Harry Baldwin, 48, was a United States national from New York, New York, United States traveling aboard Lusitania with his wife Mary. He was president of Austin Baldwin & Company, Inc., importer-exporters, of 44 Whitehall Street, New York and was traveling for business. Both Harry and Mary were lost when the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk on 7 May 1915.
Life
Harry Baldwin had three brothers, William M., Charles L., and Joseph C., Jr. Harry Baldwin became president and general manager of Austin Baldwin & Company in 1908, after Radcliffe Baldwin (relation not certain) became the chairman of the board of directors. John B. Kirkman served as Harry’s vice-president. From this job, Harry Baldwin received a salary of $12,000 per year and dividends from the stock owned by him averaging $30,000 per year. He also received $3,600 per annum from a trust fund established under the last will and testament of his father.
Mary Margaret MacCauley married Harry Bradley Baldwin in Chicago in 1902. Baldwin married Margaret secretly and without his parents permission. On finding out, Baldwin’s father threatened to disinherit him. The two men reached an which made the young Baldwin leave his new bride and travel on company business.
The story goes that the elder Baldwin said, “Harry, I am going to test the love that you and Mary have for each other. You get on one of my boats, it will take you around the world, picking up our products. You may be gone a year and a half, two years. If you both retain that supposed love until the end of that time I will be willing to believe that you really care for each other.”
Young Baldwin got on the boat and sailed away. On returning his father would not oppose the marriage. In early 1904 Baldwin returned to the US and headed to Chicago claim his bride. Mary did not know that her husband had returned and was overjoyed to see him. It was the absence of her husband that caused her to hate the sea.
Harry left a will executed in August 1912 that would have given his entire estate to his wife Mary. Harry and Mary had no children.
Harry and Mary died in the sinking of the Lusitania. Their ticket for the ill-fated trip was 46056 and they stayed in cabin A-22 and bath. The New York Times‘ death notice on 30 May 1915 had listed his age as 49.
Harry’s brothers inherited his estate, and John B. Kirkman became president of Austin Baldwin & Company. Radcliffe Baldwin remained chairman of the board of directors. The Mixed Claims Commission awarded Joseph C. Baldwin, Jr., Harry’s executor, the sum of $2,500 for lost property.
Related pages
Harry and Mary Baldwin at the Mixed Claims Commission
Contributors:
Cliff Barry
References:
Mixed Claims Commission. Docket No. 2022.
“Obituary.” The New York Times. 30 May 1915. Web. 9 August 2011. <http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F10E14F9385C13738DDDA90B94DD405B858DF1D3>.
Weiss, George and J. W. Leonard. America’s Maritime Progress, page 348. The New York Marine News Company, 1920. Web. 10 August 2011. <http://books.google.com/books?id=JRQ9AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA348&lpg=PA348&dq=radcliffe+baldwin+austin+baldwin&source=bl&ots=6Ar5erPOXh&sig=edd9MjlYOOzMDrpqiPlLlFgCCT0&hl=en&ei=WNZCToHrLMPhsQLRoMGvCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDMQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=radcliffe%20baldwin%20austin%20baldwin&f=false>.
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