He was born on February 5, 1863, in Boston, the son of William Henry Baldwin and Mary (Chaffee) Baldwin. The father had given up a successful business to devote himself to the Young Men's Christian Union of Boston, an affiliation which undoubtedly had much to do with his son's interest in social service.
He received his preparatory training in the Roxbury Latin School, and was graduated from Harvard College with the class of 1885. While not unusual in scholastic achievement, his rank in his senior year was close to distinction, and he won exceptional recognition as a leader in undergraduate activities - as oarsman, editor of the college daily, president of the Dining Association, treasurer of the Co"perative Society, chairman of his class committee, leader of the Glee Club, and a member of five undergraduate clubs.
Entering the service of the Union Pacific Railroad in February 1886, he spent a few months in routine training in the accounting and traffic departments in Omaha and was then appointed division freight agent at Butte. Here was first tested his exceptional ability to get along well with men of all types.
In 1888 he returned to Omaha as assistant freight agent but in the following year was transferred to the operating department, first as superintendent of the Leavenworth Division and then as general manager of the Montana Union Railroad. His stay there was short as in 1890 he was promoted to the position of assistant vice-president at Omaha. A year later he left the Union Pacific to become general manager of the Pere Marquette Railroad in Saginaw, Mich. , and soon was promoted, being placed virtually in charge of everything except finance, with the title of vice-president. In 1894 he was called to the Southern Railway as vice-president and during the greater part of his two years with that company was in charge of operation and traffic. His last position was as president of the Long Island Railroad from October 1896 until his death. While engaged in the upbuilding of the Southern Railway system Baldwin became intensely interested in the Negro question and then and later took an active part in organized movements to better the condition of colored people. He was a warm supporter of Booker T. Washington and Tuskeegee Institute, of which he was a trustee from 1897. His interest and constructive work in that problem and others of a similar nature, brought about close and sympathetic relations between him and President Roosevelt. Largely through his personal efforts the Committee of Fifteen was organized in 1900, with Baldwin as chairman. . To its work, he gave unstintingly of his time and strength. The report of the Committee, made after an intensive survey, did much to stimulate public interest and to bring about the passage of remedial laws. Baldwin at that time was in a peculiar position. On the one hand he was the executive head of a public service corporation then undertaking an extension into New York City, and, on the other hand, was the leading spirit of a committee combating an evil strongly intrenched politically.
The activities of the committee were distasteful to Tammany Hall, which could seriously embarrass the railroad in its plans for extension. Fearing that his personal activities might injuriously affect the legitimate interests of the company, Baldwin tendered his resignation to President Cassatt of the Pennsylvania Railroad (which had secured control of the Long Island in 1901), but Cassatt refused to accept it. Baldwin was told to go ahead with his committee work and also keep his railroad position.
His death on January 3, 1905, followed an illness of several months.
He was active in advocating measures to combat the major social evils in New York City, notably prostitution, Raineslaw hotels, and tenement houses.
One criticism of Baldwin was that he was often too impulsive and sometimes too unyielding when compromise would have been wiser. An editorial writer in the Railroad Gazette, Jan 6, 1905, refers to his dogged determination but adds: "He was a man of clear and powerful mind, of quick apprehension, of extraordinary rapidity of decision, and absolutely without fear. He would have been a great soldier. "
On October 30, 1889, Baldwin married Ruth Standish Bowles, of Springfield, Massachusetts. They had three children: Ruth Standish, William Henry III and Mary Chaffee.
