Matthias William Baldwin (December 10, 1795 – September 7, 1866) was an American inventor and machinery manufacturer, specializing in the production of steam locomotives. Baldwin's small machine shop, established in 1825, grew to become Baldwin Locomotive Works, one of the largest and most successful locomotive manufacturing firms in the United States. The most famous of the early locomotives were Old Ironsides, built by Matthias Baldwin in 1832.

Baldwin put his knowledge of stationary steam engines to new use in 1831 when he constructed his first experimental steam locomotive. Based on designs first shown at the Rainhill Trials in England, Baldwin's prototype was a small demonstration engine that was displayed at Peale's Philadelphia City Museum. The engine was strong enough to pull a few cars that carried four passengers each. This locomotive was unusual for the time in that it burned coal, which was available locally, instead of wood.

The next year Baldwin built his first commissioned steam locomotive for the fledgling Philadelphia, Germantown & Norristown Railroad. This engine, nicknamed Old Ironsides, traveled at the rate of only 1 mile per hour in initial trials made on November 23, 1832, but the machine was later refined and improved so that a peak speed of 28 mph was attained. It weighed over 5 tons, with 54 in diameter rear wheels, 9.5 in cylinders with 18 in stroke and a 30 in diameter boiler which took 20 minutes to raise steam. Although contracted for $4,000, owing to performance shortcomings a compromise price of $3,500 (equal to $110,503 today) between the railroad and the budding Baldwin Locomotive Works was ultimately agreed upon and received.

Baldwin was a devout member of the Presbyterian Church and a consistent donor to religious and secular charitable causes throughout his life. In 1824 he was a founder of the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Baldwin was also a strong advocate of abolitionism. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1833.

At the time of its founder's death, the Baldwin Locomotive Works had produced some 1,500 steam locomotives. The company ultimately produced a total of some 75,000 steam locomotive engines, before it terminated production in 1956.

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