Leo Baumli
Veteran & Renowned Breeder
(1916-1997)
Early Life & Military Service
Leo Francis Baumli was born on a farm east of Arkoe in Nodaway County to William Frederick Baumli and Catherine Theresa Bloom Baumli on November 25, 1916. He spent his childhood on that farm and graduated from Maryville High School in 1934. Life was rough for Baumli in the early days, and during winters, the family subsisted on corn that had been stored in the cellar.
Leo was drafted into the Army in March of 1942. He was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, where he was a member of the United States Mounted Cavalry. This unit was the premier unit used for ceremonies and dress parades. At Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Baumli went to cook's school where he graduated top of his class. He later spent some time at Fort Benning, Georgia, before being sent to Germany. At one point, over half a dozen of his unit were separated and surrounded by the enemy. Baumli was one of the men who went to look for him after two of his superiors were presumed dead attempting the same rescue. He was forced into hiding for three days in a German fireplace. Baumli was ultimately successful and awarded a Bronze Star for his efforts. He was also part of the contingent responsible for seizing Hitler's Eagle's Nest. Leo married his wife Mary Evelyn Walden on April 14,1943, while home on furlough, and he was honorably discharged in 1946.
Life After the Army
After leaving the Army, Leo wanted to go to veterinary school, but could not because of capacity limits. He decided to return to the family farm where he joined his wife who soon gave birth to their second child Rosena Catherine. Sadly, their first child together, Ronald Walter, died after eleven days in 1944. Leo rented many farms across Nodaway County where he practiced the horse and mule husbandry that his father had taught him. On the first farm, rented from Earl McCleave in Barnard, Leo procured an assortment of horses and mules. By 1961, Leo had four more children and had attended carpentry school. In addition to his thriving breeding work on the farm, he used his carpentry skills to help build bridges between Kansas City and Council Bluffs. He also was part of the crews that built dorms on the campus at Northwest Missouri State University.
Scroll through the slideshow above to see more about Baumli's life.
Horse & Mule Breeding
The Baumli farm was mostly home to Belgian draft horses but also held some Percherons. Baumli was responsible in part for the uptick in the population of Belgian draft horses in America. Many of these horses were bred with donkeys to produce the strong and hardy mule with males being referred to​ as "horse mules" and females as "mare mules". Leo sold many of his mules to the Amish communities in Iowa and Pennsylvania, but they were desired across the world for their quality. He made international sales to Mexico, India, Venezuela, Canada, Uruguay, Japan, Honduras, Tibet, and other countries. Baumli also operated a stud service where people could bring their mares to mate with his valuable stock.
Several mules raised and sold by Leo won at the Missouri State Fair. He took stock to the Pony Express Horse Show where he also had winners. The most well-known of Baumli's mules was one by the name of "Ruth" that Festus Hagen rode on the hit television series: "Gunsmoke". Leo's contributions to Nodaway County and the rest of the nation cannot be understated. A veteran, family man, carpenter, and a world renowned horse & mule breeder. He was quite the character and could always be found wearing bib overalls with a blue chambray shirt. You would rarely find him without a hard hat; a habit he picked up from his carpentry days, later repurposed to protect from flying hooves. His famous quote was "you always want them to kick where you was, not where you is" Leo Baumli passed away in 1997 at the age of 81, but his legacy continued with his children, one of whom continued to operate the family business.
Photo TBD
RESOURCES
-
Stairway of Stars Booklet, Nodaway County Historical Society.
-
Bob Bohlken, Famous People of Nodaway County (Instant Publisher, 2010).