Amos C. Baldwin, of Deer Park township, LaSalle county, was born at the place where he now lives, August 7, 1848; was educated at Jennings Seminary at Aurora, and at Mount Carroll, Illinois, and at the age of twentythree engaged in teaching, a profession he followed for four years. At the end of that time he decided to return to the labors of the farm and accordingly established himself at the old home, where he has given the best years of his life to the successful and intelligent cultivation of the soil and the raising of livestock.
Mr. Baldwin is a son of Edgar Baldwin, who was born in Litchfield county, Connecticut, in the year 1814, and who spent the early years of his life in his native state and learned the carriage-maker's trade there. In 1843 he came west to Illinois, a journeyman carriage-maker, and located at Ottawa, where he engaged in the carriage business with William Palmer, with whom he was associated for some time. When he left the factory he bought a farm in Deer Park township, where he resided until his death in 1895. In politics he was originally a Whig, but in later life affiliated with the Democratic party. His wife, whose maiden name was Helen Calkins, was a daughter of John W. Calkins, who came from Connecticut to Illinois in 1838, and was one of the first settlers of Deer Park township. Their children are as follows: Amos C, the direct subject of this sketch; Mrs. I. N. Reed, of Urbana, Illinois; Mrs. J. M. Massey, of Virginia, Illinois; and Mrs. Lucy Williams, deceased.
Amos C. Baldwin married, January 17, 1878, Miss Elizabeth Reynolds, a daughter of Joseph M. Reynolds. The Reynolds family was the first to settle in Deer Park township, Martin Reynolds, Mrs. Baldwin's grandfather, being the first settler. He came from the state of Ohio and his place of location here was on Vermilion river near Deer Park. Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin's children are Agnes R., Jessie, Louise, Marion and Margaret.
Mr. Baldwin is one of the prominent political factors in his township. In politics he has always been a Republican and is at the present time a member of the Republican county central committee. He was elected the supervisor in 1892, having previously been the township clerk and commissioner of highways. He was a member of the county board seven consecutive years, three of the seven years being the chairman of the board, and rendered valuable service to his town and country. He served as the chairman of the committee on paupers and statistics, was on the road and bridge committee and on the special committee of that name. He was on the special committee to erect the county insane asylum. The matter of the reduction of pauper expenses gave him much concern and he labored to bring about such a reform in the administration of the county pauper affairs that would achieve that end. The present plan in vogue was adopted in conformity with a resolution of his own and is expected to produce beneficial results.
Mr. Baldwin takes an active interest in church and Sunday-school affairs. He has been the superintendent of the Sunday-school of his community twenty-five years.
Extracted by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois published in 1900, volume 1, pages 352-353.
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