_William BAIRD ______+
| (.... - 1794) m 1758
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1760 - 1808) m 1783|
| |_Margaret O'RILEY ___
| m 1758
_George BAIRD _______|
| (1801 - ....) |
| | _George BOCKOVEN ____+
| | | (1734 - 1814) m 1759
| |_Mary BOCKOVEN ______|
| (1765 - 1853) m 1783|
| |_Mary WHITENACK _____+
| (1740 - 1806) m 1759
|
|--Joanna C. BAIRD
| (1840 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Catherine CROWELL __|
|
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
|_____________________
_William BAIRD ______+
| (.... - 1794) m 1758
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1760 - 1808) m 1783|
| |_Margaret O'RILEY ___
| m 1758
_William BAIRD ______|
| (1784 - 1858) |
| | _George BOCKOVEN ____+
| | | (1734 - 1814) m 1759
| |_Mary BOCKOVEN ______|
| (1765 - 1853) m 1783|
| |_Mary WHITENACK _____+
| (1740 - 1806) m 1759
|
|--Johanna BAIRD
| (1818 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| _Peter PRUDDEN ______|
| | (1765 - 1838) m 1782|
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______|
(1787 - 1835) |
| _____________________
| |
|_Esther PRUDDEN _____|
(1762 - 1827) m 1782|
|_____________________
__
|
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1665 - 1755) m 1700|
| |__
|
_Andrew BAIRD _______|
| (1700 - 1773) |
| | __
| | |
| |_Mary BEDENT ________|
| m 1700 |
| |__
|
|
|--John BAIRD
|
| __
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |__
| |
|_Sarah _____ ________|
|
| __
| |
|_____________________|
|
|__
Per stories and documentation gathered by Fermine Baird Catchings (1921), arrived on "Exchange" in 1683 from Scotland.
His will is dated 05 feb 1747/8 and names his wife Avis, his brothers Andrew and Zebulon (to be his exectors), his eldest son William, and his other children not named.
__
|
__|
| |
| |__
|
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1665 - 1755) m 1700|
| | __
| | |
| |__|
| |
| |__
|
|
|--John BAIRD
| (1707 - 1747)
| __
| |
| __|
| | |
| | |__
| |
|_Mary BEDENT ________|
m 1700 |
| __
| |
|__|
|
|__
Pension application file was abstracted in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, 24:48-49 (1936). The application was made by his widow Mary Bockoven Baird in 1840. It gives his birth and death dates (but the year of death is given as 1807, while the tombstone at Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church clearly shows 1808). He enlisted in 1776 in the Somerset Co. Militia and served in it until 1779. He served as a wagoner after that until the end of the war. He is never identified except as a Private, even though Fermine Baird Catchings (1918, probably quoting family stories) mentions him as Corporal, Sergeant, and Second Lieutenant (at the Battle of Tarrytown, but the pension application does not say he was present at that battle). It is likely these additional ranks are later accretions by the family, and it may be also that the story of his uncle, an officer, discouraging him from joining the militia, is also apocryphal. The pension application also gives the date of his marriage, performed by Rev. Kennedy at Basking Ridge, and the birth dates of their children.
The pension application also notes that his father lived in Somerset County during the Revolutionary War, close to the line between Somerset and Morris Counties. For a transcript of the declarations in support of the pension, see this PDF file.
What Baird families lived in that area? The first place to look is the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church. The old cemetery has original markers for John Baird, his wife Mary Bockoven, his son William, and William's wife Rhoda Prudden. There is also a marker next to these for Sarah Carle, wife of Bedent Baird. Her dates are 1733-1778. This Bedent Baird, who also was one of the pew holders at the time of the Revolution, is the son of Andrew Baird who is supposed (accounts originating from the branch of the Baird family who settled in North Carolina) to have married at least twice and removed to "German Flats, Canada". In fact, German Flats is in Herkimer Co., NY, but for our purposes it is clear that Bedent Baird was not in Somerset Co. for the purposes of the surviving tax lists, which start in 1778.
The other Baird family that certainly was in the area was that of William Baird and his wife Margaret O'Riley. This William is supposed to have died about 1794, and most of his family, "except for his son John", made their way to Burke Co., NC about that time. In fact, two of William's sons (Zebulon and Isaac) do appear in the tax lists, and the William who is most likely their father is not found in the 1794 tax list. His son Zebulon disappears from the tax lists (always listed as "single man") after 1791. Isaac is found as late as 1803. While the story seems to call for the family to move to North Carolina as a group, it is more likely that there were several successive migrations.
