| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Baldwin, Columbus J. |
| Title: | Columbus J. Baldwin Papers |
| Dates: | 1849-1963 |
| Extent: | 0.40 linear feet (1 container) |
| Abstract: | Columbus J. Baldwin was born in Huntsville, Pennsylvania, and lived as a young adult in Wilkes-Barre, Lozerne County, Pennsylvania. After marriage in 1859 to Lucie A. Gager, they spent a short time homesteading in Missouri, and then settled in Norwalk, Ohio, where Baldwin owned a grocery store and participated in Huron County politics. Baldwin was also a writer of numerous articles on politics, contemporary issues, and reminiscences in area newspapers and magazines, using the initials C.J.B. or the pen name "Mountaineer." The collection consists of family correspondence, a ledger book containing accounting records and a diary, newspaper clippings, and genealogy research notes and correspondence. Includes Baldwin's printed reminiscences of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania and of Norwalk, Ohio. |
| MS Number | MS 4608 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English |
Columbus J. Baldwin (1831-1924), the son of Abed and Philena Lewis Baldwin, was born in Huntsville, Pennsylania, and lived as a young adult in nearby Wilkes-Barre, working as the clerk of courts for Lozerne County and then as federal assistant assessor there. While visiting his brother in Norwalk, Ohio, he met Lucie A. Gager, and after marrying in 1859 and spending a short time homesteading in Missouri, they settled in Norwalk, Ohio, where Baldwin owned a grocery and participated in county politics. He was also a prolific writer and contributed numerous articles on politics, contemporary issues, and reminiscences to area newspapers and magazines, signing himself either "C.J.B." or his Pennsylvania nom-de-plume "Mountaineer."
The Columbus J. Baldwin Papers, 1849-1963, consist of family correspondence, a ledger book containing accounting records and a diary, newspaper clippings, and genealogy research notes and correspondence.
These papers, especially the numerous newspaper clippings, document Baldwin's development as a social commentator and amateur historian. His printed reminiscences relate a personal history of Lozerne County, Pennsylvania and of Norwalk, Ohio. There are intriguing and humorous letters from his brother, Griffin Lewis Baldwin, describing Griffin's pioneering venture across the Great Plains in the late 1850s to cash-in on the booming mining industry in the West. These papers also offer valuable research material concerning Baldwin family genealogy.
None.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4608 Columbus J. Baldwin Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Lucy Rule, 1984.
Processed by Rebecca M. Johnson in 1992
Columbus J. Baldwin Papers 1836-1963 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Baldwin, Columbus J., correspondence with family 1849-1965 | |||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Letter of introduction from Wilkes-Barre friends 1857 | |||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Transcribed letters from his brother Griffen Lewis Baldwin 1859 | |||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Wedding invitation for Glenn A. Baldwin's marriage 1910 | |||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Sympathy letter on C. J. Baldwin's death from Charles D. Linskill 1924 | |||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Various writings undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Letter, from Martha Woodburn of Caraway Randolph, North Carolina to her husband, picked up on the Gettysburg battlefield by Columbus J. Baldwin May 1863 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Baldwin, Columbus J., ledger, containing minutes of Huntsville, Penn. school district meetings; accounts; diary describing farming life, social commentary, and description of his move to Norwalk, Ohio 1861-1866 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Loose writings from ledger undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Scrapbook (Part I), of clippings of articles written by Columbus J. Baldwin or collected by him 1836-1868 | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Scrapbook (Part II), of clippings written by Columbus J. Baldwin or collected by him 1868-1924 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Loose newsclippings removed from scrapbook 1899-1924 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Newspaper clippings 1875-1931 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Baldwin family, genealogy research correspondence and notes 1919-1963 undated | |||||||||