Richard Baldwin Jr. (1808-1877), who is considered the founder of Coaticook, settled on what is now Child Street in Coaticook in the early 1800s.
In time, Baldwin would become one of the wealthiest farmers and businessmen in the area. According to Eastern Townships historian B. F. Hubbard (writing in 1874), Baldwin was an “active and thorough business man… not surpassed by any in the county… the owner of several buildings and building lots in Coaticook, and valuable mills in Barford.”
By the time this photograph was taken, which shows Baldwin’s large, prosperous farm in Coaticook, Richard Baldwin would have been twice married with fourteen children.