Now, the account of the children of William Baird and Margaret O'Riley published by Mrs. Catchings contains a contradiction. Even though the rest of the family said that John stayed behind, there is a John Baird born in 1760 who turns up in North Carolina with wife Elizabeth Winkler. We think he was grafted onto the pedigree later, on the assumption that he must belong with the other New Jersey Baird's who settled there. But if he is not the son of William and Margaret, we think it is very likely that our own John Baird is that son! We show him this way in our database, pending further evidence.
Birthdate on his tombstone, Presb. Cem., Basking Ridge, NJ, & in pension app. of Mary Bockoven Baird #W-27877 Rev., including leaf from his bible, "this book belongs to... John Baird...born May 26, 1760"
Date is listed in pension app. #W-27877 Rev. as 1807, but on tombstone as 1808. Exact date from records of Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church kept by Rev. Robert Finley. Estate entered probate shortly after this date.
Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church. stone in good condition 1978, next to wife Mary Bockoven and also to Sarah Carle, wife of Bedent Baird.
Pension app. #W-27877 Rev. indicates marriage took place at Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church, by Rev. Kennedy, who at that time was not keeping records of marriages. (and there are no early records except pewholders)
_John BAIRD _________
| (1665 - 1755) m 1700
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1707 - 1747) |
| |_Mary BEDENT ________
| m 1700
_William BAIRD ______|
| (.... - 1794) m 1758|
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_Avis BOWNE _________|
| |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--John BAIRD
| (1760 - 1808)
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Margaret O'RILEY ___|
m 1758 |
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
|_____________________
Modern accounts unaccountably give his birthdate as 1784, which suggests that something is wrong with the family history. However,
_John BAIRD __________________+
| (1707 - 1747)
_William BAIRD ______|
| (.... - 1794) m 1758|
| |_Avis BOWNE __________________
|
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1760 - 1808) m 1783|
| | ______________________________
| | |
| |_Margaret O'RILEY ___|
| m 1758 |
| |______________________________
|
|
|--John BAIRD
| (1798 - 1838)
| _Johann Peter BACHOFFEN ______+
| | (.... - 1765) m 1732
| _George BOCKOVEN ____|
| | (1734 - 1814) m 1759|
| | |_Maria Elisabetha GSELL ______+
| | (.... - 1765) m 1732
|_Mary BOCKOVEN ______|
(1765 - 1853) m 1783|
| _Blakert (Eliakim) WHITENACK _+
| | (1698 - ....)
|_Mary WHITENACK _____|
(1740 - 1806) m 1759|
|_Anna _____ __________________
_William BAIRD ______+
| (.... - 1794) m 1758
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1760 - 1808) m 1783|
| |_Margaret O'RILEY ___
| m 1758
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1798 - 1838) |
| | _George BOCKOVEN ____+
| | | (1734 - 1814) m 1759
| |_Mary BOCKOVEN ______|
| (1765 - 1853) m 1783|
| |_Mary WHITENACK _____+
| (1740 - 1806) m 1759
|
|--John BAIRD
| (1826 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Sarah CODDINGTON ___|
(1800 - 1858) |
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
|_____________________
Still unmarried at the time of the 1880 census. He widowed mother was living with him then, along with a niece, Maggie A. Lefevre age 11, born in Illinois.
_John BAIRD _________+
| (1760 - 1808) m 1783
_William BAIRD ______|
| (1784 - 1858) |
| |_Mary BOCKOVEN ______+
| (1765 - 1853) m 1783
_Peter BAIRD ________|
| (1814 - 1850) m 1840|
| | _Peter PRUDDEN ______
| | | (1765 - 1838) m 1782
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______|
| (1787 - 1835) |
| |_Esther PRUDDEN _____
| (1762 - 1827) m 1782
|
|--John BAIRD
| (1847 - ....)
| _George BOCKOVEN ____+
| | (1734 - 1814) m 1759
| _George BOCKOVEN ____|
| | (1786 - 1874) m 1815|
| | |_Mary WHITENACK _____+
| | (1740 - 1806) m 1759
|_Nancy BOCKOVEN _____|
(1816 - 1880) m 1840|
| _____________________
| |
|_Margaret SMITH _____|
(1795 - 1853) m 1815|
|_____________________
In the 1885 census, this family is in Des Moines Tp., T27R68sec10, NW 1/4 of NW 1/4. It is not known why John Baird went west, nor exactly where he was in 1830. His brother Peter went as far west as Morrow Co., OH. No other members of this family are presently known to have left New Jersey. In 1840, there is a John B. Baird of the right age in Christian Co., IL, but the age of the wife is uncertain and there is a much older woman in the household.
