Richard J. Baldwin

Richard Jacobs Baldwin (March 1, 1853 - June 15, 1944) was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 1894, 1896 and 1898 terms. He was reelected to the House for the 1910, 1912, 1914 and 1916 terms and served as Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1917 to 1918. He was nominated speaker due to his twenty years of service in the house by the Republican political boss Boies Penrose. Baldwin also served a term in the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 9th Senatorial District from 1919 to 1920.

Early life and education Baldwin was born in East Bradford Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania to John Erskine Baldwin and Mary G. Hoopes He worked as a carpenter and at age 23 operated a general store first at Belvidere, now Whitford, Pennsylvania, and in 1878 in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.

Career Baldwin served as postmaster of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania from 1889 to 1893. In 1894, he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 2nd District of Delaware County for the 1895 to 1896 term.

In 1897, he was selected as chairman of the Forestry Committee and assumed the position again in 1899. He withdrew from the ticket for the 1900 to 1901 term and served as recorder of deeds for Delaware County. He was reelected to the House for 6 more terms from 1897 to 1900 and from 1911 to 1918. Baldwin's staunch opposition to progressive reform was such that he was one of only three members of the house to oppose the popular election of senators.

He was a member of the Springhaven Golf Club of Media, the Brandywine Golf Club of Brandywine Summit, Pennsylvania, and an honorary member of the Media Fire Company. He was a member of the Masons, Odd Fellows, Improved Order of Red Men, the American Mechanics, and Patrons of Husbandry.

Baldwin is interred at the Bradford Cemetery in Marshallton, Pennsylvania.