle Porter Baker (1881-1990).
The 1920 United States census dated January 13, 1920 shows Baker and his family living at 2223 Washington Avenue, Bedford, Indiana. His father is a superintendent in the stone cutting industry.
The 1924 Tulsa City Directory shows Baker and his family living at 1106 Quaker Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma. His father is a laborer at Consolidated Cut Stone Company.
The 1926 and 1928 Tulsa City Directories carries the same address, 1106 Quaker Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma. His father is superintendent at Consolidated Cut Stone Company.
The 1930 United States Census taken in April of that year shows the same information as 1926 and 1928. The 1930 Tulsa City Directory indicates the address is an apartment (Apt 1-2). Martin Baker is 17 years old. His father is still working as superintendent at Consolidated Cut Stone Company.
Baker attended Cascia Hall Preparatory School. He was the recipient of the Cascia Medal in 1930.
The 1933 Tulsa City Directory lists Martin E. Baker as a student with a room at 1105 South Quaker Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The 1934 Tulsa City Directory lists Martin E. Baker working on the editorial staff at the Tulsa Daily World. His address is unchanged from 1933. Lester Dent had previously worked at the Tulsa Daily World before leaving for New York in December 1931.
May 26, 1934 – Former Tulsa World Employees Doing Well At Jobs In New York. Martin Baker is mentioned in the article for his work writing book reviews and short stories. Source: Sooner State Press, Saturday, May 26, 1934
In addition to working as secretary for Lester Dent, Baker also worked on Dent’s new toy, the schooner Albatross. An article from the October 25, 1934 issue of The News Journal mentioned Baker and others aboard the Albatross with a heading titled Rescued Trio Reveal Their Identity; One is Yacht Racer. Captain W. C. Toulson of the fishing schooner B. F. Macomber, picked up a disabled craft Albatross off the Delaware Capes and towed it into the Delaware Breakwaters. The men were Captain Charles Rentz, Martin Baker of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Michael Weber of New York. The Albatross left New York on Monday for Miami, Florida. A breakdown in the engine exhaust stranded them off the Delaware Capes Tuesday morning. The article notes that Captain Rentz won third place in the class B race from New London to Bermuda earlier this year. It also notes that the ship is owned by Lester Dent of New York. A shorter version of the article appeared in the next day’s edition.
The marine trio had actually first been mentioned in the October 24, 1934 issue of The News Journal. The article stated that the men did not identify themselves nor their point of origin. The article stated that the men were drifting out to sea and had given up hope of rescue. Captain Toulson stated that the men were suffering from exposure and first aid was rendered on them before he towed the boat into the harbor. The only identifying mark were the custom house numbers K-9420 on the vessel’s stern.
The B. F. Macomber appears to have been a kindly vessel as it had earlier rescued the Romafar which was foundering as reported in the July 28, 1935 issue of the Hartford Courant. Ironically, the B. F. Macomber sank in 1946 after a collision with another ship.
Baker appeared in the news again in an article dated November 13, 1934 in the Pensacola News Journal in an article titled Owner Searching for Missing Yacht. The article states the ship has been missing for nine days. The last reported sighting was in Baltimore, Maryland. Lester Dent was waiting to meet the boat in Hampton Roads, Virginia but it never appeared. The Coast Guard is now searching for the 40-foot craft.
Lester and Norma Dent arrived in Hartford on Tuesday. Martin Baker is also along. They plan to spend three weeks. (Hartford Courant, Sunday, January 13, 1935):
In Will Murray’s article The Mystery of The Majii (The Bronze Gazette, March 2002), Norma Dent recalled that Baker attempted to write one of the Doc Savage stories but could not complete it. He left Dent’s employ soon after.
The 1940 United States Census indicated that Baker was living at the same residence in 1935 as listed in 1940.
The 1940 United States Census lists Martin Baker living in Tulsa, Oklahoma at 1216 ½ East 5th Street. Martin Baker indicated he had completed two years of college. He is listed as manager in a Cooler Packing Plant and making $1,800 annually.
Martin Baker registered for the draft on October 16, 1940. He lists his birth place as Bedford, Indiana rather than Canada as is shown on both the 1920 and 1939 US Census pages. His employer is the Armour Company. He lists his mother, Stella Baker, as next of kin. His year of birth is listed as 1914 rather than the 1912 reported on the US Census data.
Martin Edward Baker died on October 22, 1968 in Inglewood, California.