Baum Family Genealogy & History

L. Frank Baum, an iconic American author born on May 15, 1856, is celebrated for his children's fantasy literature, particularly "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." With a prolific career, Baum authored 14 Oz books and 41 other novels, along with numerous short stories, poems, and scripts. His creative foresight envisioned technologies like television and wireless telephones. Baum's journey from a theater producer to establishing a film studio in Los Angeles showcases his diverse artistic endeavors, culminating in the legendary 1939 film adaptation of his Oz series.

Born in Chittenango, New York, Baum hailed from a devout Methodist family with German, Scots-Irish, and English ancestry. He was one of five surviving children of Cynthia Ann and Benjamin Ward Baum, a successful businessman involved in oil drilling and real estate. Raised on the Rose Lawn estate, Baum shared a close bond with his younger brother Henry, engaging in early writing ventures together.

Maud Gage Baum, born March 27, 1861, was the wife of renowned children's author L. Frank Baum. Known for her no-nonsense approach, Maud managed family finances and disciplined their children while Frank traveled for work. She sacrificed her Cornell University education to marry Frank and supported the family by teaching embroidery and lace-making during financial hardships. Maud's pivotal role in preserving Frank's literary legacy included transferring the rights to his books and promoting works like "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." After Frank's death, she authorized further Oz sequels and supported the 1939 MGM film adaptation.

Maud was the youngest child of suffragist Matilda Joslyn Gage and dry-goods retailer Henry Hill Gage. She had two sisters, Helen Leslie Gage and Julia Gage Carpenter, and a brother, Thomas Clarkson Gage. Raised in Fayetteville, New York, Maud grew up in a family that valued education and activism, influenced by her mother's strong feminist principles.

Jiří Baum (1900-1944) was a distinguished Czech zoologist, arachnologist, and museum curator known for his extensive explorations and contributions to natural sciences. Serving at the National Museum in Prague, Baum is celebrated for his 1933 book "Through the African Wilderness" and his 1935 expedition in the Australian outback. His academic pursuits led him to Charles University, where his focus on arthropods culminated in a doctorate on Bohemian spiders. Baum's global travels, including ventures to Brazil, Malaysia, and Africa, enriched his research and writings, producing numerous children's books and travelogues. His collection of photographs is preserved in the National Museum in Prague.

Jiří Baum hailed from a business family in Prague. His father, Josef Baum, operated as a meat trader in Královské Vinohrady, while his mother, Františka Baumová, descended from a farming family in Nadějka. This familial background in business and agriculture shaped Baum's early life before he pursued a career in zoology and exploration.