William Finley Baird 1862-1916

W. F. BAIRD, vice-president and manager of the Bank of Madera, was born in Uniontown1, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in 1862. His father, J. Baird, was a farmer and banker, being director of the National Bank of Deposit, Brownville, Pennsylvania, and owning 400 acres of land, where he carried on general farming and also raised horses and cattle from high-bred stock. Young Baird was educated at the schools of Uniontown, then at the Streator high school of Illinois, and finished at Eastman’s National Business College at Poughkeepsie, New York. Before graduating he was called back to Streator to accept the position of assistant cashier and bookkeeper in the banking house of Wilson & Kuhns. He was subsequently promoted to the office of cashier, and remained in the bank nearly four years. In August, 1887, Mr. Baird came to Elsinore, San Diego County, California, and received the position of cashier of the Consolidated Bank of Elsinore, with a paid up capital of $44,000, of which Mr. Baird owns one-third. On the organization of the Bank of Madera, in February, 1890, he was induced to come to Madera and accept the position of vice-president and manager of the bank, but still retaining his interest in the Bank at Elsinore. Under his wise management the bank of Madera has made rapid progress, and is doing a successful business. Mr. Baird is also treasurer of John Brown colony, which was incorporated in February, 1890, with a paid up capital of $200,000, and is a director and stockholder of the institution.

He was married at Streator, Illinois, in January, 1886, to Miss Mina A. Smith, a native of Chicago. They have one child, Ralph P., who was born in November 11, 1888. Mr. Baird is largely interested in town lots, in the Hughes addition to Madera, and is about to build a handsome residence on Yo Semite avenue. Though a very active business man he is not unmindful of church work. At Streator, Illinois, he was elected and ordained elder of the Park Presbyterian Church, at twenty-one years of age, and was then the youngest known elder in the Presbyterian Church in the United States. In Madera, Mr. Baird was prominent in the organization of the First Presbyterian Church, in October, 1890, and was appointed elder of the church and superintendent of the Sunday-school.

Memorial and Biographical History of the counties of Fresno, Tulare and Kern, California. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1892. p. 495.

The above publication makes no mention of the fact that W. F. Baird was tried for the misappropriation of funds while at the Bank of Madera. The New York Times reported the case on November 1, 1891. He was arrested in San Francisco and sent back to Madera to stand trial.

William F. Baird was born on February 26, 1862 in Pennsylvania. He married Almina Abbey Smith (1862-1903) of New York on January 27, 1886. They were married by the Rev Penhallegon of Streator Ill. William and Almina had two children, Ralph P. Baird (born November 11, 1888) and Martha Baird. "Mina", a musician, died on November 5, 1903. The census for 1900 shows the family living in Los Angeles City. Ten years later they had moved back to William's home state, and were living in Pittsburgh. William then pursued a litigious career in the coal mining industry. He was involved in several court cases involving disputes over land, coal contracts and other financial embarrassments.2

William's Parents
Jeremiah Piersol Baird (born Oct. 9, 1828, died May 26, 1901 in Fayette County, PA.) married on Jan. 15, 1857, Marjorie Marth Finley (born Oct. 25, 1835, died March 25, 1902 in Fayette County, PA.) They had 14 children; nine sons and five daughters.
William Finley Baird was their fourth child. William's paternal grandparents were Moses Baird (born Dec. 1, 1794 in PA, died Dec. 7, 1874 in Fayette County, PA.) He married in 1820, Rachel Beal (born Oct. 9, 1796, died Nov. 10, 1880 in Fayette County, PA.). They had six children. Their genealogy is described in the Baird family Bible.

William F. Baird was a patron of the Historical Atlas of Fresno County (Tulare, Calif.: Thompson, 1891). It reveals that he came to California in 1887, and to Madera in 1890, where he owned 1500 acres.

Source: The stenographer: a monthly magazine. vol.3 (Philadelphia, 1893) p. 560.

1Martha Baird's passport application (8 April 1919) shows her father's birthplace as Merrittstown, PA., and that he died May 1916 at Marietta, Ohio. The Baird family bible cites May 10, 1916. Ohio death records show William Baird died 11 May 1916 in Franklin County.
2 Morris v. Baird (Supreme Court of Appeals, W. Va.) The Southeastern Reporter v. 78 (St. Paul, 1913)
Kyle v. Griffin (Wetzel County, W. Va.) The Southeastern Reporter v. 85 (St. Paul, 1915)
Howison v. Baird. The Southern Reporter v 40 (St. Paul, 1906). Baird v. Grannis. Michigan Law Review v. 8 (Ann Arbor, 1910).
Interstate Commerce Commission v. Baird. Digest of Decisions of Courts and the Interstate Commerce Commission. Chicago, 1908.