Elvira Russell Baldwin

I am Elvira Russell Baldwin. I was born in Livermore, Maine, on July 14th, 1806. My younger brother, Joseph Russell, and I grew up in this small town surrounded by dairy farms and fruit orchards. The Russell ancestry goes back to the original colonies and our family tree includes the Dudleys of England.

At the age of 21, I became restless and wanted to see more of the world. With my parents’ blessing I moved to Boston, MA, to live with relatives. About the same time, the American Temperance Society was organized and later reorganized as the American Temperance Union. Goals included the abstinence from fermented beverages, drugs, and tobacco.

While living in Boston, I met and married Daniel P. Baldwin, a machinist with his own shop. Daniel was not as successful as he wished to be so when gold was discovered in California, we decided to move and start a new life, arriving in early 1849.

In California, I began my work with the Sons of Temperance. Only men were allowed to join the group but that didn’t stop me. I united with the order under their plan of semi-membership. When the Siloam Lodge No. 2 IOGT (Independent Order of Good Templars) was formed, I was one of the first signers of the new charter. Over the years, I held several local offices. In 1864, I became an alternate representative the Grand Lodge of North America.

I earned the title of “Mother Baldwin” as I have much compassion for the wives and children of the drinkers of fermented beverages. My heart is in the helping of these poor souls and the continuance of my temperance work.

I recently met a fortuneteller. As a good Christian woman, and a staunch Presbyterian, I don’t believe in the like of fortunetellers and such. However, she told me I would live to the age of 75 years and would be buried in the Sacramento City Cemetery. Well, we will just see, won’t we? Meanwhile, I’ll “beat the drum’ of temperance to anyone who will listen.