Cumberland Presbyterian Minister
William was moved from an old cemetery near Mississippi in Burlington to Aspen Grove cemetery. His grave was placed in a random location and was not marked. The only thing the cemetery knows is that he is buried in the "Old Potter's Field" section of the cemetery.
"Rev. William French Baird was born on the 22d day of September, 1818. His ancestors were of Scotch extraction, from the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Some of the family sojourned in the northern part of Ireland, near Londonderry, and thence they came to the American Colonies and settled near Lancaster, Pa. His grandfather, Robert Baird, was barely twenty years of age when he entered the patriotic army of the Revolution. Mr. Baird's father, Alexander Baird, the eldest son of Robert Baird, was married to Nancy French, the daughter of Enoch and Mary French. The maternal side of the family was also of Scotch descent, and came to America prior to the Revolution, and settled near Germantown, Pa. Both grandparents of Mr. Baird settled in Fayette County, Pa., and were Ruling Elders in Dunlap's Creek congregation, of the Presbyterian Church. His grandfather Baird was married to Elizabeth Reeves, whose parents were of English and Welsh descent, and were natives of Long Island. His grandfather French was married to Mary McIlroy, of Scotch and Irish descent.
Mr. Baird's father was an officer under Gen. William Henry Harrison, for whom he ever cherished the most affectionate regard and admiration. The early influences by which Mr. Baird was surrounded were most favorable to early development of Christian life and character. His parents were members of Dunlap's Creek congregation, of the Presbyterian Church, which was organized about 1775 or 1776. During the long years of faithful ministrations of such men as Rev. Myers, Powers, McMillan, Dunlap, Jennings, Johnson and Samuel Wilson, D. D., now of Fairfield, Iowa, they could not fail in furnishing the most desirable society for childhood and youth. The observance of the Sabbath, prayer-meetings, Sabbath-schools, catechizations, temperance and education, were the results of such faithful labor.
Mr. Baird professed religion when twelve years of age, and united with Hopewell congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Baird had six brothers and six sisters; of his brothers three were ministers and three were Ruling Elders in the church. Mr. Baird's father not only gave his children a good education, but desired his sons to learn some trade, so as to be the better prepared for any misfortune that might befall them in the future. Two sons were millwrights, one a coachmaker, one a stonemason, one an artist and one a dentist. Of the six sons four received a collegiate education and one son died in his senior year at college.
Mr. Baird left home early in life and learned to build a nine-passenger coach, a barouche, phaeton and buggy. He then completed a collegiate course in Madison College, at Uniontown, Pa., and received his theological education under Rev. Milton Bird, D. D., and Rev. Azil Freeman, D. D., and was licensed to preach on the 8th of April, 1848. Mr. Baird came to Iowa, arriving in Burlington on the 16th day of December, 1848, and was appointed missionary the spring following, to operate in Iowa, with his home at Burlington.
Mr. Baird was ordained by the Union Presbytery at Hopewell, Pa., on the 3d of September, 1849, and on the 5th day was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca B. Harah, of Uniontown, Pa. It was a happy marriage. The religious influence surrounding Mrs. Baird's early life was of the most precious character. She was educated in Fayette Seminary, at Uniontown, Pa., and was a member of the Presbyterian Church. The fruit of this union was two sons--William H. and Henry M. Baird, both graduates of the dental department of the Iowa State University, and now located in the city of their birth.
Mr. Baird returned to Iowa, arriving at Burlington in the fall of 1849. At this time there was but one Cumberland Presbyterian Church house in Iowa, and now there are between thirty and forty, seven of which were built under the labors of Mr. Baird. Much of the vast field in Iowa, and some thirty counties in Illinois, were traversed on horseback. Mr. Baird made three extended tours, prior to the war, in the Southern States, under the direction of the Board of Missions of his church.
