The Baum's of Denver Colorado

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We don't know a lot about the Harry Lester Baum family at this point but they certainly make for interesting research.  Here's what we know so far:

Harry L. Baum was born in 1887 in Illinois.  He later moved to Denver CO where he became a successful nose and throat doctor.  He was also Grand Master of the Colorado Masonic Grand Lodge in 1938 and he enjoyed writing Masonic plays. He is in the list of Famous Freemasons under the Initial List of 33rd Degree Masons.

He was married twice. First he was married to a woman named Martha Belle Shumate.  Martha was the youngest daughter of Quincy and Lou Shumate and was born in 1891 either in Kentucky or Tennessee. Martha was Virginia Shumate Moran's cousin, but they were more like sisters because after the death of Virginia's father, Nathan M. Shumate, her Uncle Quincy took her and her two sisters into his home and raised them as his own daughters. 

This picture was taken at Prestel Portraits in Denver, CO.  The Baum family
were the only Moran relatives in Colorado at that time.  We believe this
is Martha Belle Shumate Baum.

Harry and Martha were married Tuesday, December 14th, 1915, in Denver Colorado.  Here are the couple on a hike.  On the back of the photo Martha, or maybe Harry, wrote: "On our climb of 13,000 ft this is about 12,000 ft elev. We had to rest about every ten steps."

Dr. Harry L. Baum and Martha Belle Shumate hiking in Colorado.

We know that Harry and Martha had at least two children: Harry Jr and Martha (Marty).  Harry had another son with his second wife Ellen Noreen Schryver.  His  name was William Sutton Baum (1939-1987).  Martha Belle and Virginia visited each other and here is a picture of them ca. 1919 with some of the children.

Here is Harry Sr with Harry Jr and we think that is Marty.

We aren't sure what happened to Harry and Martha's marriage but Colorado Court records show that they filed for divorce in 1936.   In January 1937, he married his second wife Ellen N. Schryver who I believe was born in 1908.  If that date is correct then Ellen would've been 29 and Harry 49 at the time of their marriage.

Records seem to indicate that Martha stayed in Denver after the divorce.  We haven't been able to find out when Martha Belle Shumate Baum passed away but we do know that Harry L. Baum Sr. died at the age of 63 from a heart attack in March 1951.

Obituary for Dr. Harry Lester Baum

 The search goes on to find out more about Harry and Martha Baum.