Clifton Arthur "Cliff" Baldwin

Clifton Arthur “Cliff” Baldwin
b- Feb 13, 1855 in probably Brandon, Oakland, Michigan USA
d- Sept 14, 1937 General Hospital, Vancouver BC, age 83
buried in Ocean View Burial Park, Burnaby BC

Well known prospector and miner all along the Pacific Coast.

Father- Lemuel S. Clark Baldwin
b- Sept 20, 1822, Chili, Monroe, New York, USA
d- Oct 20, 1894, Brandon, Oakland, Michigan, USA
he married 3 times, Anstress Traxler was his 2nd wife

Mother- Anstress P. Traxler
b- Jan 12, 1834 in New York, USA
d- Dec 1, 1885 in Michigan, USA

Sister- Rosetta (Lillian) B. Baldwin
b- 1853 in Clarkston, Oakland, Michigan, USA
d- 1929 in Dade Co., Florida, USA
she married twice, and had 4 children

Paternal Grandfather- Benedict Baldwin- 1787-1884
married June 24, 1810 in Riga, Monroe, New York, USA
Grandmother- Permelia A Potter 1791-1864
Permelia's father- Lemuel Potter, where Clifton got his middle name from

1870 Census-
Clifton shown in Brandon, Oakland, Michigan, age 14, at school.
father- Lemuel Clark Baldwin, age 46 as a farmer
mother- Ann Baldwin, age 34, keeping house
sister- Rosetta Baldwin, age 17, at school
Here all family are shown as born in Michigan
father- Clark C. Baldwin married Anstress (Ann) P. Traxler 1851 in Brandon MI
his Father's mother and father were both born in Connecticut per this census

1876-
Registered as a voter, Oct 11, 1876, shown in the 4th Ward, Alameda Co, CA, USA, age 21 as a Carpenter
he also worked as a carpenter in various places in BC

1880 Census
Cliff in Rocky Bar, Alturas, Idaho, shown single, Occupation Carpenter, age 25.
Rocky Bar is now a Ghost town.
Sept 1892 there was a big fire in the town, which maybe made him move north.
Cliff's Father born in NY, and Mother born in Michigan
On the same census page are lots of Placer miners, so we know where he learned his trade, in Idaho.

Sept 30, 1885-
Married- Mary Anne Baldwin nee Allaway (Alloway in marriage reg.) (see addition below)
b- Jan 21, 1861 in Aurora, ON, Canada, age 40 in 1901
d- Nov 13, 1923 at her sister's home, 2621 columbia St., in Vancouver BC, age 63
Buried in Ocean View Burial Park, Burnaby BC
Cliff married Mary Ann Alloway, at 2 pm, Sept 30, 1885 at Petaluma, Sonoma County, California, USA
He lived at Point Tiburon at the time of their marriage. She lived in Petaluma.
At this time he was in partnership with Sam McDonogh at Tiburon
Cliff and Mary were engaged for 8 years.
Mary was a dressmaker, in partnership with another lady, in her own shop in Petaluma CA

Apr 2, 1896- Cliff and 2 partners sold the Daylight Claim in Rossland area, to Victoria Capitalists for $35,000.

Mar 29, 1897-
Cliff's wife, Mary A. Baldwin, and 2 other partners, Edward Baillie, Accountant, and Adela Alvira Waterson, wife of R.C. Waterson, formed a new Company “White House Trading Company, Limited Liability, located in Rossland BC. This company was to take over the present business, Robert Carnell Waterson and Cliff A. Baldwin already owned, same name, The White House Trading Company.
Mrs. R.C. Waterson was Mary Anne Baldwin's sister, she died in 1934 in Vancouver, age 73
Robert Waterson was a tailor. He died in 1947, age 82 in Vancouver. He remarried after Adela died.

1898-
Cliff was in Rossland BC, shown as a Merchant, Gent's Furnishings and a Tailor, business at 11 East Columbia Ave.
his residence 38 First Ave. East, in Rossland at that time, also in 1900 directory same address
He opened the store in Rossland Nov 1, 1895. Article says he was in business before this but not where.

Sept 1899-
he sold out his interest in the firm of H.A. King and Co in Greenwood BC. He was to open a new store in Phoenix BC 10 days later, with a new stock of cigars, stationery and news items. he was building a 2 story building on his lot in Rumburger division.

Feb 3, 1900- He was General Manager of the Alhambra Hotel and Theatre in Phoenix BC, owned by A. Branson & Co.

1901 Census-
Cliff and his wife are in Rossland BC
Shown Immigrating to Canada in 1894
Clifton shown age 41, transcribed in error as Clifton H. Baldwin
b- 1860

Sept 1903-
King-Baldwin Mining Company was incorporated in Spokane with 1 million in capital.
They were formed to mine in Nevada, with their office in Spokane WA.
John King and C.A. Baldwin were in Tonopah, Nevada at this time.
There were 3 other Trustees in Spokane.
Oct 1903 The Company was opening up a group of claims at Cloverdale, near Tonopah

Jan 1906-
Disposed of his business and moved from Goldfield Nevada to Manhattan Nevada

1911 Census-
Cliff was age 55, married, Broker, Mine
Mary Baldwin entered above him, age 43, born in ON, both in Vancouver BC

Apr 26, 1912- Took out Pre-Emption #1768, on lot 4362, Lillooet District
Lot on East side of Anderson Lake, near the north end, just south of IR6, Nekait.
I think Cresta Road today was north boundary of his ranch.
I believe there is a Clifton Spring running thru his ranch, obviously named after him.