When the late war came on Mr. Baird remained a Union man, and presented a battle flag to the Burlington Zouaves, which severed his relation with the Board of Missions, which was located in the South. Mr. Baird was one of the three agents jointly appointed by the American Bible Society, and the United States Christian Commission, to superintend the Scripture work in the army and navy--styled Army Agents at New York and Field Agents at Philadelphia. Mr. Baird was assigned to the "armies of the Southwest, under Gen. Grant and Sherman," with headquarters at Nashville, Tenn., after the capture of the city. At the close of the war Rev. Dr. Hall, of the Gulf, and Rev. Mr. Gilbert, of the Potomac, were released, and the entire work was entrusted to Mr. Baird, to provide for the remnant of the army and navy, to re-open the Bible work in the Southern States, to select State agents and to bring in the freedmen. This required two years of hard labor and much travel. The last labor was performed in the trans-Mississippi Department. Mr. Baird was in New Orleans during the riot of July, 1865; a terrible day it was. He crossed over to Galveston, Tex., and thence north to Red River, visited the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians, and provided for them the Scriptures, returning south to Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Brownsville. Here Mr. Baird found Rev. James Hickey, agent for Mexico, on his deathbed, received his dying requests, preached his funeral discourse, and laid him to rest. Mr. Baird took the aged widow, Thomas Sepulvada, Mr. Hickey's guide, the American Bible Society's ambulance, and drove to Monterey, reorganized the Bible work and returned to New Orleans, and thence to Burlington, after an absence of eight months, having traveled 8,000 miles and spoken 800 times. After recovering from a severe sickness, Mr. Baird went to New York in May, 1866, and closed his agency. He received $400 besides his salary as a token of appreciation for faithful services rendered amid danger and death. For several years Mr. Baird's health was so impaired as to demand rest, but at present he is quite well, and preaches every Sabbath, and had in charge a congregation at Mr. Hamill, Lee County, and two congregations in Cedar County. Every year of Mr. Baird's ministerial life has received tokens of divine favor in revivals of religion."
Source: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Des Moines County, Iowa, Chicago:: Acme Publishing, 1888, page 773.
William was moved from an old cemetery near Mississippi in Burlington to Aspen Grove cemetery. His grave was placed in a random location and was not marked. The only thing the cemetery knows is that he is buried in the "Old Potter's Field" section of the cemetery.
"Rev. William French Baird was born on the 22d day of September, 1818. His ancestors were of Scotch extraction, from the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Some of the family sojourned in the northern part of Ireland, near Londonderry, and thence they came to the American Colonies and settled near Lancaster, Pa. His grandfather, Robert Baird, was barely twenty years of age when he entered the patriotic army of the Revolution. Mr. Baird's father, Alexander Baird, the eldest son of Robert Baird, was married to Nancy French, the daughter of Enoch and Mary French. The maternal side of the family was also of Scotch descent, and came to America prior to the Revolution, and settled near Germantown, Pa. Both grandparents of Mr. Baird settled in Fayette County, Pa., and were Ruling Elders in Dunlap's Creek congregation, of the Presbyterian Church. His grandfather Baird was married to Elizabeth Reeves, whose parents were of English and Welsh descent, and were natives of Long Island. His grandfather French was married to Mary McIlroy, of Scotch and Irish descent.
Mr. Baird's father was an officer under Gen. William Henry Harrison, for whom he ever cherished the most affectionate regard and admiration. The early influences by which Mr. Baird was surrounded were most favorable to early development of Christian life and character. His parents were members of Dunlap's Creek congregation, of the Presbyterian Church, which was organized about 1775 or 1776. During the long years of faithful ministrations of such men as Rev. Myers, Powers, McMillan, Dunlap, Jennings, Johnson and Samuel Wilson, D. D., now of Fairfield, Iowa, they could not fail in furnishing the most desirable society for childhood and youth. The observance of the Sabbath, prayer-meetings, Sabbath-schools, catechizations, temperance and education, were the results of such faithful labor.
