MARCUS BAKER. 
281 
The collection and reduction of terrestrial magnetic obser¬ 
vations taken from 1740 to 1880 was almost wholly his 
work, and from this manuscript (still unpublished in 1904) 
Mr. C. A. Schott derived nearly all of the data for Alaska 
which he utilized in his important series of papers on the 
variation in the amount of declination of the magnetic 
needle during long periods of years. 
On his first return from the Pacific coast Mr. Baker mar¬ 
ried, at Climax, Kansas, Sarah Elizabeth Eldred, December 
13, 1874. This lady had been a collegemate of her husband 
at Kalamazoo, and her good judgment, practical sense, and 
affectionate care throughout their married life demonstrated 
the wisdom of his choice. 
After the return of the party in 1880 and the completion 
of the computations of field work there was less to be done 
in connection with Alaskan matters. The Coast Survey 
decided to establish a station for self-registering magnetic 
instruments at Los Angeles, California. His interest in and 
grasp of magnetic problems had been appreciated by Schott 
and others, and Mr. Baker was placed in charge of the 
station, leaving Washington for Los Angeles July 26, 1882. 
Here he remained two years, and the work done proved 
eminently satisfactory to the authorities of the Survey. 
While in Los Angeles Mr. Baker, moved by appreciative 
memories, interested a number of residents and succeeded 
in causing the organization of an Historical Society for 
Southern California, on the same lines as the Philosophical 
Society of Washington, and served as its secretary during 
the remainder of his residence on the Pacific Coast. This 
society has lived and is still active, having published 
several useful volumes of its proceedings. 
August 1,1884, Mr. Baker was recalled to Washington, and 
shortly afterward was, at his own request, transferred to the 
United States Geological Survey, then under the direction of 
the late Major J. W. Powell. Here his activities were chiefly 
concerned with the topographic and other charts and maps 
issued by the Survey. He was appointed one of the Board 