Cemetery record; family record from G. Mills Bockoven, Basking Ridge, NJ; speech about old settlers from Van Buren Democrat, Bonaparte, IA, Aug. 21, 1895.
Cemetery record; speech about old settlers from Van Buren Democrat, Bonaparte, IA, Aug. 21, 1895.
Information from an obituary in the records of the Van Buren Co. "Old Settlers' Association".
_William BAIRD ______+
| (.... - 1794) m 1758
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1760 - 1808) m 1783|
| |_Margaret O'RILEY ___
| m 1758
_William BAIRD ______|
| (1784 - 1858) |
| | _George BOCKOVEN ____+
| | | (1734 - 1814) m 1759
| |_Mary BOCKOVEN ______|
| (1765 - 1853) m 1783|
| |_Mary WHITENACK _____+
| (1740 - 1806) m 1759
|
|--John B. BAIRD
| (1813 - 1895)
| _____________________
| |
| _Peter PRUDDEN ______|
| | (1765 - 1838) m 1782|
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______|
(1787 - 1835) |
| _____________________
| |
|_Esther PRUDDEN _____|
(1762 - 1827) m 1782|
|_____________________
_William BAIRD ______+
| (1784 - 1858)
_John B. BAIRD ________|
| (1813 - 1895) m 1839 |
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______+
| (1787 - 1835)
_William H. BAIRD ___|
| (1850 - 1904) |
| | _William BRYANT _____+
| | | m 1815
| |_Elizabeth Ann BRYANT _|
| (1821 - 1888) m 1839 |
| |_Elizabeth _____ ____
| (1784 - 1856) m 1815
|
|--John Emery BAIRD
| (1882 - 1956)
| _____________________
| |
| _______________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Mary E. GOOD _______|
(1853 - ....) |
| _____________________
| |
|_______________________|
|
|_____________________
_John BAIRD _________+
| (1760 - 1808) m 1783
_William BAIRD ______|
| (1784 - 1858) |
| |_Mary BOCKOVEN ______+
| (1765 - 1853) m 1783
_John B. BAIRD ________|
| (1813 - 1895) m 1839 |
| | _Peter PRUDDEN ______
| | | (1765 - 1838) m 1782
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______|
| (1787 - 1835) |
| |_Esther PRUDDEN _____
| (1762 - 1827) m 1782
|
|--John H. BAIRD
| (1858 - 1859)
| _Josiah BRYANT ______
| |
| _William BRYANT _____|
| | m 1815 |
| | |_Lydia RATLIFF ______+
| | (.... - 1809)
|_Elizabeth Ann BRYANT _|
(1821 - 1888) m 1839 |
| _____________________
| |
|_Elizabeth _____ ____|
(1784 - 1856) m 1815|
|_____________________
Listed in transcript as son of T. C. and M. J. Baird.
_William BAIRD ______+
| (1784 - 1858)
_John B. BAIRD ________|
| (1813 - 1895) m 1839 |
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______+
| (1787 - 1835)
_Thomas Greenleaf BAIRD _|
| (1854 - 1935) m 1882 |
| | _William BRYANT _____+
| | | m 1815
| |_Elizabeth Ann BRYANT _|
| (1821 - 1888) m 1839 |
| |_Elizabeth _____ ____
| (1784 - 1856) m 1815
|
|--John H. BAIRD
| (1895 - 1895)
| _____________________
| |
| _______________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Mary Jane STOCKDALE ____|
(1863 - 1948) m 1882 |
| _____________________
| |
|_______________________|
|
|_____________________
_William BAIRD ______+
| (1784 - 1858)
_Peter BAIRD ________|
| (1814 - 1850) m 1840|
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______+
| (1787 - 1835)
_Charles P. BAIRD ___|
| (1850 - ....) m 1871|
| | _George BOCKOVEN ____+
| | | (1786 - 1874) m 1815
| |_Nancy BOCKOVEN _____|
| (1816 - 1880) m 1840|
| |_Margaret SMITH _____
| (1795 - 1853) m 1815
|
|--John P. BAIRD
| (1876 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Elizabeth _____ ____|
(1852 - ....) m 1871|
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
|_____________________
"minor under 14 years of age" according to settlement document dated 23feb1860, birthdate deduced assuming 2 years between children.
