Baker, Newton D.

N ewton Baker had a hard time making a living practicing law in his native Martinsburg, W.Va. So his father persuaded a family friend to hire young Newton as a personal secretary. In the years that followed, the diminutive baker would help shape Cleveland's future, lead the nation's war effort and develop one of the country's leading law practices.

Baker came to Cleveland in 1899 to work for labor lawyer and political operative Martin Foran. Two years later Mayor Tom Johnson tapped Baker for assistant law director.

In 1903, Baker became city solicitor and hammered out the legal underpinnings for many of Johnson's reforms. Baker turned the city's top law position into an independent source of power.

In 1911, voters elected Baker mayor, a position he held for two terms until 1915. He continued to press for many of the reforms originally put forth by Johnson.

By now, Baker was a well-known national figure and confidant of then-President Woodrow Wilson. As secretary of war in 1916, Baker immediately became responsible for drafting, organizing and outfitting an army of 2 million.

When Wilson left office, Baker returned to Cleveland and concentrated on building a law practice. The law firm he founded today is known as Baker & Hostetler.