John Baird

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• _UID: C742ED0960134516BFA0B9A6E8A8FD587058

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John Baird, born in 1802, was a weaver by trade in Ireland. He was quoted as saying that he arrived in Bytown (Ottawa) in the fall of 1827 and obtained the only available employment at the time - work on the Rideau Canal. He appears to have been the first of the Bairds to come over. In the spring of 1828, his wages were all spent on board and clothing and he had only seven pence ha'penny to his name. (a single silver coin, the size of a new five-cent piece but flat like a dime). At that time, there was no paper money in Ireland, only gold sovereigns ($5.00) or half sovereigns ($2.50) being used. To decide whether to remain at his Bytown job or strike out into the country, he flipped his coin "head" for leaving Bytown and "Harp" for staying. It came up "heads" so he walked "up the line" searching for an unclaimed, pleasing piece of land, until deciding to settle on what is now the 10th line of Fitzroy Township, Carleton County, . On the advice of those who had proceeded him, he "squatted" on the land and started to clear the rear of N/E 1/2 Lot 2, Concession 9, Fitzroy Township, Carleton County, Ontario. Each January, the government sent an agent from Toronto to record claims and accept payments, since it would have been impossible for all of the settlers themselves to go to Toronto. Hence the practice of "squatting". John sowed fall wheat where he cleared in 1828 and seemed to have been pleased with the results. With ashes he bought to make potash (which brought him five pounds per barrel) he earned extra money with which to pay for his farm. At this time, he owned a yoke of oxen, a cow and two pigs and his house was a log "shanty" similar to the ones owned by the other settlers. John is quoted as saying that "they never wanted for anything" - but one must remember that he belonged to another generation.

FGID Added by Cliff Carson

Family/Spouse: Sarah Gourley. Sarah was born in Jan 1811 in County Tyrone, Ulster Province, Northern Ireland; died on 3 Aug 1898 in Kinburn, Ottawa Municipality (Carleton), Ontario, Canada; was buried in St Paul's Anglican Cemetery, Kinburn, Ottawa Municipality (Carleton Fitzroy), Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: BCA1588E74E14877AC6B4BE1A21085A07125

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William G. Baird Dies Suddenly - On May 25th Mr. William G. Baird died at Ottawa, aged 85 years. The late Mr. Baird was born in Fitzroy township but for the past 13 years has lived with his daughter, Mrs. S. J. Baird, Arlington Avenue, Ottawa. Deceased had spent the weekend, prior to his illness, visiting relatives in and around Carp and on Monday spoke of not feeling well and returned to Ottawa. On Tuesday he developed pneumonia and passed away on Thursday. The funeral service was held on Friday evening and on Saturday morning the body was taken to Westmeath and the funeral was held from the residence of his son, Mr. William Baird, to the Westmeath Cemetery. A large number of relatives and friends motored to Ottawa to attend the service there on Friday evening. Mr. Robert Baird of Carp is a brother of the deceased.
Source: The Carp Review: June 8 1922, page 6, column 5

Family/Spouse: Elizabeth Baird. Elizabeth was born on 1 Nov 1841 in Ontario, Canada; died on 1 Feb 1903 in Ontario, Canada; was buried in Westmeath Union Cemetery, Westmeath, Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: 75B8A34E3C3247B698343A89410E46A754B0

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George Baird passes to Rest. The death of Mr. George Baird at his home on Charles Street yesterday morning came as a surprise to many of his friends who had no idea that he was so seriously ill. His ailment was diabetes, from which he had been suffering for some time, although he was able to be about his work as usual until within the last week. Mr. Baird was born in Westmeath, being a son of the late William Baird of that township, and was 47 years of age. He was one of a family of seven children, and his death is the first break in the family circle. About 17 years ago he came to Carleton Place to reside, and for the past 12 years he had been engaged in the Hawthorn Mills. He is survived by his wife, formerly Christena McCleish, and two sons, Harvey and Elmer. Also by three brothers and three sisters, viz.. John in Carleton Place, William and James in Westmeath; Mrs. Wm. Major and Mrs. S. J. Baird, of Ottawa, and Mrs. T. Kilgour, of Matheson, Ont. He was a member of Memorial Park Church and of the Can. Order of Chosen Friends. The funeral is fixed for to-morrow afternoon to Memorial Park Church and Pine Grove Cemetery. The bereaved family have the sympathy of many friends in their season of sorrow.
The Carleton Place Herald, Carleton Place, Lanark, ON., 2 June 1926, Page 1, Col. 4

George married Christena McLeese in 1904. Christena was born on 6 Jul 1883 in Westmeath Twp, Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada; died on 26 Dec 1936; was buried in United Cemeteries (Maplewood-St Fillians-Pine Grove), Beckwith Twp, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: 7591685E37C743118859B4F8D3432FE2D2B1

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• _UID: D33ED17DDF344E3F8D446142DD5045240972

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BAIRD ? The death occurred at the Kirkland and District Hospital Tuesday October 2 1984 of Mr. William James Elmer Baird 858 Government Road West, Chaput Hughes at the age of 75 years. Born at Westmeath he had been a Kirkland Lake resident for the past 40 years, past president of the Chaput Hughes Lions Club, Northland Fastball Association from 1964-66, and Kirkland Lake Curling Club, he was also a life member of the N. F. A. and an associate member of Branch 87 Royal Canadian Legion. He is survived by his wife Mildred (nee Doyle) at home, his son Dale and wife Donna of Peterborough, brother Harvey of Carleton Place, and two grandchildren Todd and Mark. Resting at the Symington and Monette Funeral Home Wednesday October 3 1984 from 2-4 and 7-9 until the time of the service in the Chapel Thursday at 11 a.m. Rev. David Bould officiating. Interment to follow in the Kirkland Lake Cemetery. In memoriam donations to the Temiskaming Lung Association will be gratefully acknowledged.
Source: Northern News, Kirkland Lake, Ontario, 3 October 1984

Family/Spouse: Laura Winnifred Giles. Laura (daughter of Robert William Giles and Jean Edith "Jennie" McArthur) was born on 21 Aug 1912 in Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; died on 25 Sep 2003 in Mississippi Mills (Almonte), Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]