James Henry Baldwin (1846 - 1922)

Born 19 Nov 1846 in Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Harriet Alice (McBay) Baldwin — married 24 Dec 1879 (to 28 Mar 1922) in Leadville, Lake, Colorado, United States

Died 28 Mar 1922 at age 75 in Stonewall, De Soto Parish, Louisiana, United States

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Biography

James Henry Baldwin was born on November 19, 1846 in Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee. His parents were Henry Baldwin and Charlotte Wear Armstrong.

James enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War. He served in the Seventh Tennessee Mounted Infantry. It's commanders were Col. James T. Shelley, Lt Col. James J. Dail and Major Oliver M. Dodson. The unit was organized at Athens, Tennessee in the spring of 1865, with members being recruited from Anderson, Knox, Campbell, McMinn, Meigs and Monroe counties in the later part of 1864.^[1]

For the greater portion of it's service the unit was stationed at Athens, Tennessee. Its primary activity was in hunting guerrillas, with whom it had frequent engagements. It was mustered out July 27, 1865, in accordance with orders from the war department. ^[2]

James married Elizabeth Catherine Brown in about 1866.

James married Harriet Alice McBay in 1879. They had four children.

1. Robert Truxton Baldwin (1882-1891)
2. Charlotta Arathusa Baldwin Hollembeak (1885-1980)
3. Hazelin Neola Baldwin Arnold (1889-1980)
4. Ernestine Alice Baldwin Hollembeak (1893-1930)

James and his brother, Moses, were the founders of Woodland Park, Teller County, Colorado. There they had located their freighting business, settling on a site situated between the mining towns of Canon City, Criple Creek, Leadville and Colorado Springs. Out of their mercantile store and post office the town of Woodland Park emerged. After his son, Robbie, died from a "brain trouble" in 1891, he donated the land for the Woodland Park Cemetery. At one time he was also the sheriff of Teller County. In 1896 he sold out. The altitude in Colorado was too much for his heart condition and a doctor suggested he move to a lower elevation.

He and the family settled in Polk County, Missouri, buying a farm in 1897. There he and his family lived for a time and farmed. He saw that area had a need for mail delivery and like in Colorado, he established a post office and town. Naming it Erna after his daughter Ernestine. He was elected as the Polk County Judge in 1904 and served for several terms. He immediately saw the need for a new courthouse and encouraged it's building. In 1905 bonds were passed for it's construction. He presided over the new courthouse ceremonies in 1907. By 1910 his little town of Erna was giving way to progress and the construction of Flemington situated on the railroad, three miles to the west. His heart ailment was again giving him troubles and a lower elevation was again suggested.

In 1912, they would again move to a lower elevation, settling in De Soto Parish, Louisiana where he farmed and would spend the remainder of his life. He died there in 1922.

James Henry Baldwin died on March 28, 1922 in Stonewall, DeSoto Parish, Louisiana. He is buried in the Stonewall Cemetery.^[3][4]

Inscription on tombstone: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

Sources

1. ↑ "Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JWT3-VJ4 : 4 December 2014), James H Baldwin, 1864; from "Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Tennessee," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : 2010); citing military unit Seventh Mounted Infantry, NARA microfilm publication M395 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1963), roll 176.
2. ↑ The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 389
3. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images, memorial page for James Henry Baldwin (19 Nov 1846–28 Mar 1922), Find A Grave Memorial no. Find A Grave: Memorial #63900031, citing Stonewall Cemetery, Stonewall, DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, USA ; Maintained by Thomas K. Brigham (contributor 47406429) .
4. ↑ "Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875, 1894-1960," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F3QC-485 : 21 May 2019), James Henry Baldwin, 28 Mar 1922; citing Stonewall, De Soto, Louisiana, certificate number 4749, State Archives, Baton Rouge; FHL microfilm 2,366,750.

• "United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPZR-FH1H : 3 September 2021), James H Baldwin, 25 Jul 1865; citing Military Service, NARA microfilm publication 76193916 (St. Louis: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985), various roll numbers.

• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M46J-1YH : 29 May 2021), James H Baldwin, 1870, Jefferson Township, Polk, Missouri, United States.

• "California Great Registers, 1850-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VTX4-PC8 : 25 July 2019), James Henry Baldwin, 09 Aug 1875; citing Voter Registration, West Butte, Sutter, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 978,591.

• "Colorado State Census, 1885," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8WX-BPZ : 1 April 2016), James Baldwin, 1885; citing NARA microfilm publication M158 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 498,506.

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M38H-4ZN : accessed 13 August 2019), James H Baldwin, Jefferson Township, Polk, Missouri, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 126, sheet 7B, family 140, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,883.

• "United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6WL-K8T : 11 March 2018), James H Baldwin, 1907-1933; citing NARA microfilm publication M850 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,634,125.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2B4-YGZ : accessed 13 August 2019), James H Baldwin, Jefferson, Polk, Missouri, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 148, sheet 3B, family 78, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 798; FHL microfilm 1,374,811.