Robert Baldwin (abt. 1474 - 1536)

Born about 1474 in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Agnes (Dolte) Baldwin — married about 1489 (to Apr 1536) in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died Apr 1536 at about age 62 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England

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Biography

This profile is part of the Baldwin Name Study.

Robert Baldwin was born in Buckinghamshire, England.

Birth and Parents

Robert, of Wendover, later Aston Clinton, then of Dundrige was believed to have removed to Dundrige say 1523. As he was on record as of 1509 and a grandfather in 1522, his birthdate is estimated at 1474.^[1]

His father may be John Baldwin (alias Baldwyn) or William Baldwin (see Research notes); however, further research is needed.

Marriage and Children

Robert married Agnes Dolte, the daughter of William Dolte, say 1489, likely at Wendover. Based on various wills, including two sons and a brother who left a bequest to a son, Robert and Agnes had five sons:^[1][2][3]

1. John "of the Hale" Baldwin (b. say 1490; d. ) m.
2. Robert Baldwin (b. say 1498; d. young) Likely unmarried
3. Thomas Baldwin (b. say 1500; d. May 1522) m. Jone Gynger
4. Richard "of Donrigge" Baldwin (b. say 1503; d. 1553, Aston Clinton) m. 1524 at Aston Clinton, Ellen Apuke
5. Hugh "Hughe" Baldwin (b. say 1507; d. aft 1553, Prestwood, Bucks) Likely unmarried

Robert Baldwin seems to have been the first of the family to settle at Dundridge, where he may have had a lease of the manor. In 1497, he took of the lord a pightle [a small field or enclosure], containing half an acre at "Colyerscrosse" to hold by rent of 2d per annum. In 1510, He took of the lord a piece of land called 'Sparrowespece," to be held by rent of 6d. per annum. He occurred frequently as a juror or on the homage. In 1525, under Aston Clinton, Robert was taxed 6s 6d on an assessment of £13 in goods, his lands being valued at £2. A noteused to explain a descrepancy between this assessment and that of the previous year, stated that he was "decaid by corn [i.e., poor corn crop] and maryage of his son £8." [son Richard of "Dundridge"]. ^[3]

Civil Suits Brought Against Robert and Agnes (Dolte) Baldwin

There are at least two suits brought for debt. The first was brought by Thomas Weden and John Tokevyle of £16 for wheat price against Robert Baldwyn [sic] "late of Aston Clynton...alias of Donrigge, parish of Aston Clynton".^[4]The second suit was brought against Robert Baldwin and his wife Agnes, executrix of the will of William Dolte, yeoman of Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, for non-payment of a £50 debt by John Long, citizen and salter of London.^[5]These suits confirm that Robert and Agnes were residing at Dundridge by 1528 and that William Dolte of Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire was the father of Agnes.

Death

Robert Baldwin died in April 1536 in his 61st year at Dundridge. His death was presented at the court held 16 April 1536 when it was found that he was the owner of freelands and tenements at Bellenden called Pygotts and Belchers, and at Dungrove in Botley, which he had deeded to his younger son Richard Baldwyn [sic]. At the court held 16 April 1537, it was reported that while he lived, Robert gave to his son, Richard, an acre of land called Sperrowacre, which was held by copy of court roll. At this same court, it was presented that Robert died seised of the pightle near Colyerscrosse, containing half an acre, and that John Baldwyn [sic] was his son and next heir and of full age. ^[3]

Research Notes

• Col. Joseph Chester in his investigative report of this Baldwin family of Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire suggested that if the the "subsidy roll at the reign of King Henry VIII, a Robert Baldwin of Aston Clinton, assessed at 13 pounds, from 8 pounds of which he was relieved on account of the marriage of his son, and also a Richard Baldwin of the same place assessed at 40 shillings...could be applied to father and son, I think we might be pretty safe in carrying our pedigree a generation farther back.^[6]

• Woodman's more recent research presented in this revised and updated biography confirms this father (Robert Baldwin) and son (Richard Baldwin "of Dundridge") relationship, as well as the father/sons relationship with Robert and John "of the Hayle" Baldwin suggested by Col. Joseph Chester.^[3]

• When this profile was added to WikiTree in 2011, William Baldwin and Jane Aylesbury were shown as the parents for Robert Baldwin^[7]Including these parents would suggest that Robert was the younger brother to Richard Baldwin, who died in 1484-5; leaving as his next heir his brother Sir John Baldwin. If this is true then Robert would have been the youngest of these brothers. These parents were removed due to 'speculation.'

