Martin Baum

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Martin Baum (1765-1831) was a Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. He left his native Maryland and moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1794. He was the son of Jacob Baum and Magdalena (Elizabeth) Kershner.[1] He fought with General Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. He was Cincinnati's first millionaire. In civic affairs Baum excelled as the President of City Council (Mayor) in 1807 and again in 1812.

Through his agents in Baltimore, New Orleans and Philadelphia, Baum attracted a great number of German immigrants to work in his various enterprises — steamboats, a sugar refinery, a foundry and real estate. Soon, Cincinnati's German population began to soar. [2] Baum is also known as the founder of the Western Museum. He was active in founding the first public library 1802 and was one of the main pillars of the First Presbyterian church. He married Anna Somerville Wallace in 1804.

He bought the nine acre property on Pike Street in 1812, to build his home. Baum completed construction about 1820, the building now is the Taft Museum. The building is the best example of the Federal style in Cincinnati. Baum was caught in the financial upheaval of 1819-20, he was eventually forced to deed his home back to the Bank of the United States in 1825.[3]

Baum died on December 14, 1831, at age of 66 during an influenza epidemic. [4] He was buried in the First Presbyterian Ground and on Jun 6, in 1853 his body was moved to the new Spring Grove Cemetery.[5]