Oct 11, 1912 he was replaced as the manager of the Victoria Hotel, in Lillooet

Feb 1913 he had a ranch at Klosh Nekiah returning to Lillooet BC
see pre-emption info above.

1917 Cliff Baldwin and a partner built a trail up the Nelson Creek in the Kitsumkalum Valley, for 13 miles, for prospecting purposes.

Feb 9, 1917 he bought the Kirby-Elliott pool hall in Lillooet from William Elliott.
Bob Kirby was owner with Elliott I assume at one time?

Cliff was Director of Abbotsford Gold Mining Co Ltd, Incorporated Apr 23, 1898 in Rossland BC,
Original name of this company was Yale and Kootenay Mining Company Ltd. incorporated in 1896

1937- Lived at 712 Richards St in Vancouver, BC

Then I located an Obit article about Cliff's life, he was quite the adventurer for sure.
He was known from Mexico to the Yukon
Cliff Baldwin built one of the First Theatres (Opera House) 44 x 90ft, 3 stories high, at Rossland BC.
He also built a building in Goldfield Nevada.
He had also been in the Coeur d'Alene silver lead mining area of Idaho.
He was one of the early pioneers of the Portland Canal district.
He built the Baldwin Hotel in Stewart BC,
In 1910 he organized a company in Vancouver for development of the Roosevelt property on American Creek, north of Stewart, called the Roosevelt Mining Company. Here he is shown with the title of M.E.

Co-Located what was known as the Taseko Motherlode property, in 1922
Taseko Motherlode Gold Mines Ltd was incorporated in 1933
7 mining men died in a snowslide ca Jan 7, 1935 (New Year's Eve in one report) at this property
75 miles west from Minto, in the Bridge River District of BC, west of Lillooet BC
Hjalmar Gustensen (age 46)(Hyalmar Gustafson?) (He was unmarried), Erik Gunnar Carlson (age 33), Hans Pederson (age 53) (shown as Foreman in some records), Reuben James Bacon (age 47)(the Cook) (a First Contingent in 1915, WWI veteran, wounded and returned 2 years later)(b- Oct 13, 1877 in London England, came from Bersleet England), William (Bill) G. Nelson, Chris Christiansen (Christiensen?) (Christensen?)(shown as foreman in one record)(recently married), and Morden Starr Stewart (shown as R. Stewart in some records) were killed Also see an Eric Olsen listed as deceased, and one record says 8 men died. It took till June to dig out the bodies.

More info today on Cliff Baldwin and his family May 29, 2020 from Kate Price, Toronto
Doug, in looking to fill in some missing gaps of my Allaway family genealogy, I've been researching the trail of Mary Ann Allaway and her husband, Clifton Baldwin the past few days. I'd been in touch with relatives of Mary Ann many years ago who lived out west at the time, and was now following up on what information they had shared of the couple. And in that search, I happened upon your site and wanted to share a couple of additional details with you. According to the 1861 census, Mary Ann Allaway (sometimes spelled Alloway) was born in Canada West around 1856 or thereabouts. She was the eldest child of John Allaway and Sarah Atkinson. The census itself was taken in Whitchurch Twp, York Cty, Ontario. Given her next two siblings were born in 1858 and 1860 respectively in the village of Aurora, Whitchurch Twp., York Cty., it's likely Mary Ann was also born in that same village. I'm not sure if any other records are available which might confirm that, but due to the lockdown here in Toronto due to COVID-19, I'm unable at this time, to visit the library which might help answer that question. Given her parents were married in 1853 in Markham, York which happens to be up in that general neighbourhood, I think it's safe to say she was indeed at least born in that general neighbourhood too. Regarding her marriage to Clifton Arthur Baldwin, I've been unable to find a marriage record, but they did have a child, Minnie Eva Baldwin, who was born October 12, 1897 in Vancouver, and died a day later. Burial location unknown. While the 1901 census indicates Cliff immigrated from the US in 1894, there's no indication either on the census, or through family knowledge, that the same was true for Mary Ann. While she did live with her family in California between roughly between 1864 and 1870, the family (with the exception of one brother) was back in Aurora, Whitchurch, Ontario by 1871, following the death of their mother in California that same year. I can't seem to find much more about the couple or there whereabouts after the 1901 census, other than your mention that in 1917, Cliff Baldwin and a partner, built a 13-mile trail up to the Nelson Creek for prospecting purposes. And while I have death dates for both in Vancouver, I've been unable to see any paperwork confirming those or any information where they might be buried. And as mentioned earlier, I've seen no confirmation of when they married.

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