Major Chambers Baird
Chambers Baird was born July 25, 1811, at Sandy Springs, Adams County, Ohio, and died at Ripley, Brown County, Ohio, March 20, 1887, aged 75 years, 7 months, and 25 days. He was the son of Judge Moses Baird, an Ohio pioneer, who came from Washington County, Pennsylvania, and settled at Sandy Springs in 1790, and who has a sketch herein.
Chambers Baird was reared on the home farm on the banks of the Ohio River opposite Vanceburg, Kentucky, where he remained with his parents until the age of nineteen, when he entered Ripley College in 1830. He entered Jefferson College, Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1832, in company with his cousin, Stephen R. Riggs, afterward noted as a minister and missionary among the Dakota Indians. He was graduated with him in the class of 1834 with second honors, having distinguished himself in Greek, Latin, English composition, and as a speaker.
He returned to Ripley after his graduation and began the study of law with Hon. Archibald Leggett and Col. Francis Taylor, formerly of Kentucky. He was admitted to the bar in November, 1836, and he was a regular practitioner in the courts of Adams County from 1837 during the whole time he was in the practice of the law. He was married in 1837 to Miss Mary Ann Campbell, of Ripley. She died in 1844, childless. He was again married May 6, 1845, to Miss Judith Anne Leggett, only daughter of Mr. A. Leggett, who had married two daughters of Col. Taylor. Mrs. Baird is still living in Ripley (1899). To them were born five children, three daughters and two sons, of whom three died in infancy. The surviving children are Florence C., now Mrs. John W. Campbell, of Ironton, Ohio, and Chambers, Jr., the youngest, an attorney of Ripley.
Mr. Baird's early years of manhood were spent in the active work of his profession. He was a close student and a hard worker. His great ability, perfect integrity, and high character secured for him recognition in his profession and in the county, and he became a prominent and influential figure at the bar to the end of his long life. He was in all the activities of life at home, and served several terms as mayor of Ripley, and was also repeatedly a member of various elective and appointive local boards, in which positions he was an efficient and acceptable officer.
Being a man of strong convictions and great industry, Mr. Baird early took an active part in political life. He was originally a Whig, a follower of Henry Clay, and championed the cause of the party in the great campaign of 1840 and many others following. As a strong anti-slavery man, he was one of the organizers of the new and great Republican party, to which he constantly adhered to the end of his life. In 1855 he was elected State Senator from Brown and Clermont counties, and served with honor and distinction during the sessions of 1856 and 1857. In 1856 he was a delegate to the first National Republican convention, held at Philadelphia, and assisted in the nomination of Fremont for President. During the troublous and exciting years preceding the war, some of the best work of his political life was given to the cause of free speech, free men, and a free press. Here, as usual, his courage, ability, and energy placed him in the front rank and won for him the distinction which he ever after retained. He was only prevented from attaining the highest political honors by his modesty and lack of ambition. He rose to every occasion and contest, but the crisis past, he returned to his profession, and left the gathering of public laurels to others.
In the campaign of 1860 he took a prominent part in the election of Lincoln, and at the outbreak of the Civil War, which he always believed would and must come as the only settlement of the great question of slavery, he was one of the first and foremost to speak for the Union, to the maintainance of which he gave his highest and untiring energies. His close personal and political relations with Senator Sherman, Secretary Chase, Governor Dennison, and other statesmen, gave him great prominence in state affairs. His age, fifty years, prevented him from entering active military service, but he was at once appointed Provost Marshal by the Governor, and was intrusted with the responsible duty of organizing a defense of the Ohio border against the inroads of disloyal Kentuckians and raiders from the Confederate Army. This confidence of the War Governor was not misplaced. With his accustomed energy, he set about organizing minute men and military companies until the martial reputation of the people of Ripley and vicinity, already secured by the many enlisted men in the active volunteer service, made them well known as being thoroughly prepared to repulse any attack that might be contemplated. Later in the war he desired more active service, and having been offered the appointment of paymaster in the U. S. Army, he accepted it. He was first assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, with headquarters at Louisville, Ky. But he was often with the army in the field, and was present at several battles, having witnessed the famous "battle above the clouds" at Lookout Mountain, and other engagements. Later on he was ordered to Washington, and there remained on duty among the eastern armies until the close of the war. He was living in Washington at the time of the assassination of President Lincoln. At the close of the war he was sent to Annapolis to pay the Union troops returned from Southern prisons, where he witnessed many pitiful scenes. On the first day of July, 1866, after a service of three hard years, he was at last, at his own request, honorably mustered out of the U. S. service, after handling many millions of money without the loss of one cent and without a blemish or spot upon his integrity.
