This five-bay galleried house at 2125 Cherry St. was originally located at, what is today, the end of Baum Street and was the home of Jacob and Ellen Baum after they purchased the property in 1859. 

The land to the west of the house was filled with pear and apple trees. Jacob Fredrick Baum was born in Baden Baden, Germany, in 1828 and came to the United States in 1834, settling near Sandusky, Ohio, and working there on a farm for five years. He moved to Vicksburg in 1839 and operated a tobacco and fruit stand in the Prentiss House with his uncle, T. J. Hanes. They moved their business to the Washington Hotel in 1851. Baum bought out his uncle and moved to another location on Washington Street before the Civil War. In 1854, he advertised that, from his nursery near the city hospital, he had two-year-old peach, nectarine, apricot, apple and pear trees for sale for 50 cents each or $40 per one hundred. One could also buy cedar trees two to four feet high for 50 cents to $1, depending on the size. 

In 1858, he married Ellen Chambers, who was originally from Lebanon, Ill., but had lived in Vicksburg for a number of years. The couple had 10 children, several of whom did not live to adulthood. Their eldest son, Fred, who was a partner in the insurance firm of Moore and Baum, died in 1892 after a lengthy illness and at only 27 years old. A son, Robert, was a pharmacist and eventually moved to Seattle with his family. Their other children were Nellie (Henderson), Fannie (Brough), Mrs. W. H. Stowers, and Walter.

During the Civil War, Baum’s business and property were destroyed. In 1865, he and George Kress opened a clothing store, but it was destroyed by fire in the same year. In 1880, Baum established, in partnership with W. H. Stowers, a book and stationery store, which five years later was also destroyed by fire. Following this fire, Baum managed his properties, was an alderman for the City of Vicksburg, and was a prominent member of the Tax-Payers League. He was also a member of the harbor committee and gave his time to movements looking to restore the harbor at Vicksburg. Baum was also on the board of directors of the Carroll Hotel and a member of Christ Church. Jacob Baum died Nov. 10, 1891, and, according to the Vicksburg Evening Post, “about a year ago Mr. Baum accidentally fell through a hatchway in one of his store-buildings, injuring one of his legs and affecting his general health, for since that time he never regained his former robust health, and has been afflicted with kidney and liver troubles, and to this unfortunate accident his untimely death can no doubt be primarily attributed.”  He was 64 years old.

Ellen Baum continued to live in the house with her children, Nellie, Fannie and Robert and Fred’s wife, after his death a year later. In 1893, Ellen had the house moved from the back of the lot to the front, facing Cherry Street. The Vicksburg Herald reported in 1895 that Ellen had “opened a new street, to be known as Baum Street through her property on South Cherry running east from Cherry Street some 800 or 900 feet. It is a 50’ street and will open up new territory for the extension of the town in that direction.”  

It didn’t take long for Mrs. Baum to start selling lots along the new street, selling two lots in September to Mrs. A. N. Arnold for $1,800. Mrs. Arnold’s house was completed by July 7, 1896.  By November 1895, Chambers Street, named for Ellen’s maiden name, and Frederick Street, named for her late husband and deceased son, had been established and, along with Baum Street, were conveyed to the city. Also in November of 1895, Nellie married Frank Henderson, with the wedding taking place in the house. Fannie married Knight M. Brough in the house on September 2, 1904. Three years later, Ellen died on February 27 and the funeral was held from the house. The Broughs continued to live in the house with their son, Charles.

Fannie died Sept. 14, 1929, and Knight married Mamie Cunningham. Brough was born in Ogden, Utah, but he and his older brother came south with an aunt, Mrs. Delia Hillman – founder of Hillman College, and settled in Clinton. They received their education at Hillman and later and Mississippi College. Knight came to Vicksburg in 1905 and, with John Christian, formed the firm of Christian and Brough, automobile dealers. His brother, Charles, moved to Arkansas and was elected governor of the state. Knight was a Mason, a Shriner, a Knight of Pythias and an Elk. He died at 51 years of age on Nov. 16, 1931, while transacting business in the First National Bank building. Following his death, Mamie continued to live in the house, dying there on March 15, 1961. Charles Brough then put the house up for sale and it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Walker, who then sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Henderson in 1973. They lived there until 1979 and later it was the home of a number of people including Kathy and Ben Bast and John and Linda Moss. The home continues to be an important part of the architectural history of Cherry Street.  

Nancy Bell, Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation.