Baldwin, John M.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Among the bright and promising young attorneys of New Orleans, La., is John M. Baldwin, who has secured a satisfactory degree of worldly success by reason of his personal traits and the exercise of unmistakable business ability. His natural acumen, added to the thorough education he received in youth, makes him judicious in law, and his desire to reach the highest possible position keeps him ever on the alert to add to his knowledge by observation and study. He has already become a prominent member of the bar of New Orleans, and is a young man of studious habits, intelligence and upright character. Born August 3, 1854, in New Orleans, Mr. Baldwin was educated in the public schools of his native city, and in 1871 was appointed a cadet to West Point, and in 1875 graduated as a second lieutenant. He stood twelfth in his class, which numbered about fifty pupils, and after graduating he served about eight years in the regular army, being promoted to the position of first lieutenant in 1882. He performed garrison duty chiefly. During the yellow fever epidemic of 1878 he volunteered to take charge of the Jackson barracks of New Orleans, of which he had charge for two years, and for his services during that perilous period he received commendation from Gen. W. S. Hancock, who was then in command of the division of the Atlantic.

In 1883 he resigned from the army and was admitted to the bar two years later, since which time he has been engaged in the practice of law in New Orleans, and makes a specialty of commercial and corporation law. He has exhibited much legal ability and is at present judge advocate of Maj. S. P. Walmsley's staff. He is a member of the Law Library association, the Pickwick club, the Crescent City Democratic club, and has always been in sympathy with the democratic party.

In his religious belief he is an Episcopalian, and his nuptial rites were celebrated April 19,1883, by a minister of that denomination. Miss Augusta Stark Letchford, of New Orleans, became his wife and has borne him a son and daughter. Mr. Baldwin's father, Dr. Henry D. Baldwin, was born in New York, of English parents, and there died in the month of September, 1884. His wife was Margaret Gidiere a native of South Carolina and of French extraction, who died in 1877.

From Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, volume 2, pp. 259-260.