(95.) Ellen BALDWIN.

I don't have any solid information on Ellen's parents or background. Below is what I have managed to gather from various sources on one Baldwin family in Chatham. It may or may not be the one related to Ellen. If you have any further information I'd appreciate hearing from you!

Since Ellen and Samuel Russell were married in the Miramichi area, specifically in Nelson, which is near Chatham, it seems highly likely that Ellen is related to the Baldwin family that is living in that area at the time of the 1851 census.

Daniel BALDWIN and his wife Ann, are listed in the 1851 New Brunswick Census in Chatham, Northumberland County. Daniel was 62, born in New Brunswick, a farmer; his wife Ann was 56, also born in New Brunswick. Also in the household: son John, age 34, and his wife Jane, age 24, and their children Jane (5), Thomas (3), Phoebe (2) and Daniel (2 months); son Daniel, age 32, and his wife Mary Ann (26, b. in Ireland) and their children Mary Ann (3) and Jane (1); and sons William (20) and Thomas (13). Listed in the same census, in the same town was Samuel Creach, age 54, b. in USA, entered Canada Oct 1818, with wife Marie (41) and children Almina, Mary Jane, Albert, George, Elizabeth, Nancy, and Sarah Ann. This is very probably the same Sam Creech who was a witness at the marriage of Ellen and Samuel Russell.

This Daniel is Daniel Nason BALDWIN, born about 1790, baptized on 17 Jan 1792 at All Saints Church in St.Andrews, Charlotte Co., New Brunswick. His wife is Anne NOBLE who was born about 1795 in Northumberland Co., NB. They were married on 11 Apr 1816 in Chatham. On 23 May 1816 he purchased a ten-rod strip of land on the southerly bank of the Miramichi between Newcastle and Chatham.

Daniel died before 1869; Anne died after 1871.

Given the date of marriage and the ages of their children, it seems unlikely that Ellen is their daughter; she was married in 1834, so was probably at least 16 in that year, in other words, born in 1818 or earlier. Daniel and Ann's children are as follows:

i. John BALDWIN, born 1817 in Chatham. John married Jane BLACKMORE on 13 Nov 1845 in Chatham, and died on 18 Nov 1884
ii. Daniel BALDWIN was born in 1819 in Chatham. He married Mary Ann McLAUGHLIN on 28 Dec 1847 in Chatham. Mary Ann died on 17 Dec 1889 in Chatham. Daniel died in on 5 Nov 1899.
iii. Alexander BALDWIN was born about 1828 in Chatham. He married Elizabeth WESTON on 15 Nov 1853 in Douglasfield, Chatham, and died on 4 May 1873.
iv. William BALDWIN was born about 1831, and was married on 31 Dec 1857 to Margaret ORR at St.Paul's, Chatham.
v. Thomas BALDWIN was born about 1838. He married on 22 Nov 1876 to Jane Dickson in Northumberland. He died on 2 Jul 1898 in Douglasfield, Chatham.

[Sources: Index to Northumberland County Death Register, 1888-1920; private communications from George Baldwin]

It is possible that Ellen was born in 1818, and was married at the age of 16; in that case she could have been born between John and Daniel.

But it seems more likely that Ellen was a younger sister of Daniel Nason Baldwin. Below is information on Daniel's parents. But first, some information on Daniel and how and when he came to be in Chatham.

Daniel was born in St.Andrews, Charlotte Co, New Brunswick. This town is right across the St.Croix River from the State of Maine, in the extreme southwest corner of New Brunswick. By 1816 he had met and married his wife, Anne Noble, who was from Chatham. This means that he had probably moved to the Miramichi region prior to 1816.

In 1823 he requested a grant of 200 acres "in the rear of Number fifty-two on the south side of the Miramichi River" in Chatham, noting that he had been born in Charlotte County and had lived his entire life in New Brunswick. In 1827 he submitted a petition, along with Jonathan Noble (probably a relative of Anne's), asking the Governor General to formally grant them land they had taken possession of "some years ago" and which they had improved and built on, but had not paid the required fees on. Others were claiming the same lots, and Baldwin and Noble explained that they had put all their wealth into improving the land, and if they were thrown off of those lots they "and their families would be plunged in the deepest distress."

