Biography
Descended from an aristocratic British family dating back to the seventeenth century, Baldwin was born in New Haven, Connecticut, the son of Michael Baldwin and Theodora Walcott. He is the half-brother of Abraham Baldwin. He attended Hopkins School, and received a B.A at age 17 from Yale College in 1797, he attended Litchfield Law School and read law in 1798. He was a Deputy state attorney general of Allegheny County and eventually Crawford County, Pennsylvania (after its founding in 1800) from 1799 to 1801. He was also the publisher of The Tree of Liberty, a Republican newspaper.
After the death of his first wife, Marana Norton, Baldwin married Sally Ellicott, and they established a residence in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Baldwin was elected to the United States Congress as a member of the Democratic-Republican Party in 1816, representing Pennsylvania, but resigned after six years because of his declining health and failing finances. He strongly supported the election of Andrew Jackson in the election of 1828. On January 4, 1830, some six weeks after the death of Bushrod Washington, Jackson nominated Baldwin to the Supreme Court. Baldwin was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 6, 1830, and received his commission the same day.
Baldwin considered resigning in 1831. In a letter to President Jackson, he complained about the Court’s extension of its powers. Some historians believe that Baldwin suffered from mental illness during this period. However, he continued to serve on the court until his death in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Read more about this topic: Henry Baldwin (judge)
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