Charles Paul Bauer was born on July 18, 1887, in Brooklyn Township, Lee County, Illinois. He was the 11th of 12 children of Anna Maria née Büttner (Buettner) and Johann "John" Bauer. He and his siblings were raised on the family farm in Brooklyn Township. Previous to his birth, his family had suffered the loss of three of his siblings, an infant sister, "Dora", in 1864 and two young brothers, Johann and Benjamin, in 1881. In August 1901, when he was 14, his family suffered a further loss, when he father contracted rabies after having been bitten by a rabid dog and died. Charles married Lillian Knauer on Feb. 7, 1910 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Brooklyn Township, in Lee County, Illinois. His wife preceded him in death on Jan. 21, 1969. He farmed in the Compton area for many years and was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church for most of his life. Several years ago he became a resident of the Mendota Lutheran Home in Mendota, La Salle County, Illinois. He passed away at Mendota Community Hospital on November 10, 1979. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and his 11 siblings. He was survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held at Merritt Funeral Home in Mendota, the Reverend Jerold Elling officiating and burial was in Restland Cemetery in Mendota.

Siblings:
• Rosina "Rosa" Bauer (1859-1941) [John Peter Ultsch/Ultch]
• Margaret Dorothy "Dora" Bauer (1863-1864) [-]
• Ludwig Casper "Lewis" Bauer (1867-1939) [Louisa Haefner]
• John Earhardt "Ed" Bauer (1870-1931) [Adeline Ida Haefner]
• Gustav Georg Bauer (1872-1955) [Lillian Anglemier]
• Johann Philip Bauer (1874-1881) [-]
• Alma Amelia Bauer (1877-1933) [Frank Ikeler]
• Benjamin Friedrich Bauer (1879-1881) [-]
• Daniel Martin Bauer (1882-1958) [Clara Cecelia "Celia" Schmitz]
• Wilhelmina A. "Minnie" Bauer (1884-1954) [Charles Marshall]
• Franklin William Bauer (1891-1930) [Hazel Preston]