Deacon Theophilius Baldwin

M, b. June 1683, d. after 1733
FatherJohn Baldwin b. 28 Oct 1635, d. 19 Aug 1683
MotherRebecca Palmer b. 1646, d. 2 May 1713
     Theophilius was born in June 1683 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut.1 Theophilius married Priscilla Mason on 25 May 1710 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut.2 Theophilius was a deacon of the "Old Black Meeting House Congregational Church".3 Theophilius's wife, Priscilla, died before 1 May 1724 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut, leaving him a widower. Theophilius married 2nd Jemima Powers on 1 May 1724 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut.4 Theophilius's wife, Jemima, died before 18 October 1733 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut, leaving him a widower. Theophilius married 3rd Elizabeth (?) on 18 October 1733 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut. She was 1st married toa Mr. Hascall.5 Theophilius departed this life after 1733 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut.

Family 1

Priscilla Mason b. 17 Sep 1691, d. b 1 May 1724

Family 2

Jemima Powers d. b 18 Oct 1733

Family 3

Elizabeth (?)

Citations

  1. [S183] Hemry Bainbridge Hoff, Long Island Source Records From the New Yow York Biographical & Genealogical Record, page 241 - Theophilius Baldwin2 [John 1] b. in Stonington, Conn., June, 1683 and remained there.
  2. [S138] Charles Candee Baldwin, The Baldwin Genealody from 1500-1881, page 241 - Theophilius Baldwin m., May 25, 1710, Priscilla Mason.
  3. [S698] Honorable John D. Baldwin, John Baldwin of Stonington & Other John Baldwin's of Early Colonial Times, “The Old Family Bible”
    [It belonged to Theophilius Baldwin & passed on to his son, John Baldwin. John married Eunice Spalding [7/28/1720-1/--/1819]]. John & Eunice were the great grandparents of John D. Baldwin, the informat of this article. After her husband, John died, Eunice had possession of the bible. She lived for a few years prior to her death in the home of John D. Baldwin's parents. She shared many family memories with him along with this bible. After her death, the bible with its old age, grew into disrepair & disappeared ... klm]
    seen by John D. Baldwin] Records within told of ...
    - John Baldwin, of Stonington, and John Baldwin, of Norwich, to be cousins. Cousins meant very closely related.
    - the records in it were made by Theophilius. These records were important may be inferred from two circumstances: 1st-John Baldwin, of Stonington, was his father; & 2nd, his mother [Rebecca Palmer], who lived thirty years after his father's death. He must have been well informed in regard to the family history. As he was, according to tradition, a very intelligent man, it was hardly possible that he should fail to gain considerable accurate information in regard to his ancestry and family connections.
    - Eunice was remarkably well preserved in mind and spirits, until a short time previous to her death. She had the old Bible when John D. Bladwin first saw it, and was extremely careful to guard it against injury. When she died, it went to John D.'s oldest uncle; but the binding had become tender; it was too much neglected; and, after a few years, it became a wreck and disappeared. [John D. nearly 18 years old] realized the importance & sought to recover & preserve all that could be remembered.
    - he recalled his great-grandmother's talks & his aunts examination & recollections & made a record of information they could remember & later verified all he could.

    "Bible Records Remembered":
    1. His 1st ancestor was named John; he lived first in New-Haven; he married [Rebecca Palmer] the wife with whom he settled in Stonington, he was a widower & she a widow; & through her we were related to the Chesebroughs.
    2. This John Baldwin's father died on passage to America; his wife [Sarah] & children settled in New-Haven; his name was Sylvester; and that my great-grandfather's brother, Sylvester, who lived to be a very old man, and was known to my aunt, was named for him.
    3. My great-grandfather's father [Theophilius] married a [Pricilla] Mason & he had 2nd wife [no more children]. My aunt thought name was either Thomas or Theophilus; well known in family, by tradition, that he was a deacon of the "Old Black Meeting House Congregational Church"
    4. An orphan cousin of John Baldwin, of Stonington, came to America in the
    family of Sylvester Baldwin that this cousin remained in the family until he was married; & he settled in Norwich.
    ***** These and other particulars of less importance I [John D. Baldwin] wrote down more than forty-four years ago, when I knew nothing else of our ancestors and family history beyond what was told by family traditions. I have since found authentic records to verify all these particulars,
    substantially, except those which-relate to John Baldwin, of Norwich, and to a second wife of Deacon Theophilus. Very naturally, I have some faith in the recollections of what that old record said of a relationship between the John Baldwins of Stonington and Norwich.
    - My great-grandmother [Eunice], who knew much of the Norwich Baldwins of a hundred and thirty years ago, and made them one of her regular topics, always spoke of these two Johns as cousins. My aunt, also, used the word " cousin" in stating her recollections; but this term, which was probably used by Deacon Theophilus in making the record, did not necessarily mean a father's brother's son. It may have meant a second cousin, or even some other form of recognized and not very distant blood-relationship.
    According to this record, as remembered, John Baldwin, of Norwich, remained in the family of Sylvester Baldwin's widow, until he was married. A record at New Haven (where she continued to reside until after her marriage with Captain Astwood) shows that he or some other adopted child was in her family, In a list of. the New Haven "planters," made in 1643, she appears as “the Widow Baldwin," with a family consisting of five persons. The Widow Baldwin's family included herself and four children. But, at that time, she had with her only three of her own children, the other three having married and left her; Sarah in 1638, Mary in 1640, and Richard in 1642. Who was this additional child?
    - Remembering that old Bible and its record,
    and remembering, also, the statement in a letter of the Hon. Simeon
    Baldwin, that, according to the traditions of the Norwich family to
    which he belonged, "John, the father of the Norwich family, came to
    this country with a respectable connection of the family, when a boy,"
    I believe, without very serious hesitation, that it was John Baldwin, of
    Norwich.
    [Note: Names have been inserted for a better understanding. klm]
  4. [S138] Charles Candee Baldwin, The Baldwin Genealody from 1500-1881, page 241 - Theophilius m. 2nd May 1, 1724, Jemima Powers,
    who d. 1733.
  5. [S138] Charles Candee Baldwin, The Baldwin Genealody from 1500-1881, page 241 - Theophilius Baldwin m. 3rd , Oct. 18, 1733 Mrs. Elizabeth Hascall.