Martin Baum was an American businessman and politician.

The son of German

Germans

The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....

 immigrants Jacob Baum and Magdalena Elizabeth Kershner, Baum fought with General Anthony Wayne

Anthony Wayne

Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...

 at the Battle of Fallen Timbers

Battle of Fallen Timbers

The Battle of Fallen Timbers was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between American Indian tribes affiliated with the Western Confederacy and the United States for control of the Northwest Territory...

.

After settling in Cincinnati, Baum became active in civic affairs, and was elected mayor in 1807 and 1812. Through his agents in Baltimore

Baltimore

Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...

, New Orleans and Philadelphia, Baum attracted a great number of German immigrants to work in his various enterprises — steamboat

Steamboat

A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...

s, a sugar refinery, a foundry and real estate. Baum founded the Western Museum, was active in the first public library

Public library

A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...

 1802, and was one of the main pillars of the First Presbyterian Church

First Presbyterian Church

First Presbyterian Church may refer to:-Alabama:...

. He married Anna Somerville Wallace in 1804.

He bought the 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) property on Pike Street in 1812, to build his home. Baum completed construction about 1820, the building, once lived in by Nicholas Longworth (the first) and David Sinton

David Sinton

David Sinton was a pig-iron industrialist, born in County Armagh, Ireland, who became one of the wealthiest men in America....

 is now the Taft Museum

Taft Museum of Art

The Taft Museum of Art is a house museum in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. The building which houses the museum was built as a villa on the edge of Cincinnati about 1820 for Martin Baum and then was the residence of Nicholas Longworth. David Sinton lived in the house with his daughter Anna, who...

. 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

Second Bank of the United States

The Second Bank of the United States was chartered in 1816, five years after the First Bank of the United States lost its own charter. The Second Bank of the United States was initially headquartered in Carpenters' Hall, Philadelphia, the same as the First Bank, and had branches throughout the...

 in 1825.

Baum died during an influenza epidemic. He was buried in the First Presbyterian Ground. On 6 June 1853 his body was moved to Spring Grove Cemetery

Spring Grove Cemetery

Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is a nonprofit garden cemetery and arboretum located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the second largest cemetery in the United States and is recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark....

.