Mr. Baird professed religion when twelve years of age, and united with Hopewell congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Baird had six brothers and six sisters; of his brothers three were ministers and three were Ruling Elders in the church. Mr. Baird's father not only gave his children a good education, but desired his sons to learn some trade, so as to be the better prepared for any misfortune that might befall them in the future. Two sons were millwrights, one a coachmaker, one a stonemason, one an artist and one a dentist. Of the six sons four received a collegiate education and one son died in his senior year at college.
Mr. Baird left home early in life and learned to build a nine-passenger coach, a barouche, phaeton and buggy. He then completed a collegiate course in Madison College, at Uniontown, Pa., and received his theological education under Rev. Milton Bird, D. D., and Rev. Azil Freeman, D. D., and was licensed to preach on the 8th of April, 1848. Mr. Baird came to Iowa, arriving in Burlington on the 16th day of December, 1848, and was appointed missionary the spring following, to operate in Iowa, with his home at Burlington.
Mr. Baird was ordained by the Union Presbytery at Hopewell, Pa., on the 3d of September, 1849, and on the 5th day was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca B. Harah, of Uniontown, Pa. It was a happy marriage. The religious influence surrounding Mrs. Baird's early life was of the most precious character. She was educated in Fayette Seminary, at Uniontown, Pa., and was a member of the Presbyterian Church. The fruit of this union was two sons--William H. and Henry M. Baird, both graduates of the dental department of the Iowa State University, and now located in the city of their birth.
Mr. Baird returned to Iowa, arriving at Burlington in the fall of 1849. At this time there was but one Cumberland Presbyterian Church house in Iowa, and now there are between thirty and forty, seven of which were built under the labors of Mr. Baird. Much of the vast field in Iowa, and some thirty counties in Illinois, were traversed on horseback. Mr. Baird made three extended tours, prior to the war, in the Southern States, under the direction of the Board of Missions of his church.
When the late war came on Mr. Baird remained a Union man, and presented a battle flag to the Burlington Zouaves, which severed his relation with the Board of Missions, which was located in the South. Mr. Baird was one of the three agents jointly appointed by the American Bible Society, and the United States Christian Commission, to superintend the Scripture work in the army and navy--styled Army Agents at New York and Field Agents at Philadelphia. Mr. Baird was assigned to the "armies of the Southwest, under Gen. Grant and Sherman," with headquarters at Nashville, Tenn., after the capture of the city. At the close of the war Rev. Dr. Hall, of the Gulf, and Rev. Mr. Gilbert, of the Potomac, were released, and the entire work was entrusted to Mr. Baird, to provide for the remnant of the army and navy, to re-open the Bible work in the Southern States, to select State agents and to bring in the freedmen. This required two years of hard labor and much travel. The last labor was performed in the trans-Mississippi Department. Mr. Baird was in New Orleans during the riot of July, 1865; a terrible day it was. He crossed over to Galveston, Tex., and thence north to Red River, visited the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians, and provided for them the Scriptures, returning south to Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Brownsville. Here Mr. Baird found Rev. James Hickey, agent for Mexico, on his deathbed, received his dying requests, preached his funeral discourse, and laid him to rest. Mr. Baird took the aged widow, Thomas Sepulvada, Mr. Hickey's guide, the American Bible Society's ambulance, and drove to Monterey, reorganized the Bible work and returned to New Orleans, and thence to Burlington, after an absence of eight months, having traveled 8,000 miles and spoken 800 times. After recovering from a severe sickness, Mr. Baird went to New York in May, 1866, and closed his agency. He received $400 besides his salary as a token of appreciation for faithful services rendered amid danger and death. For several years Mr. Baird's health was so impaired as to demand rest, but at present he is quite well, and preaches every Sabbath, and had in charge a congregation at Mr. Hamill, Lee County, and two congregations in Cedar County. Every year of Mr. Baird's ministerial life has received tokens of divine favor in revivals of religion."
Source: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Des Moines County, Iowa, Chicago:: Acme Publishing, 1888, page 773.
