Fred Von Baumbach

Friedrich Wilhelm von Baumbach (August 30, 1838 - November 30, 1917), also known as Frederick William Von Baumbach, Fritz Von Baumbach, or Fred Von Baumbach, was a German-American politician, soldier, and businessman. Baumbach served as the county auditor of Douglas County, Minnesota from 1873 to 1880 before being thrice elected to the office of Minnesota Secretary of State and served consecutively from 1880 to 1887. Baumbach was later appointed as the collector of internal revenue for the Internal Revenue Service under the William McKinley administration.

Early life Frederick William Von Baumbach was born on August 30, 1838, in the city of Kirchheim in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, then part of the German Confederation, to parents and Wilhelmina "Minnie" Schenk. Baumbach's father Ludwig was a Hessian noble, a veteran of the German campaign of 1813, a member of the Frankfurt National Assembly, and the son of Hessian military officer .

Baumbach's family emigrated to the United States in 1849 during the German revolutions of 1848–1849 and ultimately settled in Ohio. Baumbach enlisted as a Private and was enrolled into the ranks of Company C of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment under the command of Captain William F. Behrens. Baumbach rose to the rank of Sergeant Major by December 26, 1861, and was eventually promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant on July 13, 1862, and First Lieutenant on July 25, 1862. Baumbach would eventually be promoted to the rank of Major of the 35th Wisconsin and served with the unit for the remainder of the war. Baumbach mustered out with the rest of the regiment on March 15, 1866. Following his first term as auditor of Douglas county Baumbach ran for the political office of Minnesota Secretary of State. Baumbach would be re-elected three consecutives times as Minnesota's Secretary of State from 1890 to 1887. Baumbach would serve in this office until the first administration of Woodrow Wilson. Baumbach died in-office on November 30, 1917, he is buried in Kinkead Cemetery in Alexandria, Minnesota.