NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Biographical and Genealogical History of Morris County New Jersey. Illustrated. Vol. II., Lewis Publishing Company, New York and Chicago, 1899, p249.

While the energetic enterprising business men usually reach the same goal that of success, there are different conditions in the lives of all.—conditions that call for individual effort and for certain strong traits of character, to meet the many obstacles and difficulties that are sure to come. As the surroundings and conditions of no two individuals are precisely alike, it is impossible to lay down any invariable rule for achieving success, and the result must depend upon the man, his power of adapting himself to circumstances and of overcoming the barriers in his path. Success therefore is a matter of individual merit, and in this particular Mr. Baldwin deserves much credit. Beginning business life without capital, he has steadily worked his way upward, and now, at the head of the firm of G. W. Baldwin & Sons, of Summit, he is prominently connected with the industrial interests of this part of the state.

A native of Morris county, he was born on the old Baldwin homestead, in Chatham township, on the 1st of February 1851, and is a son of Samuel Baldwin. He was reared on his father's farm and is one of the bright products of the American school system, which has always furnished the great majority of the children with their educational privileges. At the age of twelve he left home to engage in clerking in a grocery, for William Morehouse, at the comer of Green and Liberty streets, Newark, and after a short time he entered the employ of Richardson & York, at the corner of Pacific and Nichols streets, where he continued for four years. On the expiration of that period he removed to New Providence, Union county, where he was employed in the general store of McEachron & Tompkins, and later with William Stavers. After a four-years residence in New Providence he located in Madison, where he engaged the ice-cream and confectionery business, until failing health caused his retirement from active business. He next located in Raritan, Somerset county, in the same business, which be conducted from 1872 to 1874, when he returned to Madison and dealt in produce for nine years. On the expiration of that period he sold out, and, removing to Summit, established the Summit Bakery, in 1883. Here he built up a good trade. but sold out in July, 1893. and again located in Madison, where he lived about three years. In October, 1895, however, he repurchased the Summit Bakery and organized the present firm of G. W. Baldwin & Sons, whose trade is a very extensive one. He runs four wagons, delivering his goods in Summit, New Providence, Madison and Chatham, and the excellent quality of his articles insures him a very liberal patronage.

On the 1st of February, 1870, Mr. Baldwin was united in marriage to Miss Hannah J. Green, a native of Green Village, Morris county, and a daughter of John D. and Hannah (Allen) Green, natives of Morris county. This union has been blessed by the following named children: Clinton W., who married Elizabeth McGregor, and has four children — Edwin N., Harold C., Bessie C. and Georgianna; George E., who was killed by accident in 1883, at the age of ten years; Harry M. and Ada M.

Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin hold their ecclesiastical membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, and the former belongs to Summit Council, Royal Arcanum, and to Madison Lodge, No. 93. A. F. & A. M., of which he is serving his third term as worshipful master. In his political views he is a Democrat. but office has no attraction for him, as he prefers to devote his attention to his industrial interests. His strict integrity, business conservatism and deliberate judgment have always been so uniformly recognized that he has enjoyed public confidence to an enviable degree. and naturally this has brought him a lucrative patronage.

Transcribed by Brianne Kelly-Bly

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