Baird family

Captain Charles Wesley Baird, master mariner and businessman, was born circa 1870 in Great Village, NS to John William Baird (1834-ca.1917) and Susan Bigney (1841-1897). Charles owned several sailing schooners including Peaceland, Newburgh, and American Team and was captain of the tugboats J.A. Mumford and Gypsum King. The tugboat would take 3 or 4 barges loaded with gypsum from NS to New York, USA. He married Hannah Eugenie Stoddard (ca.1870-1933) in Mount Denson, NS in 1890, then moved to Windsor, NS, circa 1900. Hannah opened the family home as a boarding house circa 1911. Hannah and Charles had seven children: Ethel May (1891-1967) married briefly to a soldier Douglas Godfrey before WWI, then moved to Saskatoon, SK, raised 3 children as a single parent during the Depression. Stayed out west.; Harold Bigney (1893-1966) worked at Windsor Foundry, then operated a machine shop on family property in Windsor for 40 years. Married Mae MacKenzie of Rawdon, NS. Fishing and camping companion of Jack’s; Avard Russell (1894-1976) moved to Vancouver, BC in 1930s, married Florence Pratt (d.1969), a nurse. Worked for West Coast Shipbuilders as foreman, then department head for 5 years in 1930s, then worked for University of British Columbia as Housing Administrator. Corresponded regularly with Jack; Harland Wesley (1897-1900) died at age of 2 years; Raymond Roland (1901-1949) lived in Windsor 1930s and 1940s, worked as a machinist in 1931, married Violet in 1933. Only briefly mentioned in correspondence; John “Jack” (1907-1975); and Frederick Munro (1910-1982) went to New York in 1920s, attended Pace College and New York University, worked 40 years at Manhattan Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat Hospital started in 1929, became Director of Personnel. Married Bertha Woolaver of Newport, NS in 1944. Jack and Fred were very close, Fred and Bertha came to NS every summer. Charles died in June 1927. Hannah died in June 1933.

2018-04-13 created

• English

Contents of the fonds.

Karen White