One problem I have right now is how to locate birth records from the 1850s/1860s in Belmont, Allegany County, New York. I don’t see birth records for that location listed in the FamilySearch “catalog” section, so, no microfilm to request. I found a local historical society in that town and posted the question about where to find such records, but so far, no advice has been received. Two reference volumes about finding primary sources, Red Book and Family Tree Sourcebook, aren’t helping me here. Next step is to call the town VR department.
This is who I’m looking for. My gg-grandparents:
Edward (1833 – ?) and Catherine (1833-1907) Baldwin
appear in the 1860 Federal Census in Amity (Allegany County) New York (page 42). It’s hard to read but Edward reports being born in Massachusetts around 1833. He is a lumber planer, and quite poor. Catherine was born in Surrey, England around 1833 and arrived in the U.S. about 1843. Her maiden name may have been Spaulding or Younge. There were two children in the house:
- Anna Jean Bennett (child of Catherine’s first marriage to Wm or Thomas Bennett) 16 Jul 1854-1939
- Harriet Elizabeth (Hattie) Baldwin Nov.1858 – 1930
Another child, my g-grandfather
- Miles Edward Baldwin, would be born in Jun 1863 (d. 1926)
And incidentally Catherine had one more child, the oldest, artist
- William Blackstone Bennett (c.1853 – 1909), however I don’t know where he was in 1860. Perhaps with his father.
Various later sources report that Anna Jean, Harriet and Miles were born in Belmont. The family does not appear in the 1865 NY census. In the 1870 federal census, Catherine plus Hattie and Miles appear in Sterling, Massachusetts where Catherine has just married for the third and final time. I know a lot about the subsequent lives of these people. They never returned to New York.
Miles Edward Baldwin, circa 1890
However the 1860 census record is the only direct evidence I have for Edward. I don’t know what happened before or after that. One record from the area reports an Edward Baldwin marching off to the Civil War but quickly deserting. There are various Baldwins in Cuba, Wellsville and Granger but I have no way of knowing if they are related. I suspect not.
Surely, “Miles” is an old family name. There are some towns in Worcester County, Mass. with significant populations of Miles and Baldwins, and some connections that I know about to other, later parts of the family. I’ll keep investigating this. Who knows, it could help. If only Edward’s first name wasn’t so common.
Below is Catherine’s picture, plus the picture back which lists the three marriages.
Wish me luck!
Catherine Baldwin, circa 1900 in Providence, RI
