... Among
the pioneer farmers of Harrison County, was James Baird, a native of New
Jersey, born Sept. 5, 1788, and when seven years old was brought to
Kentucky, by an uncle, who placed him in the family of David Ellis, a
Bourbon County farmer; with him he remained til [sic] he arrived at
manhood. James then left the home of his adoption and came to Harrison
County, where he married Nancy Blair, daughter of Samuel and Polly
(Russell) Blair, who lived on Twin Creek, in this county. Soon after his
marriage he bought and settled on a small farm on Raven Creek. His wife
was born June 9, 1791, and died March 31, 1839. This union resulted in
ten children, three sons and seven daughters; eight of the children are
still living and are all married, and with one exception they all reside
in their native county. They rank among the leading and most prominent
families of their part of the county. James Baird's second marriage was to
Mrs. Nancy Garnett, who survived him but a few years. He lived to see all
his children married, after which he expressed himself as being then ready
to die, having been spared long enough to see his large family all settled
in life. He died Dec. 25, 1857, aged sixty-nine years. Perhaps there was
no man in the county held in higher esteem or was more popular among his
fellow men and neighbors. His whole career through life was characterized
by honesty and undoubted veracity and integrity. Notwithstanding he was
abundantly supplied with the necessaries of life, yet he never cherished
any disposition to accumulate property or wealth, and consequently died,
comparatively speaking, a poor man, leaving but little to hand down to his
children, save the rich legacy of an untarnished name and an unimpeachable
character. ...
