I considered writing about my numerous Quaker, Society of Friends, Friends Church, ancestors with this week’s writing prompt of Friends. But there are so many that I decided it was best to write about them in the future, individually, and as family units.

I opted instead to write about my English Baldwin ancestors.

Baldwin is an English and Germanic boy’s name and surname that means bold, brave friend, derived from the Old German elements bald meaning bold, brave and wini meaning friend. In the Middle Ages, this was a popular name in Flanders and among the Normans, who brought it to Britain. (1) I must assume at some point in the history of my Baldwin ancestors, they were given this surname because someone was a bold, brave friend. I very much like the meaning of this name.

The furthest I can take my Baldwin lines back with certainty is to Richard Baldwin and his wife Ellen Apuke. Ellen was probably the sister of John Apuke, referred to as brother in the will of her husband. Richard Baldwin was not the son of Sir John Baldwin, MP, but they do appear to have had a kinship, possibly as cousins, or even as uncle/nephew [see below re: Manor of Dundridge]. According to Jacobus, Richard Baldwin was the son of Robert Baldwin and Agnes Dolte. (2)

Later generations of Ellen Apuke’s kin, via her brother, adopted a new spelling of the surname Apuke and changed it to Pooke in the 1800s in England.

Richard Baldwin, who is listed as of Dundridge Manor, was born about 1503 in Buckinghamshire, England. He married Ellen Apuke about 1524 in the village of Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England. He died in early 1533 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England.

Abstract of the will of Richard Baldwin:

To be buried in the church-yard of Aston Clinton; to Alis my daughter, 20 marks when married; to Agnes my daughter £12 when 19 and to Cicelly and Letise my daughters each £10, when 19;to John my son, my farm at Dongrove in the parish of Chesham, when 23, but if he die before that age, then the same to Henry, my son; to Richard my son, my tenth in Cholsbury and the lands belonging thereto, when 23; to Ellyn my wife and Henry my son the rents of my said houses & lands towards bringing up my children; to Heughe Baldwin, my brothers son, £6. 13`4`; smalll bequests to godchildren, tenants & servants; Henry my son 10 silver spoons and a maser; the residue of all personalty to Ellyn my wife and Henry my son equally, & they to be my executors; overseers of my will, my brothers John Baldwyn & John Apuke

The Manor of Dundridge

As early as 1320, the manor was in the possession of the Montacutes; it descended to Margaret, Countess of Salisbury, who was beheaded in 1541, when under her attainder, it fell to the crown.

Shortly after, King Henry, VIII, bestowed it upon Sir John Baldwin, the Chief Justice, who held it at his death, 24 Oct 1545, when with other estate, it passed to his heirs, who were as stated in the inquisition postmortem, Thomas Pakington, son and heir of his daughter Agnes, and John Burlacy, son and heir of his daughter Petronilla.

In the subsequent division of the estate, Dundridge appears to have fallen in the sole possession of the Pakingtons, passing from Thomas Pakington, heir, to his son and heir, John Pakington, who on the 1st of March, 1577-8, according to Patent Roll, 20 Eliz., Part 5, alienated it, with other messuages, tenements, &c., in Aston Clinton, Chesham, and Wendover, co., Bucks, to “Henry and Richard Baldwin,” and it was they of course who paid the taxes upon it the following year, wrongly stated elsewhere, to have been paid by “Sylvester Baldwin, & his son Henry.”

As Joseph Chester states in his book, “Richard Baldwin, in his will, in 1552/3, described himself as of Dundridge, he could only have been the tenant of the manor, as the ownership did not pass from the Pakingtons until 1577-8.” (3)

My line continues with the son Henry Baldwin, who is listed above in the abstract of his father’s will: to Ellyn my wife and Henry my son the rents of my said houses & lands towards bringing up my children.

Henry Baldwin was born after 1 Sept 1530 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England, and died 1 June 1602 at Dundridge Manor, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England. He married 21 July 1555 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England to Alice Kinge.

The will of Henry Baldwin was dated 2 January 1599/1600; titling himself Henry Baldwin of Dundridge Yeoman; of the parish of Aston Clinton, co., Bucks, Yeoman; he was buried at Aston Clinton on 1 June 1602; and his will proved at London, in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 2 July 1602, by Richard Baldwin, son and his named executor. (3)

Alice Kinge was born about 1533 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England, and died 23 Nov 1626 at about 93 years of age at Dundridge Manor, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England.

Her will gives a great amount of family information. Her will was proven 14 Dec 1626, and it lists her sons Richard and John Baldwin as executors, and if unable she lists her son Sylvester Baldwin and her son-in-law Richard Salter.

Furthermore, her will lists her three sons: Richard, Sylvester, and John, and daughters: Mary Baldwin Salter, Jane Baldwin Bonas, and daughter Agnes Baldwin Stonehill is listed as deceased.

