Jackson Baldwin, a prominent farmer and stockman of Plum Grove township, was born in Hancock county, Indiana, February 25, 1853, and is a son of Thomas and Nancy (Dillard) Baldwin. The mother was a native of Indiana, her parents being pioneers of that State. Thomas Baldwin was a native of North Carolina, born in 1819. His parents were North Carolinians. His father was killed, while serving as constable of his native county. He was called to the door of his house one night, and when he opened the door, was shot. In 1829, his widow, with her family, removed to Indiana, and settled in Hancock county, which was then a wilderness. Here Thomas Baldwin, the father of Jackson, grew to manhood, and was married. In 1854, he migrated to Monroe county, Iowa, with his family. Although there was plenty of government land open to settlement in Iowa at that time, he bought 280 acres about five miles from Albia, in Monroe county. Here he engaged in farming and prospered, and he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives there. He died in 1901, and his wife died in 1910. They were the parents of ten children, four of whom were born in Indiana, and the others in Iowa.

The Baldwin family came originally from England, but for a number of generations, had lived in Ireland, from whence five brothers immigrated to America in Colonial times, three of whom settled in New York, and two went to North Carolina, and Jackson Baldwin, the subject of this sketch, is a descendant of one of the brothers, who settled in North Carolina.

Jackson Baldwin was scarcely two years old when the family settled in Iowa. He grew to manhood on his father's farm there, and was educated in the public schools. He was united in marriage, February 24, 1876, with Miss Mary Alice Elswick, a native of Monroe county, Iowa, and a daughter of William and Susanna (Scott) Elswick. The

father was a native of Tennessee, and the mother of Kentucky. The Elswick family were early settlers in Indiana, and went from that State to Iowa in 1851. The Elswicks are of German origin, and the Scott family came from Scotland. To Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin have been born two children, as follows: C. W., farmer, Plum Grove township, was born March 4, 1877; and Jennie M., born August 15, 1879, married James Snavely, farmer, Butler county, and one child died in infancy.

Mr. Baldwin followed farming in Iowa until 1884, when he came to Kansas with his family, and located in Sedgwick county, where he spent the first winter. In the spring he bought 160 acres of land in Plum Grove township, which has since been the family home. When he bought this place there were very few improvements on it; the residence was a two room stone house with a clapboard roof, which freely admitted the snow and wintry winds. This served as the family residence for four years, when a commodious and comfortable home was erected, and Mr. Baldwin has made other improvements of a substantial nature until he has one of the best improved places in Plum Grove township, the appearance of which evinces the thrift and prosperity of its owner. Mr. Baldwin is a Republican, and has steadfastly supported the policies and principles of that party. Mrs. Baldwin is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Potwin.

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