Cumberland Presbyterian Minister
William was moved from an old cemetery near Mississippi in Burlington to Aspen Grove cemetery. His grave was placed in a random location and was not marked. The only thing the cemetery knows is that he is buried in the "Old Potter's Field" section of the cemetery.
"Rev. William French Baird was born on the 22d day of September, 1818. His ancestors were of Scotch extraction, from the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Some of the family sojourned in the northern part of Ireland, near Londonderry, and thence they came to the American Colonies and settled near Lancaster, Pa. His grandfather, Robert Baird, was barely twenty years of age when he entered the patriotic army of the Revolution. Mr. Baird's father, Alexander Baird, the eldest son of Robert Baird, was married to Nancy French, the daughter of Enoch and Mary French. The maternal side of the family was also of Scotch descent, and came to America prior to the Revolution, and settled near Germantown, Pa. Both grandparents of Mr. Baird settled in Fayette County, Pa., and were Ruling Elders in Dunlap's Creek congregation, of the Presbyterian Church. His grandfather Baird was married to Elizabeth Reeves, whose parents were of English and Welsh descent, and were natives of Long Island. His grandfather French was married to Mary McIlroy, of Scotch and Irish descent.
Mr. Baird's father was an officer under Gen. William Henry Harrison, for whom he ever cherished the most affectionate regard and admiration. The early influences by which Mr. Baird was surrounded were most favorable to early development of Christian life and character. His parents were members of Dunlap's Creek congregation, of the Presbyterian Church, which was organized about 1775 or 1776. During the long years of faithful ministrations of such men as Rev. Myers, Powers, McMillan, Dunlap, Jennings, Johnson and Samuel Wilson, D. D., now of Fairfield, Iowa, they could not fail in furnishing the most desirable society for childhood and youth. The observance of the Sabbath, prayer-meetings, Sabbath-schools, catechizations, temperance and education, were the results of such faithful labor.
Mr. Baird professed religion when twelve years of age, and united with Hopewell congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Baird had six brothers and six sisters; of his brothers three were ministers and three were Ruling Elders in the church. Mr. Baird's father not only gave his children a good education, but desired his sons to learn some trade, so as to be the better prepared for any misfortune that might befall them in the future. Two sons were millwrights, one a coachmaker, one a stonemason, one an artist and one a dentist. Of the six sons four received a collegiate education and one son died in his senior year at college.
Mr. Baird left home early in life and learned to build a nine-passenger coach, a barouche, phaeton and buggy. He then completed a collegiate course in Madison College, at Uniontown, Pa., and received his theological education under Rev. Milton Bird, D. D., and Rev. Azil Freeman, D. D., and was licensed to preach on the 8th of April, 1848. Mr. Baird came to Iowa, arriving in Burlington on the 16th day of December, 1848, and was appointed missionary the spring following, to operate in Iowa, with his home at Burlington.
Mr. Baird was ordained by the Union Presbytery at Hopewell, Pa., on the 3d of September, 1849, and on the 5th day was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca B. Harah, of Uniontown, Pa. It was a happy marriage. The religious influence surrounding Mrs. Baird's early life was of the most precious character. She was educated in Fayette Seminary, at Uniontown, Pa., and was a member of the Presbyterian Church. The fruit of this union was two sons--William H. and Henry M. Baird, both graduates of the dental department of the Iowa State University, and now located in the city of their birth.
Mr. Baird returned to Iowa, arriving at Burlington in the fall of 1849. At this time there was but one Cumberland Presbyterian Church house in Iowa, and now there are between thirty and forty, seven of which were built under the labors of Mr. Baird. Much of the vast field in Iowa, and some thirty counties in Illinois, were traversed on horseback. Mr. Baird made three extended tours, prior to the war, in the Southern States, under the direction of the Board of Missions of his church.
