Originally from Alexander City, Alabama, J.E. Baker got into the business of selling horses at the tender age of 10. His keen marketing sense eventually led to a 20-year career as top ad salesman for the Oklahoman and Times. But J.E. continued in the horse-selling 

 business and when his equine earnings surpassed his ad sales paycheck, he gave up his newspaper job to deal in horses full time. J.E. raised and owned some of the best Appaloosa racehorses on record and became one of the most successful Appaloosa horsemen in history. In addition to breeding and racing horses, J.E. showed some of the best Appaloosas of all time including many National and World show champions. He was known as a source for horses to fit any need.
Among his racing greats were Hayes' Roman Cloud and Roman's Straw Man, and Hall of Fame inductees Roman's It Girl and Whats Up Ghost. He owned and bred several World Wide Futurity (now known as the Americana Appaloosa Futurity) winners and finalists.
J.E. served on the Oklahoma ApHC Race Association and the American Quarter Horse Race Association boards. He was inducted into the ApHC Hall of Fame in 1988. He passed away January 6, 1997, leaving a legacy of contributions to the Appaloosa breed.