_John BAIRD _________+
| (1760 - 1808) m 1783
_William BAIRD ______|
| (1784 - 1858) |
| |_Mary BOCKOVEN ______+
| (1765 - 1853) m 1783
_William BAIRD ______|
| (1820 - 1859) |
| | _Peter PRUDDEN ______
| | | (1765 - 1838) m 1782
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______|
| (1787 - 1835) |
| |_Esther PRUDDEN _____
| (1762 - 1827) m 1782
|
|--John S. W. BAIRD
|
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Mary E. _____ ______|
(.... - 1861) |
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
|_____________________
_William BAIRD ______+
| (1784 - 1858)
_John B. BAIRD ________|
| (1813 - 1895) m 1839 |
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______+
| (1787 - 1835)
_Christopher Myers BAIRD ____________|
| (1853 - 1930) m 1875 |
| | _William BRYANT _____+
| | | m 1815
| |_Elizabeth Ann BRYANT _|
| (1821 - 1888) m 1839 |
| |_Elizabeth _____ ____
| (1784 - 1856) m 1815
|
|--John William BAIRD
| (1877 - 1942)
| _William BARNETT ____
| | (1769 - 1838)
| _Joseph BARNETT _______|
| | (1810 - 1884) m 1841 |
| | |_Sarah HART _________
| | (1779 - 1852)
|_Martha Jane Barge (Mattie) BARNETT _|
(1852 - 1936) m 1875 |
| _____________________
| |
|_Mary Ann MURDOCK _____|
(1817 - 1883) m 1841 |
|_____________________
__
|
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1665 - 1755) m 1700|
| |__
|
_Andrew BAIRD _______|
| (1700 - 1773) |
| | __
| | |
| |_Mary BEDENT ________|
| m 1700 |
| |__
|
|
|--Jonathan BAIRD
|
| __
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |__
| |
|_Sarah _____ ________|
|
| __
| |
|_____________________|
|
|__
Resided in Longmont, CO in 1908.
_William BAIRD ______+
| (1784 - 1858)
_John B. BAIRD ________|
| (1813 - 1895) m 1839 |
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______+
| (1787 - 1835)
_Andrew Jackson BAIRD _|
| (1846 - 1902) m 1874 |
| | _William BRYANT _____+
| | | m 1815
| |_Elizabeth Ann BRYANT _|
| (1821 - 1888) m 1839 |
| |_Elizabeth _____ ____
| (1784 - 1856) m 1815
|
|--Josephine BAIRD
| (1875 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| _______________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Mary E. WILDAY _______|
(1846 - 1894) m 1874 |
| _____________________
| |
|_______________________|
|
|_____________________
_John BAIRD _________+
| (1760 - 1808) m 1783
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1798 - 1838) |
| |_Mary BOCKOVEN ______+
| (1765 - 1853) m 1783
_Lewis BAIRD ________|
| (1824 - ....) |
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_Sarah CODDINGTON ___|
| (1800 - 1858) |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--Julia BAIRD
|
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Kitty Ann WEAR _____|
|
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
|_____________________
_William BAIRD ______+
| (.... - 1794) m 1758
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1760 - 1808) m 1783|
| |_Margaret O'RILEY ___
| m 1758
_John BAIRD _________|
| (1798 - 1838) |
| | _George BOCKOVEN ____+
| | | (1734 - 1814) m 1759
| |_Mary BOCKOVEN ______|
| (1765 - 1853) m 1783|
| |_Mary WHITENACK _____+
| (1740 - 1806) m 1759
|
|--Julia BAIRD
| (1832 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Sarah CODDINGTON ___|
(1800 - 1858) |
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
|_____________________
_William BAIRD ______+
| (1784 - 1858)
_John B. BAIRD ________|
| (1813 - 1895) m 1839 |
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______+
| (1787 - 1835)
_Andrew Jackson BAIRD _|
| (1846 - 1902) m 1874 |
| | _William BRYANT _____+
| | | m 1815
| |_Elizabeth Ann BRYANT _|
| (1821 - 1888) m 1839 |
| |_Elizabeth _____ ____
| (1784 - 1856) m 1815
|
|--Lemuel BAIRD
| (.... - 1908)
| _____________________
| |
| _______________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Mary E. WILDAY _______|
(1846 - 1894) m 1874 |
| _____________________
| |
|_______________________|
|
|_____________________
According to 1900 census. However, IGI has 20jul1880, suggesting that once again the census taker subtracted wrong.
