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Commemorative
Biographical Record of the County of Kent, Ontario
George M. Baird |
GEORGE M.
BAIRD, the present clerk of Harwich township, and one of its
most highly esteemed citizens, is a descendant of one of the
earliest settlers in the County of Kent. The Baird family
is of Scotch extraction, the great-grandfather, William
Baird, being a native of that land, where he married and
reared the following children: William, James, David,
Bessie and Margaret.
William Baird
(2), grandfather of George M., was born in Ireland, where he
died. He married Margaret Campbell, daughter of James
Campbell, and they had children: David, James, William,
Elizabeth and margaret A., all deceased. After the death of
Mr. Baird his widow married Samuel Arnold, of Ireland, who
also left her a widow, and she then came to Ontario, where
she died in 1874.
William Baird
(3), father of George M., was born in 1822, in Ireland, and
on September 2nd, 1848, located in Morpeth, Ontario. There
he followed shoemaking for seven years and then settled at
Blenheim, where he continued to work at his trade for 15
years, after which he settled on a farm in Harwich township,
three miles east of Blenheim, and there he died January 1st,
1899. In the following October his widow removed to
Blenheim, where she still resides. Her maiden name was Jane
Meredith, and she was born April 20th, 1829, a daughter of
George and Mary (McMurry) Meredith, and a granddaughter of
Joseph Meredith, the latter of whom was born in 1776, in
Ireland, and died at the age of 96 years. The children of
George Meredith were: Mary, Ann, George, Joseph, William,
Hannah and Jane, the latter being the only survivor. Jane
Meredith married William Baird June 12th, 1851, and their
children were: George M., Margaret Ann, Elizabeth Jane,
Mary Louise (deceased), Hannah Sarah (deceased) and Nellie
M.
George M.
Baird was born April 8th, 1852, at Morpeth, and received his
literary education in the public schools of Blenheim and the
Toronto Normal School. For three years he taught in the
public schools of Harwich township and then took a business
course at London, Ontario. He then carried on the farm for
a few years, after which he accepted the position of
accountant in a private bank at Blenheim, where he continued
five years. His official life began in 1888, when he was
appointed treasurer of Harwich township, and in 1898 he
received his present appointment, that of township clerk;
his services have contributed very much to the efficiency of
the management of township affairs. In addition to
attending to his official duties, Mr. Baird is engaged in
the fire and life insurance business.
In 1878 Mr.
Baird married mary H. Rowe, daughter of Lewis G. Rowe, one
fo the very early settlers of the township, and two sons and
one daughter wer born to them, of whom Lewis, the oldest,
only survives. he has been thoroughly educated in the local
schools and the Collegiate Institute at Ridgetown, and is a
graduate of the Ontario College of Pharmacy. Politically
Mr. Baird is a Prohibitionist, and in religion he is a
Methodist. Fraternally he is a member of the I.O.O.F., and
is an ardent Royal Templar. He is an enthusiastic lawn
bowler.
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