Jesse Baldwin is a native of Logan county, Ohio, and was born June 16, 1832. His parents, David and Hannah Baldwin, were also both natives of the Bnckeye State. He was reared upon a farm and educated in the common schools of Ohio, and has made farming his business through life. In 1855 he moved to Ft. Dodge, Iowa, and two years later moved to Muscatine county, in the same State, where he lived four years. In August, 1863, he enlisted in Company G, Second Regiment Iowa Cavalry, and the regiment was sent to Memphis, Tennessee, and from there began active service, which ended only with the war. The regiment seemed to have a special charge on hand, and that was to fight, guard, run and be run by General Forest. They were with General George H. Thomas at the battles of Columbia, Franklin’ and Nashville, and at the last battle followed General Forest to Duck River, which was among the winding up struggles of the war. There were few, if any cavalry regiments in the army that did more active service during the war than the Second Iowa. After the war Mr. Baldwin settled in this county, where he now owns 440 acres of land, and does a heavy stock business.
He was united in marriage, September 21, 1859, to Miss Hattie Brannon. By this union they had three children: Clara E., born August 30, 1864; Nora B., born April 1, 1867; and Florence, born April 6, 1869-dead. Mrs. Hattie Baldwin died May 24, 1871. December 15, 1871, he married Mrs. Esther Shaffer, widow of David Shaffer, whose maiden name was Drummond. Mr. Shaffer died July 16, 1870. They have three children: Harriet, born November 29, 1872; Jennie, born April 23, 1874; and Amanda, born December 28, 1876.