San
Joaquin County
Biographies
JOHN BALDWIN
For over thirty years John Baldwin
was a pioneer settler and prominent citizen of San Joaquin County. He passed away at the home of his daughter in
San Francisco, April 27, 1913, aged almost ninety. He was associated with many of the early
events in the county, as well as with its later progress and improvement and to
the activities of these early settlers the generation of today owes much. He was born in Potosi, Missouri, May 29,
1823, a son of William John and Ann (Kirkpatrick) Baldwin, natives of Mississippi
and Tennessee, respectively. The Baldwin
family were originally from Holland, while the
Kirkpatrick family were from Scotland, both families coming to America soon
after the eventful voyage of the Mayflower.
John Baldwin received a good education in the private schools of his
native state and remained at home with his parents until he was twenty-five
years old, when the crossed the plains over the Oregon Trail to Oregon City,
Willamette Valley. The next year he came
to California, arriving in May, 1849, and engaged in mining on the American
River until 1851, when he returned to his home in the south via the Isthmus of
Panama. One year later, with his mother
and sister, he again crossed the plains to California, this time settling in
Yolo County, where he engaged in general merchandising at Knights Landing on
the Sacramento River, remaining there until 1860, when he removed to San
Joaquin County.
On March 29, 1855, at Knights
Landing, Mr. Baldwin was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Kirk, a native of
Missouri. Mrs. Baldwin accompanied her
brothers John W., Thomas, James and Joe Kirk, to California; and they purchased
and settled on a ranch near Bellota, known as the Bluett
ranch; later, in 1860, this ranch was purchased by Mr. Baldwin. Here he and his wife spent over thirty years
of their married life, and here all their children were born. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs.
Baldwin, five of whom grew up. Thomas J.
married Lilla Cody; John K. married Myrtle Berry;
Edward L. married Mary M. Jacobs; Maude A. became Mrs. Walter E. Bidwell; and
Henry G. is now deceased.
In 1899, Mr. Baldwin left his ranch
and removed to Stockton, where he lived with his son, John K., and on April 27,
1913, he passed away at the home of his daughter in San Francisco. He was a prominent member of the Grange
Lodge, and in politics voted the Democratic ticket. His church affiliations were with the Baptist
denomination. Mr. Baldwin worked his way
gradually upward to prosperity, and his life history exemplified the statement
that success has its foundation in earnest and honorable labor.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
900. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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