SAMUEL BAUM (From "History of Vermilion County, Illinois" 1911)

Samuel Baum came to Vermilion County at the same time as his father-in- law, Michael Weaver, and settled on the Little Vermilion. His brother Charles came nine years later and together they became the founders of the family of that name of whom there have been many in Vermilion County. Samuel married Sarah, the daughter of Michael Weaver, while they were in Ohio and had a family of two children when he came west. After coming to Illinois there were six more children born to them. Sarah (Weaver) Baum died and Samuel Baum married Mrs. Polly Matkins, the widow of William Matkins, and they became the parents of four children. Samuel Baum was a large, powerful man, six feet one inch in height, and weighed three hundred pounds. He was jovial and good hearted, always a good tempered man. He took the first produce he raised in Vermilion County to Chicago, driving five yoke of oxen. His sole possession when he came to Illinois was a horse, a bridle and a saddle, and at the time of his death in 1861 he was the owner of 1,500 acres of well cultivated land, besides personal property. He belonged to the Republican party and died at the age of fifty-six. His brother, Charles Baum, who came to this county some years after took up 1 60 acres of land from the government, and made later purchases until, at one time, he owned 1,660 acres, besides the 200 acres that was the gift to his wife from her father. Charles Baum was married three years after coming to Vermilion County to Miss Catherine Weaver, who was the fourth daughter and sixth child of Michael Weaver. Mrs. Baum was born in Clermont County, Ohio, and came to Illinois at the same time as her father, she being but eight years old at the time. Mr. Baum lived on his home farm which his wife's father gave her.