Biographical Sketch of Fanita (Baldwin) Houts, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Mrs. Fanita (Baldwin) Houts, the esteemed and highly respected widow of the late O. L. Houts, a prominent attorney of Warrensburg, one of the most able members of the bar in this section of Missouri, is a member of one of the best and most intellectual families that came to Missouri. She was born in Warrensburg, Missouri, daughter of Roderick and Elber- tine (Tabor) Baldwin, the former, a native of Delaware county, New York and the later, of Wilson, in Niagara county, New York. Roderick Bald- win the father of Mrs. Fanita Houts, was a graduate of Hamilton College in New York. He enlisted in the Civil War, in Niagara county, serving in Company E, Third New York Heavy Artillery, of which company he was captain. This company afterward became Company E, One Hundred Thirty- first Light Infantry, a part of the Army of the Potomac. Mr. Baldwin was wounded three times in skirmishes. He was first wounded June 16, 1864 in a conflict at Petersburg, Virginia, the wound being inflicted by a piece of shell which struck him in the side. June 21, 1864 he was injured seriously by a minnie ball, in a struggle south of Petersburg, but he did not leave the field. In the same engagement, he was wounded a third time, the last injury being a dangerous wound in the side, and he was carried from the battlefield. It was at Petersburg that General Grant wasted ten thousand lives in trying to carry it by assault, and then settled down to siege operations and on July 30 a great mine was sprung under the Confederate works, for a moment an open road into the rear of their position, when the Confederates, rallying, were able to drive back with great slaughter the assaulting column and the bloody affair of "Thre Crater" cost Grant four thousand lives without any compensating advantage. Wounded dangerously as he was, Roderick Bald- win was one of the favored and fortunate few, who came through this campaign. For several months, Mr. Baldwin was confined in the hospital at Washington, D. C. He afterward served as a member of the staff of General W. W. Morris, holding the position of judge advocate in the Army of the Potomac. In January, 1865, Roderick Baldwin was appointed to the position of clerk in the office of the War Department of the United States, which position he filled until April, 1867. Though physically still weak, Captain Baldwin was able to ride at the head of his company when the troops passed in review at Washington, May 23 and 24, 1865. In 1869, Roderick Baldwin was united in marriage with Elber- tine Tabor in the state of New York. To them were born two children: Mark, who is now a prosperous ranchman in western Kansas; and Fanita, who is the subject of this review. Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin came from New York to Warrensburg, where he purchased a tract of land in Johnson county. For several years, Roderick Baldwin was the prosecuting attor- ney of Johnson county. He served two terms as mayor of Warrensburg and for seven years was a member of the Warrensburg school board. In 1870, Mr. Baldwin became editor and proprietor of the "Warrensburg Standard," which paper afterward became known as the "Standard Herald." He was the owner and publisher of the "Warrensburg Standard" at the time of his death September 23, 1894. Roderick Baldwin was one of Johnson county's leading citizens and influential men of public affairs. He was a member of the Republican State Executive Committee for many years and was at one time a candidate on the Republican ticket for the office of state superintendent of public instruction. He gave his active and most earnest support to the Warrensburg State Normal School, in which he was keenly interested. Mr. Baldwin planned and built the Marcus Youngs place, which is now owned by Clinton J. Rucker, a sketch of whom is found elsewhere in this volume containing a brief description of the beautiful suburban home. The handsome residence was located on a small tract of land, of twenty acres adjoining Warrensburg on the north, and the land was laid out as a park. This is undoubtedly one of the most elegant homes in Johnson county and the taste shown in achieving the lovely landscape can not be excelled. Mrs. Roderick Baldwin died in 1907. Fanita (Baldwin) Houts, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roder- ick Baldwin, is a graduate of the Warrensburg State Normal School. For eleven years prior to her marriage, she was engaged in teaching school, ten years in the city schools of Warrensburg and one year in the city schools of Kansas City, Missouri. In 1904, O. L. Houts and Fanita Baldwin were united in marriage. O. L. Houts was born and reared in Warrensburg. He was a son of George Wilson and Elizabeth (Cooper) Houts, both of whom are now deceased. They were pioneers of Johnson county, owning a splendid farm of choice land, in this county, which the father had entered from the government. Mr. and Mrs. Houts were highly valued and respected citizens of this community, long considered one of Missouri's best families. The son, O. L., received his early education in the city schools of Warrensburg and was an alumnus of the State University at Columbia, Missouri and of Ann Arbor University in Michigan. He was a gifted attorney, possessing a well trained legal mind and keen insight. He was ranked very high among the most able lawyers of Missouri. Mr. Houts was always intensely interested in politics and at one time was a member of the Republican State Executive Committee. He was married in 1883 to Effie Afton Hale, daughter of Henry C. and Tacy (Bunn) Hale. She was a woman of unusual intellectual attainments and rare personal charm. Her death occurred in 1897. She left one child, a son, Hale who is now practicing law in Kansas City. Mr. Houts' death on April 2, 1912 was deeply and widely lamented in this section of the state, where he was ever held in the highest esteem. Besides his widow, O. L. Houts left two young sons, Roderick Lee and Wilson. The mother and her two boys reside in Warrensburg at 305 South Holden street. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================