Myla BAKER
(Elmira Myla BAKER)
17 Sep 1872 - 29 Mar 1950
I had no idea who Myla BAKER was until a couple of members of the BAKER family emailed me after finding or being told about Myla BAKER's Passport web page. Tidbits from BAKER family members included:
- Myla never married nor did she ever have children.
- T. B. BAKER was Myla BAKER's brother, Theodore Brasher BAKER.
- Ear BAKER was a nephew of T. B. BAKER and Myla BAKER.
- These three BAKERs were in the hotel business in Texas.
- There was an extended family litigation in the 1940s about the ownership of the hotels which ended up Texas Supreme Court.
- Earl BAKER gained control of the Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells and the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio.
- T. B. BAKER and Myla BAKER kept and operated the St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio and the Baker Hotel in Dallas.
At one point, I looked for more information about these Bakers, but could not find much. In 2008, with more online resources, I started researching them again. Below is the information I found.
Myla BAKER's full name was probably Elmira Myla BAKER, but the 1896 Kansas Census was the last time that that name was used. (Source: Census Records)
Her parents were William A. BAKER and Luranah GRAYSON.
Myla BAKER was born in Washington, Washington County, Iowa, USA. (Sources: 1928 U.S. Passport and Texas Death Certificate)
Myla BAKER was probably born on 17 Sep 1872, although there is a good bit of inconsistencies in the historical records. (Sources: Census Records, 1928 U.S. Passport, Texas Death Certificate and Grave Marker)
From as early as 12 Nov 1916 to as late as 20 Apr 1932 Myla BAKER was frequently mentioned in the San Antonio newspapers' Society pages.
On 14 Apr 1918, it was announced that Myla BAKER had bought a vacant corner lot in San Antonio for $125,000 cash. Was this the start of the San Antonio Baker Hotel Corporation? (Source: Business pages)
Besides Washington, Washington County, Myla BAKER lived in:
- Delhi, Osborne County, Kansas, USA (Source: 1880 U.S. Federal Census)
- Cawker, Mitchell County, Kansas, USA (Source: 1885 Kansas State Census)
- Beloit, Mitchell County, Kansas, USA (Source: 1895 Kansas State Census)
- Eureka, Greenwood County, Kansas, USA (Sources: 1900 U.S. Federal Census and 1905 Kansas State Census)
- The Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, USA (1928 U.S. Passport)
- The Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas, USA 1950) (Sources: Census Records, 1928 U.S. Passport and Texas Death Certificate)
According to her
1928 U.S. Passport, Myla BAKER
traveled to England, Netherlands, Czechoslovakia,
Austria,
Hungary, Switzerland,
Italy and France between 13 Jul 1929
and 14 Sep 1929.
According to this New York Passenger List, Myla BAKER was in New York, New York, on 23 Sep 1929.
From as early as 4 Mar 1943 to 24 Mar 1948, Myla BAKER was involved in various lawsuits with her nephew, Earl Maynard BAKER. (Source: Texas Courts)
Prior to her death, Myla BAKER was living in the Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas, USA. (Source: Texas Death Certificate)
Myla
BAKER died on 29 Mar 1950 in the Nazareth Hospital in Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto
County, Texas, USA. (Source: Texas Death
Certificate)
She was buried on 31 Mar 1950 in Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Scott, Bourbon
County, Kansas, USA. (Source: Myla BAKER's grave
marker)
Please Note: I am not related to the Baker family. I simply bought Myla BAKER's passport in an antique store then created a web page about it.
Last updated: January 02, 2010
