BAUMANN, Gustav (1859-1930)

Perhaps no gentleman is better known in the City of Bloemfontein than the subject of this brief but interesting biographical sketch, both on account of the prominent part he has played in the administration of the late Free State Government, and for the keen interest he still manifests in the welfare of the town, where in the year 1858 he first saw the light of day. Mr. GUSTAV BAUMANN is the third son of the late Mr. Isaac Baumann, who arrived in South Africa as far back as the year 1837, and was a resident in Bloemfontein in the year 1847. He received the greater portion of his school training at the Grey College in the town of his birth, and in the year 1879 successfully passed his examinations as a Government Land Surveyor.

In the year 1877 he received the appointment as acting private secretary to Sir John Brand, and some eight months later became chief clerk in the Surveyor General's office, with whom he served his apprenticeship, under the able tuition of the late Mr. G. F. Stegman, the first Surveyor General of the Orange Free State. Two years afterwards he started to practise on his own account as a surveyor in Bloemfontein, and continued as such till the year 1884, when, during the absence of Mr. Fleck, the then Surveyor General, he acted as Surveyor General for a period of six months, and on that gentleman's death, in the year 1897, received the appointment of Surveyor General of the Orange Free State, which responsible position he continued to fill until the occupation of Bloemfontein by Lord Roberts in the year 1901, when he was forced to relinquish that position.

As soon as Mr. Baumann was allowed to return to Bloemfontein after the declaration of peace, he resumed his practice as a Government surveyor, and as such continues at the date of writing, being, in addition, the City Surveyor of Bloemfontein.

It is a matter of interest that for the past twenty-six years Mr. Baumann has held the appointment as one of the practical Surveyor Examiners for the Orange River Colony, and under the late Government was for a number of years a member of the old Council of Examiners.

He is deeply interested in all present educational matters in the Orange River Colony of a non-political nature, and is a prominent member of the Grey College and High School Council, as well as the Vice-chairman of the Grey College Reunion.

Mr. Baumann is a member of the Bloemfontein Museum Committee and a foundation member of the Bloemfontein Club.

In the year 1887 he married Penelope, second daughter of the late J. C. Pagley, Esq., of George, in the Cape Colony, and has issue six children.

Source: Men of the Times, published by The Transvaal Publishing Company, Johannesburg, Cape Town & London, printed by Eyre and Spottiswood, His Majesty’s Printers, 1906, p.526