Henry P. Baldwin

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For the United States Supreme Court justice, please see Henry Baldwin.

Henry Porter Baldwin (February 22, 1814–December 31, 1892), a descendant of pilgrim father Nathaniel Baldwin[1], was Governor of Michigan and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan.

Baldwin was born in Coventry, Rhode Island and attended the common schools. He worked as a store clerk from age 12 to age 20.[2] He moved to Detroit, Michigan and established a wholesale business in boots and shoes in 1838. He was a member of the convention which organized the U.S. Republican Party in Jackson, Michigan in 1854. He was influential in organizing the sixth Episcopal parish in the northern outskirts of Detroit in 1858 and in building St. John's Episcopal Church for the parish. Baldwin donated the church lot and underwrote the entire cost of building a chapel to seat 150 persons and a rectory.

He was director of the Michigan State Bank and president of the Second National Bank of Detroit, 1863–1887. For several years, he was also the director of the Eastern Asylum in Pontiac.[3] He was a member of the Michigan State Senate, 2nd District, 1861–1862. He was Governor of Michigan, 1869–1873. He was appointed and subsequently elected as a Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Zachariah Chandler and served November 17, 1879–March 3, 1881. He became Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party from 1880-1882. He was not a candidate for reelection to the Senate and resumed his former business pursuits, serving as president of the Detroit National Bank, 1883–1887. He died in Detroit and is interred in Elmwood Cemetery.

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Michigan political biography collection

This article incorporates facts obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Preceded by: Henry H. Crapo	Governor of Michigan 1869–1873	Succeeded by: John J. Bagley
Preceded by: Zachariah Chandler	U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Michigan 1879–1881	Succeeded by: Omar D. Conger
Preceded by: James McMillan	Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party 1880– 1882	Succeeded by: Edward S. Lacey