David Mathias Baker was the son of Florida State Senator David Hume Baker (1841-1917), who moved to Orange Home, Florida, from Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, after the Civil War to grow oranges. The Baker family became big landowners after the 1900 freeze. In the Expedition record, his residence was listed as Orange Home, Florida, and he may have been working for the South Florida Railroad. He married Lorena Dimmick Baker in 1896. Between 1900 and 1910 his residences were listed as Wildwood and Jacksonville, Florida. In 1914, he was the Sumter County Surveyor. He would have been 21 years old at the time of the Expedition. He was a levelman assigned in charge of Mess No. 2. The levelman is the survey in charge of the levelling instrument.
Unable to locate sources definitively identifying David Mathias Baker as the D.M. Baker who participated in the Expedition. However, given that David Mathias Baker lived in Orange Home, Florida, confidence is high.
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For other topics referenced in the Expedition texts, please refer to the Index to Subjects and Names.
1892 Everglades Exploration Expedition : Three Digital Texts, 2015