59 years of marriage for Wayne Township couple both born in March 1839

A patron was recently having difficulty with the microfilm, and our intervention led to an intriguing piece of history. The couple pictured here were both born in Ohio in 1839. Later, Montgomery County, Indiana, became their destination.

Nancy Baldwin was the daughter of Rev. Lewis Bannon (who was a circuit rider and later became a member of the New Light Christian Church). "Rider Bannon" (as his obituary states) lived to be 101 and moved to Montgomery County in 1839 (probably right after Nancy was born) to spread the gospel. Ms. Bannon married Joseph A. Baldwin (son of Mr. and Mrs. Absalum Baldwin) in December 1859 and they were blessed with nine children (all living at the time of their 53rd wedding anniversary -- the picture shown here). As members of the Middletown (later Waynetown) community, Joseph was a farmer. But census records reveal he was also a tax assessor and dealer of fur hides. Joseph passed away on 16 December 1918, and Nancy followed 12 years later (April 1930) with an amazing legacy, at the time, of 36 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.

Joseph A. and Nancy Bannon Baldwin