Vaughn Baker was 'an institution' in Washington County government

Editor’s note: Each Sunday, The Herald-Mail publishes “A Life Remembered.” Each story in this continuing series takes a look back — through the eyes of family, friends, co-workers and others — at a member of the community who died recently. Today’s “A Life Remembered” is about Vaughn Baker, who died March 3 at the age of 98. Baker's obituary was published on the Herald-Mail website on March 5.

Beginning in the mid-1940s and extending until 1986, Vaughn Jennings Baker was a fixture in Washington County government, helping to run the county's court system, swearing-in numerous elected officials, and taking on special tasks for county and state officials.

Vaughn was Washington County's elected circuit clerk, and put in nearly 40 years of service in the office. He also served as deputy clerk and acting clerk.

He retired in 1986 after deciding not to seek reelection in the elected position.

World War II

Vaughn was born Dec. 21, 1923, in Brosious, W.Va., to Jessie N. Baker and Vernie E. Baker. Brosious is a community close to Hancock.

During World War II, Vaughn entered the Army Air Corps in 1943. He was a machinist, working on aircraft for the military division, according to his grandson, Jeff Baker.

Jeff Baker said his grandfather was in the presence of the Enola Gay at some point before the American B-29 bomber carried the world's first deployed atomic bomb to the Japanese city of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. The bombing immediately killed around 70,000 people.

Before another B-29 bomber's flight to drop an atomic bomb over Nagasaki, Japan, Vaughn was also in the plane's presence, Jeff Baker said. An estimated 40,000 people immediately died in that bombing. Japan surrendered in the war following the attacks.

'Always innovative'

Returning home, Vaughn started his career in public service that would give him great joy in helping his community in any way he could, his grandson and others said.

The circuit clerk is the official recordkeeper of the county's court system and helps run it.

Jeff Baker said he remembers his grandfather as being "always innovative," like bringing computerization into the office.

"I was in high school, so it was 1984, 1985, somewhere in there," said Jeff, who spent two summers working in the circuit clerk's office while he was in college.

Jeff also remembers his grandfather being on the forefront of technology by using a computer system to select jurors.

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Also part of a circuit clerk's job is swearing-in individuals after they win local elections.

"He swore in every Hagerstown mayor that was elected during that time," said Jeff, who works as a data scientist in St. Petersburg, Fla. The younger Baker, a Williamsport High School graduate, also runs his own restaurant and bar in St. Petersburg.

During a phone interview, Jeff sifted through stacks of newspaper clippings and other documents recording his grandfather's life. There were naturalization ceremonies led by Vaughn, weddings and headlines about various political goings-on. Vaughn was interested in the local political process, his grandson said.

"It seems politics back then were just as (big) as they are today," said Jeff, chuckling at one headline.

When he announced his retirement in 1986, Vaughn said the circuit clerk's office "touches everyone's life."

"Sometime or another, they'll be coming through this office for some type of service," Vaughn said in a newspaper interview.

Vaughn is survived by his wife, Mildred, with whom he enjoyed more than 70 years of marriage. They grew up on the same street in the Cannon Avenue neighborhood and built a home in the Brightwood Acres area off Robinwood Drive in 1972.

Statewide service

Vaughn's interest in the courts and government stretched from home to across the state.

His obituary said the Washington County Board of Commissioners once selected him to study the possibility of the county having home rule, which would enable the county to make more decisions locally without oversight from Annapolis.

He was involved in teaching about the judicial process, did work in connection with the University of Maryland and was once appointed to a special committee to examine the consolidation of a court system in Baltimore, his obituary said. He was also appointed by the governor to be chairperson of a state property tax appeal board.

In 1975, former Gov. Marvin Mandel selected Vaughn for a distinguished citizenship award.

Jeff said his grandfather enjoyed living and serving in the county and "just making it a better place."

He enjoyed eating at local restaurants and donated a number of items he collected to local history museums, including the Washington County Historical Society, Jeff said.

"He was my hero. He was someone who respected people and always listened," Jeff said.

Local attorney and former Hagerstown City Councilman Lew Metzner remembers Vaughn well. Metzner said when he started practice in 1977, records in the circuit clerk's office were paper, unlike computerized versions today.

Metzner remembers seeing volumes and volumes of records with the initials "VJB" on them, indicating Vaughn's management of the system. He jokingly wondered if there were any volumes without the initials on them.

"He was an institution," Metzner.

And despite all the knowledge and political connections Vaughn had, they never went to his head, Metzner said. He was always concerned with what was happening in people's lives and was "as friendly as he could be," Metzner said.

"If you had a problem, you went to Vaughn," said Metzner, adding that if Vaughn didn't have a solution, he would find someone who did.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Former Washington County Circuit Clerk Vaughn Baker is remembered