Her will lists the following grandchildren:

1. Grandchildren by son Sylvester: John, Henry, Sylvester, Richard, William, Alice, and Jane Baldwin.
2. Grandchildren by son John: Richard, John, Mary, Agnes, and Martha Baldwin.
3. Grandchildren by daughter Mary (Baldwin) Salter; Richard, Thomas, John, David, Susanna, Mary, and Sarah Salter.
4. Grandchildren by daughter Jane (Baldwin) Bonas: Richard, Thomas, John, Christian, Faith, Mary, and Jane Bonas.
5. Grandchildren by deceased daughter Agnes (Stonehill) Baldwin, wife of Henry Stonehill: Henry, Jane, and Agnes Stonehill.
6. Grandchild of Robert Baldwin, Anne Baldwin.

She also lists her brothers: Thomas and Robert King(e), it mentions children, but only names one nephew, William King(e), son of Thomas, and her sister Marie (King/e) Montague.

Children of Henry Baldwin and Alice Kinge:

1. Richard Baldwin, born before 1560 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England and died 29 Nov 1636. He married Christian Towckfield. He died childless.
2. Sylvester Baldwin (Sr.) born 28 Sept 1560 at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England, and died before 16 Feb 1632 at Cholesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. He married on 28 Sept 1590 at Cholesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, to Jane Wells. (my direct ancestors).
3. Robert Baldwin, born about 1562 at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England, and died 1605 at Aston Clinton. He married Joane Robinson.
4. John Baldwin born about 1565 at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England, and died Oct 1637 at Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England. He married about 1581to Hannah ____.
5. Jane Baldwin, born about 1577 at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England, and died before 4 June 1622 at Aston Clinton. She married about 1599 to James Bonas.
6. Mary Baldwin, born about 1578 at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England, and died 1637. She married 30 Jan 1598/9 at Aston Clinton to Richard Salter.
7. Agnes Baldwin, born 1579 at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England, and died 1622. She married Henry Stonehill.

The Baldwin family has a long association with the village of Aston Clinton and many of my Baldwin ancestors and their kin are buried in the churchyard of St. Michael and All Angels Church, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire.

The above stained-glass window in found in the north aisle of St. Michael and All Angels
Church, in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England. The wording reads:

“To the Glory of God and in memory of ROBERT BALDWIN and his descendants who lived at Dundridge Manor in this parish c. 1520 – 1638 And of those who emigrated to [immigrated to] New England with SILVESTER BALDWIN“.

The window was donated by American Baldwin descendants in the 1960s.

My line continues with the second son listed above, Sylvester Baldwin (Sr.), who married Jane Wells.

Sylvester Baldwin (Sr.) was mentioned in the will of his grandmother (Ellen Apuke) Baldwin in 1565/6, in his father’s will of 2 Jan 1599/1600, and in his mother’s will (Alice King(e) Baldwin) 4 June 1622.

The Church of St. Leonard founded circa 1278, which is about 3 3/4 miles southeast by south of the parish church of Aston Clinton was in 1586 in the tenure of Silvester Baldwin who held other lands in the same parish which Queen Elizabeth had granted to Sir Edward Stanley, Knight and his heirs.
He acquired property in 1592 in Flitwick, Bedfordshire, England, about 25 miles from the Church of St. Leonard. The document of conveyance identifies Sylvester as the son of Henry Baldwin of Dundridge. (3)

In 1603 and 1605 the Sylvester Baldwyn’s house was infected with the plague. (3) Today, the plague is best known as the Black Death or the bubonic plague. Medieval people called it “the blue sickness,” La pest (“the Pestilence”), and “the Great Mortality.” (4)

In 1628, his name appears on tax records in Flitwick. (3)

Regarding the burial record of Silvester Baldwin of 1 Jun 1632 at Flitwick.

From Rev. Canon Michael Bradley:

People will have been buried here [ancient burial ground in Flitwick] for centuries, including 1632, but churchyard burial plots will have been re-used and any wooden or stone memorials will have long perished.

Sylvester Baldwin (Sr.) and wife Jane Welles had the following children:

1. George Baldwin, born about 1590, and died 21 Nov 1596, he is buried at Cholesbury.
2. Richard Baldwin, born about 1591, and died before 1661 he married April 1607 at Aylesbury, to Philippa Corbman.
3. Henry Baldwin, born about 1593 and died 14 Sept 1661 at Guildford, Surry. He married 10 May 1627 at London, to Mary Hurst.
4. John Baldwin, born before 1599, and died 20 Feb 1631/32, and is buried at Bedfordshire. He likely died unmarried.
5. Sylvester Baldwin (Jr.), born about 1599 and died 21 June 1638 at Sea on the ship Martin, on his way to British Colonial America. He married about 1620 to Sarah Bryan(t). His wife and children, who were also on the ship Martin, immigrated to the British Colonial Connecticut Colony. (my direct ancestors).
6. William Baldwin, born 1601 and died after 1676.
7. Jane Baldwin, born 1602 and died 2 July 1629. Named in the will of her grandmother Alice on 4 Jun 1622. Likely died unmarried.
8. Alice Baldwin, born 4 May 1605. She married 4 May 1629 at Milton Ernest, England, to John Edwards as his first wife.