When the late war came on Mr. Baird remained a Union man, and presented a battle flag to the Burlington Zouaves, which severed his relation with the Board of Missions, which was located in the South. Mr. Baird was one of the three agents jointly appointed by the American Bible Society, and the United States Christian Commission, to superintend the Scripture work in the army and navy--styled Army Agents at New York and Field Agents at Philadelphia. Mr. Baird was assigned to the "armies of the Southwest, under Gen. Grant and Sherman," with headquarters at Nashville, Tenn., after the capture of the city. At the close of the war Rev. Dr. Hall, of the Gulf, and Rev. Mr. Gilbert, of the Potomac, were released, and the entire work was entrusted to Mr. Baird, to provide for the remnant of the army and navy, to re-open the Bible work in the Southern States, to select State agents and to bring in the freedmen. This required two years of hard labor and much travel. The last labor was performed in the trans-Mississippi Department. Mr. Baird was in New Orleans during the riot of July, 1865; a terrible day it was. He crossed over to Galveston, Tex., and thence north to Red River, visited the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians, and provided for them the Scriptures, returning south to Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Brownsville. Here Mr. Baird found Rev. James Hickey, agent for Mexico, on his deathbed, received his dying requests, preached his funeral discourse, and laid him to rest. Mr. Baird took the aged widow, Thomas Sepulvada, Mr. Hickey's guide, the American Bible Society's ambulance, and drove to Monterey, reorganized the Bible work and returned to New Orleans, and thence to Burlington, after an absence of eight months, having traveled 8,000 miles and spoken 800 times. After recovering from a severe sickness, Mr. Baird went to New York in May, 1866, and closed his agency. He received $400 besides his salary as a token of appreciation for faithful services rendered amid danger and death. For several years Mr. Baird's health was so impaired as to demand rest, but at present he is quite well, and preaches every Sabbath, and had in charge a congregation at Mr. Hamill, Lee County, and two congregations in Cedar County. Every year of Mr. Baird's ministerial life has received tokens of divine favor in revivals of religion."
Source: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Des Moines County, Iowa, Chicago:: Acme Publishing, 1888, page 773.
William was moved from an old cemetery near Mississippi in Burlington to Aspen Grove cemetery. His grave was placed in a random location and was not marked. The only thing the cemetery knows is that he is buried in the "Old Potter's Field" section of the cemetery.
"Rev. William French Baird was born on the 22d day of September, 1818. His ancestors were of Scotch extraction, from the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Some of the family sojourned in the northern part of Ireland, near Londonderry, and thence they came to the American Colonies and settled near Lancaster, Pa. His grandfather, Robert Baird, was barely twenty years of age when he entered the patriotic army of the Revolution. Mr. Baird's father, Alexander Baird, the eldest son of Robert Baird, was married to Nancy French, the daughter of Enoch and Mary French. The maternal side of the family was also of Scotch descent, and came to America prior to the Revolution, and settled near Germantown, Pa. Both grandparents of Mr. Baird settled in Fayette County, Pa., and were Ruling Elders in Dunlap's Creek congregation, of the Presbyterian Church. His grandfather Baird was married to Elizabeth Reeves, whose parents were of English and Welsh descent, and were natives of Long Island. His grandfather French was married to Mary McIlroy, of Scotch and Irish descent.
Mr. Baird's father was an officer under Gen. William Henry Harrison, for whom he ever cherished the most affectionate regard and admiration. The early influences by which Mr. Baird was surrounded were most favorable to early development of Christian life and character. His parents were members of Dunlap's Creek congregation, of the Presbyterian Church, which was organized about 1775 or 1776. During the long years of faithful ministrations of such men as Rev. Myers, Powers, McMillan, Dunlap, Jennings, Johnson and Samuel Wilson, D. D., now of Fairfield, Iowa, they could not fail in furnishing the most desirable society for childhood and youth. The observance of the Sabbath, prayer-meetings, Sabbath-schools, catechizations, temperance and education, were the results of such faithful labor.
