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John Baumann

Although the republic of Switzerland is small, she has sent a very large number of excellent citizens to America, many of whom have selected the great commonwealth of Iowa as the scene of their life work, and Fayette county has allured such a number to her genial atmosphere and productive soil. Of these, John Baumann is deserving of special mention, for he is one of Pleasant Valley township’s worthiest citizens as we shall see by a study of the following paragraphs. His birth occurred in Switzerland in 1857, and he is the son of Jacob and Ann (Hildbrunner) Baumann, both natives of Switzerland, where they grew to maturity and were educated. They came to America in 1864, continuing their long journey until they reached Clayton county, Iowa, where they engaged in farming and soon had a comfortable home. Jacob Baumann was also a minister and he started the Baptist church at Elgin and preached here regularly for eight or ten years, doing a great work in the church of this neighborhood. He was a man whom everybody honored and liked, for he was a good and useful man. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, all of whom are living at this writing.

John Baumann was reared on his father’s farm and began working on the same when very young. He received a limited education in the home schools, but he has since become well informed by general reading. He directed his attention to agricultural pursuits early in life and has followed the same continuously ever since. When twenty-five years of age he bought the home place of two hundred and forty acres and remained there three years, carrying on general farming in a most successful manner. He sold out in 1884 and moved to Elgin, Fayette county, and became a partner of Ben Schori, a stock dealer, and they carried on this line of business very extensively for a period of six years. He understood thoroughly the stock business and he was very widely known in this line, but he preferred to go back to farming, and he accordingly purchased the home place again, which he operated for three years, then sold out and returned to Elgin and rented the Ben Schori farm of two hundred and fifty acres, which he worked for five years. Then he bought the old Patterson farm, one half mile west of Elgin, where he now resides. This is one of the finest farms in the township and is admired by all. It consists of two hundred and forty acres, well improved and well tilled. He devotes a large portion of his time to various kinds of livestock, follows dairying, raises large numbers of good hogs, principally Chester Whites, and he is just beginning to raise Swiss cattle. He has a wide reputation for the high grade stock he raises and a ready market is always found for them. He has an attractive and substantial home and outbuildings sufficient for all his needs. Everything about his place is in excellent repair.

Mr. Baumann was married in 1881 to Caroline Freiburghaus, a sister of C.F. Freiburghaus, whose sketch is to be found on another page of this work and which contains a full history of this splendid family. To Mr. and Mrs. Baumann the following children have been born: Edwin H., Clara E., Walter J., Lillie R., Lulu I., Louis J., Otto J., Richard C., Johnnie C. The first three children, Freddie, Kattie and Frieda, and Carrie, the youngest, died, thus making thirteen children in all born to them.

Politically, Mr. Baumann is a Republican and he and his family belong to the Baptist church. They are highly respected throughout this locality and have numerous friends wherever they are known.

~transcribed by Doris A. Smith