Happy Birthday Papa.

Today is the 165th birthday of my grandfather, Benjamin Wilson Baird. He was an interesting man. Born while James Buchanan was president of the United States he was the youngest son of Lt. William Baird. William, as a father of several children did not join the Confederate army, the 53rd Georgia Infantry, until 1863. He was wounded badly in the shoulder as he crossed a fence at the horrific Battle of the Wilderness on May 4, 1864. After a long stay in hospitals in Richmond during the war he made it home to his family in Georgia, but was an invalid for the rest of his life. Wilse was the son who eventually stayed home to care for the farm. In 1902, at 42 years of age Wilse finally got around to getting married -- to my 18-year-old future grandmother. Together they would have eleven children. The eleventh, Ruth, would grow up to become my mother. 

Other than my maternal cousins and my siblings I know of only one of my friends who can claim a pre-Civil War grandparent (George Barton) -- are there others?

One of my favorite stories about Papa, who died 15 years before I was born: As a lay Methodist pastor he was sought out for advice by a young nephew who was feeling a call to ministry. He told my cousin: "Son, remember, you can't scare folks into the kingdom, you have to love 'em into it." I wish more present-day evangelicals would follow that admonition

Billie Baird Boyd, 1936-2020

Ralph and Billie on their wedding day.

We've lost another first cousin last week. Billie was the pretty daughter of my Uncle Grice, Mother's oldest brother. She was a little older than my eldest sister. She had two older brothers, Bobby and Benny, and one younger one, Wayne. 

This is the funeral home obituary:

Obituary

Billie J. Baird Boyd, 83, of Suwanee, GA formerly of Duluth, GA died May 28, 2020. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic the family will have a private cryptside service at Green Lawn Cemetery, Roswell, GA. Ms. Boyd, a native of Porterdale, GA was a retired crossing guard with the Gwinnett County Police Department with 30 years of service. Preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Lee Boyd, her son, Ralph Lee Boyd, Jr., she is survived by her, daughters nad sons-in-law, Debbie and Frank Amodeo of Marietta, GA, Dana and John Barr of Suwanee, GA; brothers and sister-in-law Benny Baird of Rome, GA, Wayne and Linda Baird of Marietta, GA; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Charles and Faye Boyd of Suwanee, GA; grandchildren, Shawn Boyd, Brian Boyd and his wife Amanda, Kyle Boyd, Francesca Amodeo, Anthony Amodeo, Aaron Shealy, John Barr, Kathryn Barr; great grandchildren, Katlyn Boyd, Haylee Mewborn, John Mewborn, Nathan Mewborn, Preston Boyd, Jaxon Boyd; several nieces and nephews. Condolences may be sent by visiting www.billheadfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Bill Head Funeral Homes & Crematory, Duluth Chapel

Here is the Find-a-Grave online record:

Billie Joyce Baird Boyd 

BIRTH

25 Jul 1936

Porterdale, Newton County, Georgia, USA

DEATH

28 May 2020 (aged 83)

Suwanee, Gwinnett County, Georgia, USA

BURIAL

Green Lawn Cemetery

Roswell, Fulton County, Georgia, USA

---------

Here's an accounting of the children and grandchildren of Ieula Ann Dick (Baird) and Benjamin Wilson Baird.

Of course their Lola and Leon died as children and left no descendants. Mary never had any children.
The nine first cousins who have died include:
Grice's children
    Bobby Baird
    Billie Baird
Bill's child
    Don Baird
Vek's children
    Marion Loyd Savage
    Leon Loyd (Lloyd)
    Benny Loyd
Charlie's children
    Gail Baird Dorman
    Jerry Baird
Tom's child
    Jack Baird

