Baird, James P.

BAIRD, ROSS, DAVID, KENNY, DYKE, STEPHENSON

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 2/15/2003 at 08:44:49

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

JAMES P. BAIRD.

James P. Baird, a thrifty and enterprising farmer, stock raiser and fruit grower residing on section 21, Orange township, has made his home in this county since June, 1864. He was born in Clinton county, Pennsylvania, September 12, 1851, and is a son of Zebulon W. and Nancy (Ross) Baird, also natives of that county. His paternal grandfather, Benjamin Baird, was born in the same state, and was a son of David Baird, who came to this country from Scotland, and was one of the pioneers of Pennsylvania. Our subject’s maternal grandfather, Samuel Ross, was also one of the early settlers of that state. By occupation Zebulon Baird was a farmer and tobacco grower. He continued his residence in Pennsylvania until 1864, when he joined a brother and brother-in-law in Clinton county, Iowa, and located on the farm where our subject now resides, having purchased the land through his brother-in-law, who had it broken. Mr. Baird built a house and barn, and continued the improvement and cultivation of his land throughout the remainder of his life. He died here December 26, 1882. His wife had passed away seven years previous, and both were laid to rest in the Elmwood cemetery, DeWitt. They were the parents of seven children, all of whom were born in Pennsylvania, but only two are now living: James P., our subject; and Mary Ella, wife of L. W. David, of Port Byron, Illinois.

During his minority, James P. Baird gave his father the benefit of his labors, and he early acquired an excellent knowledge of agricultural pursuits, while his literary education was obtained in the home school. After reaching manhood he took charge of the farm, and continued its operation until 1887, when he rented the place and removed to Monona county, Iowa, where he purchased a tract of eighty-nine acres of land, of which thirty-two had been placed under the plow, but the remainder was all wild and unimproved. This he cleared and broke, and continued the cultivation of that farm for ten years, when he sold the place and returned to the old homestead in Clinton county. He has made many improvements on this farm, which consists of one hundred and forty acres. He has a fine-large bearing orchard, and also has a thrifty young orchard just beginning to bear. He raises a great variety of fruit, and finds this branch of his business quite profitable.

Mr. Baird was married in the Masonic Temple at Lyons, January 23, 1875, to Miss Adaline Kenny, who was born in Harrison county, West Virginia, and is a daughter of George W. and Susan (Dyke) Kenney, the former also a native of that state, the latter of Virginia. The family made their home in Licking county, Ohio, for ten years, and there Mrs. Baird was principally reared and educated. In 1865 they came to Iowa, and after residing in Scott county for a time, took up their residence in Clinton county in 1867. A year later they removed to Green county, where Mr. Kenney followed farming until his death. His widow subsequently sold the farm and went to Oklahoma, where she and each of her children took up claims. She took her claim in 1900, and is now having it improved, which seems quite an undertaking for an old lady of seventy-eight years.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Baird were born nine children, namely: Maud E., now the wife of John W. Stephenson, of Boneparte, Iowa; Emma J., at home; Zebulon W., who died in 1898, at the age of nineteen years; Charles S., who assists his father in carrying on the home farm; Laura I., Mary E., James P., Jr., Viola E. and Adaline P., all at home.

Politically Mr. Baird has been a stanch Republican since he cast his first presidential ballot for General U. S. Grant in 1872, but at local elections votes for the man and not the party. He has taken quite an active interest in public affairs, but has never sought or desired office, preferring to devote his entire attention to his business affairs. He is widely and favorably known.