The fact that Daniel and Jonathan Noble submitted the latter petition together, and that their lots were adjacent (Jonathan's was in the rear of lot 51), indicates that they were close, if not actually business partners in their farms. Some research on the Noble family of Chatham might reveal more about Daniel and how he came to move to Chatham.

Here is the information on Daniel's parents and siblings:

John BALDWIN was born in England. He was married to Hannah Nason GREENLAW, who was born about 1769, possibly in the district of Maine. Her parents were Alexander Greenlaw and Hannah Nason; they were Penobscot Loyalists who were granted Farm Lot #45 in St.Andrews Town [source: Return of Men, Women and Children of the Penobscot Loyalists Settled in the District of Passamaquoddy the 10th of June 1784, Library and Archives Canada, Ward Chipman Papers, Muster Master General's Office - Loyalists Musters, 1776-1785]

John died before May 1828 in Digdeguash, St.Patrick, NB. Hannah died on 2 May 1828 and was buried on 4 May at All Saints, St.Andrews, Charlotte Co., New Brunswick.

John Baldwin and Hannah had the following children:

i. Daniel Nason BALDWIN (see above)
ii. Mary BALDWIN was born on 30 Sep 1793, and was christened on 6 May 1800 at All Saints Church, St Andrews. She was married on 8 Sep 1817 to Patrick Keleher at All Saints Church. She died on 13 Feb 1878 in Eureka, Humboldt Co., California.
iii. John BALDWIN Jr. was born in 1799. He was christened on 11 Jul 1802 at All Saints Church, St. Andrews. He was married on 1 Jan 1825 to Elizabeth (Bessie) Acheson. He died on 8 Dec 1875 in Elmsville, Charlotte Co.
iv. Hannah BALDWIN was christened on 11 Jul 1802.
v. Jane BALDWIN was born abt 13 Mar 1803 in St.Patrick, Charlotte Co. She was christened on 11 Jul 1803 at All Saints Church in St.Andrews. She was marrie don 25 Sep 1822 (or 1823) at All Saints. She died on 13 Jan 1892 in Elmsville, Charlotte Co.
vi. Thomas BALDWIN was born on 20 Mar 1804 in Charlotte Co. He was married on 6 Jan 1825 to Jane Acheson. He died on 8 Nov 1857 in Canfield, N. Cayuga Twp, Heldiman Co., Ontario.
vii. Elizabeth BALDWIN was born in 1805 in St.Patrick, Charlotte Co. She was married on 21 Dec 1824 to Thomas Carson. She died before 1881.
viii. Sarah BALDWIN was born about 1808 in St.Patrick, Charlotte Co. She was married on 12 May 1829 to William Freeman at All Saints Church in St.Andrews.
ix. Lucy BALDWIN was born on 15 May 1812 in St.Andrews, Charlotte Co. She was christened on 8 Sep 1812 at All Saints Church in St.Andrews. She was married on 28 Jan 1835 at All Saints to John Alexander Young. She died on 17 Dec 1869 in San Diego, California.
x. Alexander BALDWIN was born abt 1 Aug 1814 in Charlotte Co. He was married on 1 Oct 1840 to Anna Douglas. He died on 1 Jun 1894 in Canfield, Haldimand Co., Ontario.
[source: thanks to George Baldwin for this information]

Given the dates and ages, it is possible that Ellen was born between 1808 and 1812, that is, between Sarah and Lucy. This would have put her at between the ages of 22 and 26 when she married Samuel Russell in 1834. As we see, the christening records do not record all of John and Hannah's children, especially those born after 1803; some have been identified only from the marriage records. Since Ellen was married in Nelson, she has not shown up in the records of All Saints Church in St.Andrews. Perhaps she moved to Chatham to be with or near her older brother Daniel.

One missing piece of the puzzle: Who is the Charles Baldwin who was a witness at Ellen and Samuel's marriage? He might be another sibling who was not recorded in the acts of All Saints.

Again, Ellen's relationship to this family is supposition, but it is based on circumstantial evidence.

If you have any other clues or information on this family, or any other Baldwin family in the Chatham area, please contact me!

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Last revised 13 Jan 2011