• There are sources emerging that do suggest a relationship; however, between these Aston Clinton Baldwins and the sons of William and Jane (Aylesbury) Baldwin. As further evidence emerges, these connections will be made and sources added. Several of these sources based on histories, wills and deeds do suggest that Robert was, indeed, the youngest son of William and Jane (Aylesbury) Baldwin: 1) Richard (1468-1475), 2) Sir John (1470-1545) and the above 3) Robert (1474-1536) Baldwin. This relationship would account for Richard being listed as the first Baldwin to be definitively identified as a "tenant" and later owner of Dundridge Manor. During the reign of Henry VIII (1509-1547) the estate was owned by the Countess of Salisbury. Robert leased the property from her. Upon Robert's death in 1536, the tenancy was continued by his son, Richard. In 1541, however, the Countess was beheaded at the Tower of London because of her status as the last of the Plantagenet royal line. With her death, the property reverted to the King Henry VIII; however, he did not disturb the tenancy of Richard Baldwin. Eventually, the ownership of the property was "sold" by the King to Richard’s uncle, Sir John Baldwin (1470-1545), possible brother of Richard's father Robert Baldwin (1476-1536) and Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, as a reward for Sir John's efforts in dispatching Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas More and others, see Sir John Baldwin, MP Kt. With Sir John’s death in 1545, the property passed to the sons of his two daughters since his only son, William, had predeceased him. The property was sold to Richard Baldwin by Sir John's grandson, Sir John Pakington ca. 1457. Richard Baldwin's family owned it for a number of generations thereafter.^[8]

• Various surname spellings: Baldwin; Baldwyn, Baldewyn, Baldewyne (see https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Baldwin_Name_Study)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Seversmith, Herbert Furman. Colonial Families of Long Island, New York, and Connecticut, Being the Ancestry and Kindred of Herbert Furman Seversmith, vol 1. Pages 250-253. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89063148555&seq=270
2. ↑ Baldwin, Charles Candee. The Baldwin Genealogy from 1500 - 1881. Cleveland, OH: Leader Printing, 1881. Page 20.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Woodman, A. Vere. The Baldwins of Dundridge and Chesham in Co. Bucks. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Vol. 113 October 1959. Page 247. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB202/i/11596/248/23538985
4. ↑ De Banco Rolls, No. 1,059. Michaelmas Term, 20 Henry VIII, 1528, Membrane 219: Buckinghamshire.
5. ↑ De Banco Rolls, No. 1,091. Michaelmas Term, 28 Henry VIII, 1536, Membrane 479d: Hertfordshire.
6. ↑ Joseph Lemuel Chester, Investigations concerning the family of Baldwin, of Aston Clinton, Bucks. Page 21; published by the Historical and Genealogical Register for April, July, and October, 1884, correcting errors made by others in published works, on the genealogy of the Baldwin family of this area retrieved from https://archive.org/stream/investigationsco01ches#page/21/mode/1up/search/dolte
7. ↑ No 929; pg 329-330;Lindgren/Tryon Genealogy; 2nd edition; Lindgren cites his source as Pg 182; "Ancestry of Lorenzo Ackley and his wife Emma Arabella Bowsorth" (1960) by Parke & Donald Lines Jacobus
8. ↑ Baldwin, R. Mark. The Baldwins of England 1066 - 1638. Retrieved 3 Oct 2023 at https://astonrowant.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/biographybaldwinsdundridge.pdf

See Also

• Lindgren, J. Ralph; "The Lindgren/Tryon Genealogy: The Ancestry of John Ralph Lindgren and Shirley Ann Tryon"; Revised Edition (2007)-Google Book Reader URL: https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=eyeJAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA279.w.6.0.7

Acknowledgements

• This person was created through the import of Hooker Family Tree.ged on 30 March 2011

• Thanks to Katie Pyle for starting this profile.

• Biography written in full with inline sourcing with extensive revisions and corrections, questionable links/sources identified by Data Doctor were removed, and photo was added following detailed research by Baldwin descendant Carol Baldwin on 1 October 2023.