Thomas F. and Elizabeth Baldwin tombstone

BALDWIN

Thomas F.
DEC. 29, 1836 - AUG. 2, 1921

Elizabeth (n. Burton)
MAR. 28, 1844 - DEC. 31, 1902
"ETERNAL REST"

From the Streator Daily Free Press:

TAPS SOUND FOR CRIMEAN WAR HERO
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Thomas Baldwin Dies At Advanced Age-- Had Eventful past.
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   Thomas Baldwin, octogenarian, who was found dead in his bed at his home at 218 Eleventh street yesterday was a Crimean war veteran. The aged man had an eventful career and was one of the city's most remarkable residents.
   Mr. Baldwin was born in England, December 29, 1826 in Wuenhoe county, Essex. His mother died in England when he was a lad of eleven. His father was the captain of a small fruit ship, a sailing vessel, and took the son with him on his voyages after the death of the mother. The lad became a sailor while in his teens. When the Crimean war broke out, he was eighteen years old. He enlisted in the English navy and was assigned to duty on a transport. The first trip the transport made was from Southhampton to Balaklava to take the 21st British Fusiliers to the scene of activities. Mr. Baldwin was the harbor for two months wihie the siege of Sebastapol was going on only sixteen miles distant.
   The transport on which he was assigned carried provisions form the Isle of Malta to the troops taking part in the siege. Mr. Baldwin was in the English naval service for fourteen months after which he followed the sailor life on various vessels and touched the ports of practically every country on the globe. At Calcutta, India, he left the English merchant vessel and came under the flag of the United States for the first time from Calcutta the American vessel sailed to Antwerp, Belgium, being away from port five months and three days and seeing land only twice in that time. Both of these lands were islands, one of them being St. Helena, made historic by the exile of Napolean. Came to America    From Antwerp, Mr. Baldwin crossed the ocean and touched the ports of Quebec and Montreal, later coming on down the great lakes to Chicago. It was the Dame Richmond from Cleveland and Mr. Baldwin saw her start from the dock. That same year the "Madiera Pet" of Bristol sailed from an English port and came to Chicago. Mr. Baldwin was on the dock when she arrived. His First Visit Here    Mr. Baldwin first came to this community to work in the coal mines in winter and continued to live the life of a sailor during the warmer weather for several years.
   Altogether he was a sailor for nineteen years, eleven years on the sea and eight years on the Great Lakes. Mr. Baldwin was one of the few living Crimean war veterans at the time of his death. About fifteen years ago he visited relatives in England and met a brother-in-law there who lived to an advanced age and who was also a Crimean War veteran. The two heroes exchanged experiences and learned that they had been stationed on vessels which were but a stone's throw apart during the conflict.
   Mr. Baldwin married Elizabeth Burton in Pontiac, July 24, 1867. He is survived by his two sons, Joseph and George of Streator.
   Mr. Baldwin was a resident of this city for 55 years. He was a very active for a man of his years and lived alone in his cottage across the street from his son Joseph. He died suddenly of heart failure yesterday.
   The decedent was a member of Christ Episcopal Church. Funeral services will be held at Wagner's Funeral Home Thursday at 2 p.m. Interment in Moon Cemetery. Anyone wishing to view the remains may do so at the Funeral home.

From the Streator Daily Free Press, Dec. 31, 1902:

Thirty Years Suffering is Relieved by Death
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Mrs. Thomas Baldwin, An Old Resident of Coalville, Passes Away-- Rheumatism Her Trouble
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   Mrs. Elizabeth Baldwin, wife of Thomas Baldwin, a long-time resident of Coalville, died last night shortly after 12 o'clock at the family residence in that village. She had been a patient sufferer with rheumatism for thirty years, during the the greater part of which time whe was incapacitated for work. She had been unable to walk for the past three years, yet bore her affliction with commendable fortitude.
   Mrs. Baldwin's maiden name was Burton. She was one of the oldest residents in the community where she passed away. Her father met death in a coal bank at Brock's ford, south of the city, in 1859.
   Surviving the decedent are the husband and two sons, George and Joseph, all of whom live at Coalville; also three brothers-- John Burton of Coalville; Delos Burton of Manville, and Ezra Burton, who is a resident of the state of Nebraska; and one sister, Mrs. L.H. Mallory, formerly a resident of Coalville, died in Nebraska several years ago.
It is expected that the funeral will be held at 1 o'clock Friday afternoon. The interment will be made at Moon's cemetery where the remains of the father, mother, and sister (Mrs. Mallory) of Mrs. Baldwin are buried.

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