My remaining 12 Baird first cousins are:
Grice's Children
    Benny Baird
    Wayne Baird
Sis's child
    Otis Lavay McCullough - Lavay is the oldest of all the cousins and is now 91. He lives in Alpharetta in an assisted living facility. He is as sharp as a tack and still spreading the Gospel wherever he can. Lavay is a not-very-retired Baptist pastor.
Jack's child
    Sandra Baird Caruso
Tom's child
    Jane Baird Lathem
Ruth's children
    Janice Shaw Crouse
    Joan Shaw Turrentine
    Terrell Shaw
    Carol Shaw Johnston
    Deborah Shaw Lewis
    Beth Shaw Roszel
    David Shaw

Gleaning Facebook: Family Joy and Pain Found Online

James Leon Baird’s death certificate. May 1, 1923. He had been born Oct 4, 1919. He died of measles and bronchial? pneumonia.

Little James Leon Baird is right there on the 1920 Census. In 1923 he and his newborn baby sister (my mother Ruth Baird Shaw) would both be struck with the measles. His would turn to pneumonia and take his young life but she would recover; five years short of a century later I am privileged to get to talk with that baby sister almost every day.

My grandmother in her kitchen at 45 Hazel street, Porterdale, GA.

My grandmother Ieula Ann Dick (Baird) with several of her grandchildren. Ruth Baird Shawdo we have this picture? I found it online today.
Ruth Baird Shaw
David Baird Shaw if the little boy and at the end of the sofa...with his arms folded and looking angry with someone. It may his little cousin sitting up under his Grandmama Baird's arm?

Diane Loyd Gage

I am the little girl in the red socks and my brother, Danny, is the little boy in blue, sitting on top of the sofa.

Terrell

Who is the luttle guy under Mama Baird’s arm? Could it be Andy McCullough?

 

Gleaning Facebook: Baird Cousins

L-R Sandra Baird Caruso, Ruth Baird Shaw, Vicki De Mayo-Baird

L-R Jane Baird Lathem, Carol Shaw Johnston, Joan Shaw Turrentine, Sandra Baird Caruso, Ruth Baird Shaw, Vicki De Mayo-Baird, Lyn Turrentine Davis

L-R Sandra Baird Caruso, Ruth Baird Shaw

-------------------------

Deborah Shaw Lewis

Wish I could have been there!

Janice Shaw Crouse
Deborah Shaw Lewis Me, too!

Jane Baird Lathem
That was a wonderful day!

Sandra Caruso
It was one of the happiest days of my life, one that I will never forget. 

Vicki De Mayo-Baird
One of the best days! Just happy all around 

 

Gleaning Facebook: Baird Relative?

From Joy Baird Dickey:

Ritchie Dickey
I see some resemblance.

Joy Baird Dickey
He looks so smart!

Terrell Shaw
Ha!
I know of no relationship. A famous near relative as recently as that would likely be known. Also up until the Civil War or so, as far as I can discover, our relatives spelled the name "Beard".

Terrell Shaw
BUT we are second cousins, many times removed, of Presidents Zachary Taylor & James Madison.We share descendancy from one pair of their great grand parents.

Joy Baird Dickey
Awesome, thank you!!

Ruth Baird Shaw
SURE LOOKS LIKE A "BAIRD". Look at that prominent and good looking nose!

Ruth Baird Shaw
Terrell, my mother told me my father said they never called themselves "Beard."

Melissa Mefford Proctor
We were walking through Arlington on Saturday and I saw a tomb with your maiden name and I thought of you.

Ruth Baird Shaw
Joy, since he looks "so smart" , he most likely is our relative! Lets claim him!! Terry and Beth have done a little family history.. What do you think? Surely we can fit in him somewhere?

