Augustus C. Baldwin
Encyclopedia
Augustus Carpenter Baldwin (December 24, 1817 – January 21, 1903) was a politician
from the U.S. state
of Michigan
.
Baldwin was born in Salina (now Syracuse, New York
) and attended the public schools. He moved to Oakland County, Michigan
, in 1837 and taught school. He studied law
, was admitted to the bar
in 1842 and commenced practice in Milford, Michigan
. He was a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives
1844-1846, serving as Speaker in 1846.
He moved to Pontiac, Michigan
, in March 1849 and was prosecuting attorney for Oakland County in 1853 and 1854. He was a delegate to the 1860 Democratic National Convention
s at Charleston
and Baltimore.
Baldwin was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives
for the 38th Congress
, serving from March 4, 1863 to March 3, 1865, becoming the first person to represent Michigan's 5th congressional district
. He unsuccessfully contested the election of Rowland E. Trowbridge
to the 39th Congress
. He was a delegate to 1864 Democratic National Convention
in Chicago
, and to the 1866 National Union Convention
at Philadelphia
.
He was a member of the Pontiac School Board, 1868-1886, mayor of Pontiac in 1874, judge of the sixth judicial circuit court
of Michigan from 1875 until April 15, 1880, when he resigned and resumed the practice of law. He was a member of the board of trustees of the Eastern Michigan Asylum.
Baldwin died in Pontiac, aged 85,and was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery there.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Baldwin was born in Salina (now Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
) and attended the public schools. He moved to Oakland County, Michigan
Oakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
, in 1837 and taught school. He studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1842 and commenced practice in Milford, Michigan
Milford, Michigan
Milford is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,175 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Milford Township.- Geography :...
. He was a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives
Michigan State House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2000 federal U.S. Census.Members are elected in...
1844-1846, serving as Speaker in 1846.
He moved to Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
, in March 1849 and was prosecuting attorney for Oakland County in 1853 and 1854. He was a delegate to the 1860 Democratic National Convention
1860 Democratic National Convention
The 1860 Democratic National Convention was one of the crucial events in the lead-up to the American Civil War. Following a fragmented official Democratic National Convention that was adjourned in deadlock, two more presidential nominating conventions took place: a resumed official convention,...
s at Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
and Baltimore.
Baldwin was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the 38th Congress
38th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:Before this Congress, the 1860 United States Census and resulting reapportionment changed the size of the House to 241 members...
, serving from March 4, 1863 to March 3, 1865, becoming the first person to represent Michigan's 5th congressional district
Michigan's 5th congressional district
Michigan's 5th congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.It is currently a mostly industrial area , with Tuscola County being the main exception. It encompasses much of the area south of Saginaw Bay...
. He unsuccessfully contested the election of Rowland E. Trowbridge
Rowland E. Trowbridge
Rowland Ebenezer Trowbridge was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Trowbridge was born in Horseheads, New York and moved with his parents in 1821 to Oakland County, Michigan. In 1841, he graduated from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio and engaged in agricultural pursuits...
to the 39th Congress
39th United States Congress
The Thirty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1865 to March 4, 1867, during the first month of...
. He was a delegate to 1864 Democratic National Convention
1864 Democratic National Convention
The 1864 Democratic National Convention was held at The Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois. The Convention nominated General George B. McClellan for the Presidency, and Representative George H. Pendleton for the Vice-Presidency. McClellan, age 37 at the time of the convention and Pendleton, age 39,...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and to the 1866 National Union Convention
National Union Convention
The National Union Convention was held on August 14, 15 , and 16 1866, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The convention was called in advance of the mid-year elections of 1866 in an attempt to help president Johnson,...
at Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
He was a member of the Pontiac School Board, 1868-1886, mayor of Pontiac in 1874, judge of the sixth judicial circuit court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
of Michigan from 1875 until April 15, 1880, when he resigned and resumed the practice of law. He was a member of the board of trustees of the Eastern Michigan Asylum.
Baldwin died in Pontiac, aged 85,and was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery there.