Leaving the army, Major Baird returned to Ripley, to his home and family, and resumed the practice of his profession. In this work he continued for a number of years, until the cares of it became a burden, when he relinquished a lucrative practice and occupied himself only with his private business and affairs, retiring finally with abundant honors and a competence. During the last decade of his life, however, he continued his usual activities and expanded his interests. For many years he was engaged in the banking business as director of the First National Bank of Ripley, Ohio, and later as president of the Farmers' National Bank, and of its successor, the Citizens' National Bank. He was president of the Ripley Gas Company from its organization in 1860 until his death. He was an active member of the Ripley Fair Company, the Ripley Saw Mill and Lumber Company, of several turnpike companies, and also an investor in other industries and enterprises at home and abroad, always desiring to promote the welfare and prosperity of his town and its people. His handsome home was the seat of a continuous and generous hospitality, and here he entertained many of the distinguished men of the country. He possessed two of the largest libraries of law books and miscellaneous books in southern Ohio, and wrote many addresses and articles on subjects of general interest. He also maintained a wide correspondence with friends and public men, and obtained many tokens of their esteem and confidence.
In his active political life, which was continued for a number of years after the war, he was a regular attendant of state and other conventions of the Republican party, and had a wide acquaintance with public men and politicians in the state. He was famous as a debater, and no antagonist could easily annoy or ever discomfit him, for his quick, full mind was always ready to reply with facts, arguments, stories and witticisms. He usually had the best of every discussion, because from his nature and conscience, he always took the best side of the question. Thus he was in constant demand as a speaker, and during his long, active life, made many thousands of addresses of all kinds, professional and political, and on temperance and religious subjects. He was never an office seeker, nor often a place holder. He declined many nominations and appointments, which he felt would take him away from his law practice and family life.
He was long and closely identified with the Presbyterian Church of Ripley, which he truly loved and faithfully attended for more than half a century. For more than forty years he was a trustee, and chair man of the board for many years. He also served several terms as elder in his later years, and always took a deep interest and an active part in the religious services. He was earnest and effective in all church work and charities, and contributed largely of his time and means to their support and furtherance. He was long connected with the Sunday School in various capacities, and for some years was teacher of a large Bible class. He served repeatedly as a delegate from the church to the meetings of the Pesbytery and Synod, and was once a delegate from the Presbytery of Portsmouth to the General Assembly.
Major Baird was of medium height, fine, regular features, a handsome man, possessing a sound mind in a sound body. From his middle life, he wore a full brown beard, later tinged with gray. His disposition was sunny and cheerful, and his manners were kindly and courteous. He was friendly to everyone, and had a great fondness for little children, with whom he was a fast favorite. He was fond of men and company, of books and of social pleasures, the life of every assembly with his vivacity, humor, and stories. His temper was easy and kindly. In affairs of duty and honor, his courage was unaffected by opposition or self-interest. He always saw the right clearly and instantly, and took his stand upon it without any fear or wavering. He was generous to the poor and helpful to the deserving, always ready to assist persons in distress and trouble. For years he maintained many private charities and dependents, of which the world knew little or nothing. His personal and professional life was clear, just, and consistent, and he lived an earnest, devoted Christian gentleman. He lived long and worked hard, rising from simple beginnings to the highest eminence in his profession and in the consideration of his communiaty. In his profession of the law, he attained the highest reputation; among men of business and affairs, he was esteemed as a banker and financier; in politics, he was the trusted Republican leader of his county, and possessed the unlimited confidence of the leaders of his party in the State; in the work and counsels of the Presbyterian Church, he was prominent and useful as a trustee and an elder; in slavery and temperance agitation and in other moral reforms, he was ever active and eloquent; and in the general routine of life, he was helpful, sympathetic and generous, a leader in all good works and deeds. He lived a long, full life, and the world and humanity are the better for his efforts and example.
"Only the actions of the just Smell sweet and blossom in the dust."
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900