Connell James Baldwin (1777 – 14 December 1861) was an Irish soldier and civil servant. When he was fourteen he joined the Royal Navy, and two years later, after being deemed medically unfit to serve in that branch, the British Army. In 1808, as an Ensign in the 87th Foot, he purchased a

Lieutenancy A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility ...

in the 83rd Foot. He served in the Peninsular War, where he was wounded four times, and by the end of that conflict was a decorated

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

and the Aide-de-camp to General Thomas Picton. From 1820 to 1826, when he exchanged from the

50th Foot The 50th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1755. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 97th (The Earl of Ulster's) Regiment of Foot to form the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment ...

to half-pay, Baldwin served as a Brigade-Major in Britain and the West Indies. Afterward, he helped organise and command a regiment that supported

Pedro I of Brazil Don (honorific), Dom Pedro I (English: Peter I; 12 October 1798 – 24 September 1834), nicknamed "the Liberator", was the founder and List of monarchs of Brazil, first ruler of the Empire of Brazil. As King Dom Pedro IV, he List of ...

. In 1828 he moved to Toronto Gore Township in Upper Canada, along with some of his soldiers including William John O'Grady. Here he built a church and a school, and was appointed

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

, roads commissioner, and militia colonel. Although identified with the reform movement, Baldwin opposed the

rebellion Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

of 1837 and lead 1,200 men, at his own expense, to protect

Niagara Niagara may refer to: Geography Niagara Falls and nearby places In both the United States and Canada *Niagara Falls, the famous waterfalls in the Niagara River *Niagara River, part of the U.S.–Canada border *Niagara Escarpment, the cliff ov ...

from rebels. In the process, he incurred debts that haunted him the rest of his life. A distant cousin of Robert Baldwin, he was a politically outspoken advocate of Irish Catholics, opposing the

Orange Order The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants, particularly those of Ulster Scots heritage. It also ...

and what was perceived as the conservative's affinity for it. His closest allies in this were the bishops Alexander Macdonell, Michael Power, and

Armand-François-Marie de Charbonnel Armand-François-Marie de Charbonnel (1 December 1802 – 29 March 1891) was the Bishop of Toronto from 1847 to 1860 and the only French and non-English priest to hold the post. Early years Born in Château du Flachat, France he was the sec ...

. He ran for election as a reform candidate in 1841 in 2nd York riding against the Orangeman George Duggan, but withdrew due to the threat of violence. In 1841 he sold his Army commission. During Toronto's 1847

cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...

epidemic, Baldwin had his home converted into a hospital for the poor.

References

Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baldwin, Connell James 1777 births 1861 deaths 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot officers 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot officers Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment officers British Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars Candidates in Ontario provincial elections