William and Carrie Wellsbay Bauer and their six children—Clyde, Frank, Ida, Floyd, Cathryn, and Howard—relocated to Cherry Valley, Illinois, in September 1917 due to William’s job transfer with the railroad. The family home, located at 114 South Walnut Street, was where they lived until Mrs. Bauer’s death in 1950. William Bauer served on the Cherry Valley Village Board from 1925-1929 and 1931-1939. The Bauer children pursued various careers, with some remaining in Cherry Valley and others moving to Rockford. This article chronicles their lives and the extended family’s local connections and contributions.
by Betty Bauer Brandebury
William and Carrie Wellsbay Bauer and their six children, Clyde, Frank, Ida, Floyd, Cathryn and Howard, came to Cherry Valley in September, 1917. William Bauer was transferred here from Troy Grove, Illinois, by the Railroad Company to oversee this section of track.
Their furniture was brought in a boxcar, and carried from the tracks to the new family home at 114 South Walnut Street, presently owned by the Chouinard family. This was the Bauer family home until the death of Mrs. Bauer in 1950.
William was voted to the Cherry Valley Village Board in April, 1925 and served on this board until 1929. He served an additional two terms on this board from 1931 to 1939. Mr. Bauer died in 1945.
The two older sons, Clyde and Frank, worked with their father on the railroad. Frank later quit and worked in factories in Rockford, but Clyde stayed and worked until retirement. He never married, but lived in Cherry Valley until his death in 1966.
The daughter, Ida, married Henry Dummer who for a time worked in the Cherry Valley Bank. He was recently honored as a 50-year member in the Cherry Valley Masonic Lodge. Henry and Ida had three children, all living in the Rockford area. Ida died in 1958.
Howard (Baldy) has two children and lives in Rockford.
Cathryn Bauer Pumilia Weeden has three children, and she too lives in Rockford. Her son is Dr. Albert Pumilia, a dentist in Rockford.
Floyd Bauer also lives in Rockford and has ten living children. All of William Bauer’s children lived in Cherry Valley for a time after marriage.
One son, Frank, still lives in Cherry Valley at 3775 Genoa Road. Frank was born on March 1, 1902. He married Olga Ophilia Irene Koltz on November 11, 1932.
Olga was the daughter of John and Lena Greenburg Koltz. Mr. & Mrs. Koltz both came from Germany. They lived on a farm in the Alden, Illinois area. Olga was born on July 24, 1910, and was one of seventeen children. All seventeen children had been given three names plus their surname. After leaving Alden, the family moved to Belvidere, Illinois. Besides Olga, four of her sisters are living.
Three children were born to Frank and Olga Bauer. Betty was born in June of 1933. She is married to Charles Brandebury. They have one son, Mark, and one daughter, Denise, and live in Cherry Valley.
Margaret was born in July, 1935. She is married to Edwin Ellison. The Ellisons have one son, Kelly, and they, too, live in Cherry Valley.
Edward was born in February, 1938. He is married to a Cherry Valley girl, Janice Fisher Bauer. They have five children. Until recently they lived in Cherry Valley, but have now moved to the Coventry Hills subdivision off Mulford Road in Cherry Valley Township.