Listed as Leonard A. Baird, son of A. J. and M. R. Baird, no age given.
_William BAIRD ______+
| (1784 - 1858)
_John B. BAIRD ________|
| (1813 - 1895) m 1839 |
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______+
| (1787 - 1835)
_Andrew Jackson BAIRD _|
| (1846 - 1902) m 1874 |
| | _William BRYANT _____+
| | | m 1815
| |_Elizabeth Ann BRYANT _|
| (1821 - 1888) m 1839 |
| |_Elizabeth _____ ____
| (1784 - 1856) m 1815
|
|--Lemuel J. BAIRD
| (1879 - 1879)
| _____________________
| |
| _______________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Mary E. WILDAY _______|
(1846 - 1894) m 1874 |
| _____________________
| |
|_______________________|
|
|_____________________
still living - details excluded
_John B. BAIRD ________+
| (1813 - 1895) m 1839
_Christopher Myers BAIRD ____________|
| (1853 - 1930) m 1875 |
| |_Elizabeth Ann BRYANT _+
| (1821 - 1888) m 1839
_LeRoy BAIRD ________|
| (1879 - 1956) |
| | _Joseph BARNETT _______+
| | | (1810 - 1884) m 1841
| |_Martha Jane Barge (Mattie) BARNETT _|
| (1852 - 1936) m 1875 |
| |_Mary Ann MURDOCK _____
| (1817 - 1883) m 1841
|
|--Leroy BAIRD
|
| _______________________
| |
| _____________________________________|
| | |
| | |_______________________
| |
|_Mintie _____ _______|
(1887 - ....) |
| _______________________
| |
|_____________________________________|
|
|_______________________
LeRoy is on the 1920 census of Greely, Weld Co., CO. In the same household are Miles F. (age 59, b. WI) and Eliza Thompson (age 61, b. IA), identifed as uncle and aunt. I am unable to identify these with any of LeRoy's possible aunts and uncles. Perhaps they belong with Mrs. Baird.
published cemetery records. Survivors are listed as Martha G. Kercher and Nina O. Myers Carlock.
_William BAIRD ______+
| (1784 - 1858)
_John B. BAIRD ________|
| (1813 - 1895) m 1839 |
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______+
| (1787 - 1835)
_Christopher Myers BAIRD ____________|
| (1853 - 1930) m 1875 |
| | _William BRYANT _____+
| | | m 1815
| |_Elizabeth Ann BRYANT _|
| (1821 - 1888) m 1839 |
| |_Elizabeth _____ ____
| (1784 - 1856) m 1815
|
|--LeRoy BAIRD
| (1879 - 1956)
| _William BARNETT ____
| | (1769 - 1838)
| _Joseph BARNETT _______|
| | (1810 - 1884) m 1841 |
| | |_Sarah HART _________
| | (1779 - 1852)
|_Martha Jane Barge (Mattie) BARNETT _|
(1852 - 1936) m 1875 |
| _____________________
| |
|_Mary Ann MURDOCK _____|
(1817 - 1883) m 1841 |
|_____________________
"minor above 14 years of age" according to settlement document dated 23feb1860, date deduced by assuming 2 years between children.
_John BAIRD _________+
| (1760 - 1808) m 1783
_William BAIRD ______|
| (1784 - 1858) |
| |_Mary BOCKOVEN ______+
| (1765 - 1853) m 1783
_William BAIRD ______|
| (1820 - 1859) |
| | _Peter PRUDDEN ______
| | | (1765 - 1838) m 1782
| |_Rhoda PRUDDEN ______|
| (1787 - 1835) |
| |_Esther PRUDDEN _____
| (1762 - 1827) m 1782
|
|--Levi P. BAIRD
|
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Mary E. _____ ______|
(.... - 1861) |
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
|_____________________