Lewis Baumez' parents were German and French. One of his ancestors was a French General in the Huguenot war in France. They were defeated so he fled into Germany. His people lived there until they came to the United States, settling near Buffalo, New York. Lewis later went to visit his sister in Minnesota and soon after met and married Augusta Pinger. After their marriage they settled on a farm near Valley City, North Dakota.
Augusta Pinger came to the United States when she was 9 months old. It took over a month to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Her father was a weaver and worked in Peace Dale, Rhode Island, in the woolen mills. When Augusta was ten years old, they moved to New York City during the Civil War. She and her sisters worked in a flower factory during vacation. Her little sister, Helena, was only 4 years old at the time.
Augusta loved to sing. As a little girl, she had the leading part in a Cantata in one of the New York Schools. A wealthy lady, after hearing her sing, wanted to educate and train her for the Opera, but her folks, due to their religious beliefs, did not want her on the stage. She was always disappointed about this.
The family moved back to Providence, Rhode Island. Some years later the family decided to move West, so they came to Minneapolis, Augusta visited her cousin, who lived in a log house on a claim near Glencoe, Minnesota. There Augusta met and married Lewis Baumez. They settled on a farm near Valley City, North Dakota. They had four children; Mathilda, Clara, Edward and Henrietta.
They moved back to Minneapolis and then later back to their farm at Valley City, where they lived until they retired to their home on Elm Avenue in Valley City.
Their son, Edward, (1887-1964) and his wife Mamie (Hundley) from Mott, North Dakota, took over the family farm. They had two children; William and Margaret (Mrs. Eli Maghe), of Okmulgee, Oklahoma. William and his wife, Mary, have three sons; William Jr., Robert and Alvin. They live in Hialeah, Florida.
Clara (1886-1973) married Arthur Utke and moved to their farm at Enderlin, North Dakota. Her daughter, Florence, (Mrs. Brownell Cole) lives in Valley City. They have three sons; Stephen, Bradley and Craig. The Utkes' only son, Gordon, a major in the United States Army, served in the Philippines in WW II. As a P.O.W. to be transported to Japan, his unmarked ship was unknowingly bombed and sunk by the Americans.
Henrietta (1889-1969) married John Hansen of Hope, North Dakota. They had one daughter, Charlotte (Mrs. Egan Jensen) of Parshall, North Dakota.
Mathilda (1883-1928) remained single.
Lewis Baumez was born in 1853 and passed away in 1937. Augusta Pinger Baumez was born in 1854 and passed away in 1924.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 24