Mr. Baird professed religion when twelve years of age, and united with Hopewell congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Baird had six brothers and six sisters; of his brothers three were ministers and three were Ruling Elders in the church. Mr. Baird's father not only gave his children a good education, but desired his sons to learn some trade, so as to be the better prepared for any misfortune that might befall them in the future. Two sons were millwrights, one a coachmaker, one a stonemason, one an artist and one a dentist. Of the six sons four received a collegiate education and one son died in his senior year at college.
Mr. Baird left home early in life and learned to build a nine-passenger coach, a barouche, phaeton and buggy. He then completed a collegiate course in Madison College, at Uniontown, Pa., and received his theological education under Rev. Milton Bird, D. D., and Rev. Azil Freeman, D. D., and was licensed to preach on the 8th of April, 1848. Mr. Baird came to Iowa, arriving in Burlington on the 16th day of December, 1848, and was appointed missionary the spring following, to operate in Iowa, with his home at Burlington.
Mr. Baird was ordained by the Union Presbytery at Hopewell, Pa., on the 3d of September, 1849, and on the 5th day was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca B. Harah, of Uniontown, Pa. It was a happy marriage. The religious influence surrounding Mrs. Baird's early life was of the most precious character. She was educated in Fayette Seminary, at Uniontown, Pa., and was a member of the Presbyterian Church. The fruit of this union was two sons--William H. and Henry M. Baird, both graduates of the dental department of the Iowa State University, and now located in the city of their birth.
Mr. Baird returned to Iowa, arriving at Burlington in the fall of 1849. At this time there was but one Cumberland Presbyterian Church house in Iowa, and now there are between thirty and forty, seven of which were built under the labors of Mr. Baird. Much of the vast field in Iowa, and some thirty counties in Illinois, were traversed on horseback. Mr. Baird made three extended tours, prior to the war, in the Southern States, under the direction of the Board of Missions of his church.
When the late war came on Mr. Baird remained a Union man, and presented a battle flag to the Burlington Zouaves, which severed his relation with the Board of Missions, which was located in the South. Mr. Baird was one of the three agents jointly appointed by the American Bible Society, and the United States Christian Commission, to superintend the Scripture work in the army and navy--styled Army Agents at New York and Field Agents at Philadelphia. Mr. Baird was assigned to the "armies of the Southwest, under Gen. Grant and Sherman," with headquarters at Nashville, Tenn., after the capture of the city. At the close of the war Rev. Dr. Hall, of the Gulf, and Rev. Mr. Gilbert, of the Potomac, were released, and the entire work was entrusted to Mr. Baird, to provide for the remnant of the army and navy, to re-open the Bible work in the Southern States, to select State agents and to bring in the freedmen. This required two years of hard labor and much travel. The last labor was performed in the trans-Mississippi Department. Mr. Baird was in New Orleans during the riot of July, 1865; a terrible day it was. He crossed over to Galveston, Tex., and thence north to Red River, visited the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians, and provided for them the Scriptures, returning south to Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Brownsville. Here Mr. Baird found Rev. James Hickey, agent for Mexico, on his deathbed, received his dying requests, preached his funeral discourse, and laid him to rest. Mr. Baird took the aged widow, Thomas Sepulvada, Mr. Hickey's guide, the American Bible Society's ambulance, and drove to Monterey, reorganized the Bible work and returned to New Orleans, and thence to Burlington, after an absence of eight months, having traveled 8,000 miles and spoken 800 times. After recovering from a severe sickness, Mr. Baird went to New York in May, 1866, and closed his agency. He received $400 besides his salary as a token of appreciation for faithful services rendered amid danger and death. For several years Mr. Baird's health was so impaired as to demand rest, but at present he is quite well, and preaches every Sabbath, and had in charge a congregation at Mr. Hamill, Lee County, and two congregations in Cedar County. Every year of Mr. Baird's ministerial life has received tokens of divine favor in revivals of religion."
Source: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Des Moines County, Iowa, Chicago:: Acme Publishing, 1888, page 773.
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