The Biographical Dictionary of America/Baldwin, Loammi

BALDWIN, Loammi, engineer, was born at Woburn, Mass., Jan. 21, 1745. He was educated in the common schools; studied mathematics at Harvard and became a civil engineer. He entered the army as a major, was present at the battles of Lexington, Long Island and Trenton, was promoted to the rank of colonel, but ill-health compelled him to leave the army in 1777. He was sheriff of Middlesex county from 1780 to 1794, and a member of the Massachusetts state legislature in 1778, 1779, 1780. He was one of the largest owners of the Middlesex canal, and its superintendent from 1794 to 1804. The American academy of sciences elected him to membership. He died in Woburn, Mass., Oct. 20, 1807.