Roger Sherman Baldwin

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Roger Sherman Baldwin (January 4, 1793–February 19, 1863) was an American lawyer involved in the Amistad case, who later became governor of Connecticut.

He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, entered Yale College at the age of fourteen, and graduated with high honors in 1811. After leaving Yale he studied law in his father's office in New Haven, and also in the Litchfield Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1814. Although repeatedly called into public office, he devoted himself through life to the profession of his choice, attaining the highest distinction, especially in the discussion of questions of law. His defense in 1841, of the rights of the Africans of the Amistad (1841), is celebrated both on account of its marked ability, and also because of the peculiar interest which was felt in these unfortunate captives.

After having been a member of the city government in New Haven, in 1826 and 1828, Mr. Baldwin was elected in 1837 and again in 1838, a member of the Connecticut State Senate. In 1840 and 1841 he represented the town of New Haven in the General Assembly. He was chosen Governor of Connecticut in 1844 and was reelected in 1845. On the death of Hon. J. W. Huntington in 1847, Baldwin was appointed by Governor Clark Bissell to fill the vacancy thus occasioned in the United States Senate, and in December of that year he took his seat as a member of that body. He was elected by the Legislature in the following May to the same position, which he held till 1851. Since that period he has held no public office, except that he was one of the presidential electors in the canvass of 1860, and by appointment of Governor William Alfred Buckingham was a delegate to the Peace Convention which met in Washington, in 1861, by request of the State of Virginia. In all his career as a statesman he was distinguished for the wisdom of his counsels, the purity of his character, and an unswerving devotion to the progress of Liberty

The death of Governor Roger Sherman Baldwin occurred in New Haven, February 19, 1863; at the age of 70 and was interred at Grove Street Cemetery. A biographical discourse was pronounced at his funeral by Rev. Dr. Dutton, which was printed in the New Englander for April, 1863, and was also published as a pamphlet.

He was grandson of Roger Sherman, son of Simeon Baldwin, nephew of Ebenezer Baldwin, husband of Emily Pitkin Perkins, father of Simeon Eben Baldwin, grandfather of New York Supreme Court Justice Edward Baldwin Whitney, and the great-grandfather of the much famed Princeton University mathematics professor Hassler Whitney.

[edit] External links

Roger Sherman Baldwin at Findagrave.com
Connecticut Governor Roger Sherman Baldwin from the Connecticut State Library
Roger Sherman Baldwin on Famous Americans
US Senator Roger Sherman Baldwin US Congress
Baldwin Family Papers at Yale University
Roger Sherman Baldwin (1793-1863) Guide to Research Papers
Baldwin family of Connecticut Political Graveyard

Preceded by Jabez W. Huntington	United States Senator (Class 1) from Connecticut 1847–1851 Served alongside: John M. Niles, Truman Smith	Succeeded by Isaac Toucey

Governors of Connecticut

Trumbull Sr • M Griswold • Huntington • Wolcott • Trumbull Jr • Treadwall • R Griswold • Smith • Tomlinson • Peters • Edwards • Foot • Edwards • Ellsworth • Cleveland • RS Baldwin • Toucey • Bissell • Trumbull • Seymour • Pond • Dutton • Minor • Holley • Buckingham • Hawley • English • Jewell • English • Jewell • Ingersoll • Hubbard • Andrews • Bigelow • Waller • Harrison • P Lounsbury • Bulkeley • Morris • Coffin • Cooke • G Lounsbury • McLean • Chamberlain • Roberts • Woodruff • Lilley • Weeks • S. Baldwin • Holcomb • Lake • Templeton • Bingham • JH Trumbull • Cross • R Baldwin • Hurley • R Baldwin • Snow • McConaughy • Shannon • Bowles • Lodge • Ribicoff • Dempsey • Meskill • Grasso • O'Neill • Weicker • Rowland • Rell