History of La Salle/LaSalle County Illinois 1877 Elmer Baldwin ~ Association Copy ~ Genealogy

Title: History of La Salle [LaSalle] County Illinois.
Its Topography, Geology, Botany, Natural History, History of the Mound Builders, Indian Tribes, French Explorations, and A Sketch of the Pioneer Settlers of each Town to 1840, with an Appendix, Giving the Present Status of the County, Its Population, Resources, Manufacturers and Institutions

Author: Elmer Baldwin

Description: Association inscription on flyleaf. Handsomely re-cased in burgundy cloth boards with new endpapers; gilt lettering on spine and original front cover pictorial preserved. Top edge of text block shows some wear lightly affecting the top of pages, else an attractive, clean copy. Illustrated frontispiece + four maps. pp. viii, 552.

The flyleaf inscription reads: ''Eva Sutherland./ Presented by R. Williams / ex. Co. Supt. La Salle Co. / Sept. 26. 1895''. Rinaldo Williams (1829-1900) was the author's son-in-law, having married Mary Adeline Baldwin in 1857. Williams served as the LaSalle County Superintendent of School from 1872-1882, and was the principal of Streator High School from 1883-1894. He had been a resident of the village of Ridge Farm, where Elmer Baldwin had also resided. Williams is likely the author of the volume's botanical essay that begins on page 486. He is also mentioned on pages 384 and 532.

The author, Elmer Baldwin (1809-1894), was a native of Connecticut and was one of LaSalle County's earliest pioneers, having settled in the county in 1835. He was appointed by U.S. President John Tyler as Ridge Farm's first postmaster in 1843 or 1844 (the post office was in his home), an office which he held for 21 year. He also established the Farm Ridge Seminary in 1850 (Rinaldo Williams was in charge of the seminary for three years). Baldwin served two terms a Representative to the Illinois State Legislature and was a State Senator, 1873-1874.

Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Very Good

Publisher: Rand, McNally & Co., Printers
Place: Chicago
Year: 1877

Keywords: Farm Ridge, LaSalle, Rinaldo Williams, genealogy,