My line continues with the fifth son listed above, Sylvester Baldwin (Jr.) and his wife Sarah Bryan(t). He with his wife and their five children, who were all baptized at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England, left England on the good ship, Martin. He made a nuncupative (oral) will at sea on 21 June 1638, and he died aboard the ship on the same day. It is assumed he was buried at sea, since the ship arrived in Boston three weeks later on 3 July 1638. His will was proved 4 July 1638, before Dep. Gov. Dudley in Boston making Sarah, his wife, and Richard, his son, executors of his estate.

Children of Sylvester Baldwin Jr. according to the Aston Clinton Registers:

1. Sarah baptized 22 April 1621; she married Benjamin Fenn.
2. Richard baptized 25 August 1622; he married Elizabeth Alsop.
3. Mary baptized 28 February 1623/24; buried 3 Nov 1625.
4. Mary baptized 19 February 1625/26; she married Robert Plumb of Milford. (my direct ancestors).
5. Martha baptized 20 April 1628.
6. Samuel baptized 1 July 1632; buried 4 January 1633.
7. Elizabeth baptized 28 January 1633; buried 31 January 1633/34
8. John (known as John Baldwin of Stonington), baptized 28 October 1635; he married Rebecca (Palmer) Chesebrough.
9. Ruth – not shown on Aston Clinton church register but mentioned in her father’s nuncupative will in 1638 aboard the ship Martin.

Sarah Byran(t) Baldwin married second to Capt. John Astwood, one of the seven pillars and judges of Milford. Capt. Astwood went to London on business for the Colony and died there about 1653.

In 1641, the “Widow” Baldwin was given a lot in the southwest square or Hertfordshire quarter of New Haven, which is now located at the corner of Chapel and York Streets in New Haven, Connecticut.
The family vacated their property in New Haven and moved with the group of founders to Milford. Her name is on one of the memorial stones on the Bridge over the Wepawaug River in Milford (pictured aove).

My line continues with their daughter Mary Baldwin who married Robert Plumb, he was the son of John Plumb and Dorothy Chaplin. At this point, the family named changes from Baldwin to Plumb. In the will of her mother Sarah Byran(t) Baldwin Astwood, Mary (Baldwin) Plumb, wife of Robert Plumb, is given most of her mother’s goods and chattels as well as a book called The Soule’s Conflict. 

My direct line:

1. Richard Baldwin and Ellen Apuke.
2. Henry Baldwin and Alice Kinge.
3. Sylvester Baldwin (Sr.) and Jane Wells.
4. Sylvester Baldwin (Jr.) and Sarah Bryan(t).
5. Mary Baldwin and Robert Plumb.
6. Dorothy Plumb and Samuel Prindle (my 8th great-grandparents).

My Baldwin ancestors are on my maternal side and are the ancestors of my great-grandmother Anna Cora Prindle Cole.

There are many famous kin descended from my Baldwin ancestors. A few famous descendants of my direct ancestors Mary Baldwin and Robert Plumb are:

Ernest Hemingway, First Lady Mamie (Doud) Eisenhower, and Prior Prime Minister of the UK Boris Johnson.

Go here to view the full list of famous kin and direct descendants of Richard Baldwin and Ellen Apuke.

References:

1. Baldwin name meaning. Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006 via Behind the Name.com
2. Jacobus, Donald Lines, ed., The Ancestry of Lorenzo Ackley and his Wife Emma Arabella Bosworth, Woodstock, Vermont: N. Grier Parke, II (1960), p 182.
3. Chester, Joseph Lemuel, Investigations concerning the family of Baldwin, of Aston Clinton. Privately published and printed, Boston, MA, 1884.
4. The Black Plague: The Least You Need to Know by Dr. Kip Wheeler, English Professor at Carson-Newman University.

Additional Sources:

1. Wheeler, Richard. History of the Town of Stonington, County of New London, Connecticut (Day Publishing, Co., New London, Conn., 1900) Page 223

Further reading:

1. Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England, wikepedia.com.
2. The Baldwins of England – Post Norman Generations. Complied by R. Mark Baldwin, Jr., wordpress.com.
3. Milford Memorial Stone Bridge in Memoriam, The Historical Marker Database. HMdb.org.
4. Milford Memorial Bridge & Tower, Milford Takes Nothing for Granite, July 2021. ctmq.org.
5. 7 ‘missing’ Milford founders added to plaque, John Burgeson, Dec. 5, 2014. ctpost.com

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