Yes! William Baird was said to be an officer in the Confederate Army! He was also said to be active in the Prospect Methodist Church and one of the few persons there who could read and write at the time. Sherman's March "all the way to the Sea"  took it's toll on the schools in the Confederate South"

Joy..at age 94, I am probably the youngest "granddaughter of the Confederacy. " I was born as the youngest and 11th child of Wilson and Eula Dick Baird. My "Papa was 20 years older than my Mama who adored him! He was the youngest son of William Baird,

 

Gleaning Facebook: Thanksgiving

 We had a great day of visiting and fine eating with just ten of the Shaw bunch… a tiny group by historical standards. Mama, at 91, had a 23 lb. turkey cooked to juicy perfection, and she, Sheila, Joan, Debi, and Lisette had all the necessary accompanying dishes, including luscious desserts. We sat around the den alternately napping and swapping tales. Mama admitted to the two paddlings she received from her Mama, and even fessed up to the shameful acts that elicited that drastic response from our beloved grandmother. Ruth Baird Shaw objected when I proposed reporting her sins on Facebook! I think the turkey was the only participant in our festivities who was photographed, unless you want to include two stray dogs.

Linda Beam

You have your mom....aw. miss mine

Terrell Shaw

Tim-Wanda Baird Mama's first spanking involved your granddaddy Grice Baird.

Tim-Wanda Baird

Lol why does that not surprise me

Ruth Baird Shaw

Now Tim...I need to set the record straight. Your Granddad was not misbehaving! He was 19 years older than I (he the oldest and i the youngest 0f 11) I was about 2 and asked for water. Mama got me a glass of water and i said, " NO...i want Grice to get it for me." Mama handed the glass to Grice and Grice gave me the glass, Then I said ""No, I want Mama to get it for me." Mama said she and Grice "humored me" for a few minutes and she finally had to spank me before i would drink the water.

Tim and Wanda...The interesting thing about this story is that Mama thought this spanking of the "Apparently spoiled two-year old brat" was the reason I...from that spanking on never misbehaved or was disobedient again....

Ace the Shepherd

Love my Shaw family! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Gleaning Facebook: Benny Loyd

Benny Green Loyd

Benny with his daughter Diane at her wedding

Benny, Diane, Lori, and Evelyn

Another week, two funerals. Just now learned of Mary Doster's death (see below). Last night Sheila and I attended the visitation for my first cousin, Benny Loyd, down in Rockmart.

Benny, an older teen in my earliest memories, was my beloved Aunt Vek's son. Funerals bring us together. As sad as we are, it still felt good to be with Evelyn and her four kids. And to see my cousin Marian, Benny's sister. And David and Susan, her son and daughter. And catch up. As time has passed and later generations have multiplied and gone off to soccer and softball and proms and all the living of their own lives, it gets harder and harder to get the cousins together. That's a pity. We have already lost a bunch of us. There's been lots of water over the shoals at Porterdale since we climbed that big ol' chinaberry tree behind Mama Baird's house and threw those hard yellow berries at each other. Or ate Aunt Mary's divinity and fudge or one of those clove-flavored candy sticks they kept around the house. . Or played hopscotch on the sidewalk out front.

So you Baird cousins and families, let's make the Labor Day reunion a big one this year. And let's hear lots of stories of Benny, and Bobby, and Gail, and Jerry, and Jack, and Don, and the others who have left us.

It's always interesting to find unknown connections at visitations. Brenda Henderson who taught with me at Armuchee was there for her friend Diane, Benny's daughter.

Comments:

Chris Frazier

I'm sorry to learn of these two deaths. Mary Doster was a friend whom I had not seen for years. I don't understand why we're here, but I know that the Leech is coming for us all.

Deborah Lake Dawson
I just lost someone yesterday. So hard to loose icons in your life.

Donald Murdock
Sorry for your loss, Terrell. Reminded me that I haven't spoken with my aunt, Gwen Murdock, in awhile. Will phone now. BTW, for all us Murdock cousins it was a huge crabapple tree in my grandma's back yard on E. 9th. Great memories.

Julia Hilburn Dent
What happened to Mary??? She was a bud and one of my good friends Aunts!!!

Wanda Mulkey Dagraedt
Sorry for your Loss.

Barbara J. Gale
So sorry about Mary. She was one of my first friends in Rome.

Gary Greene
So sorry my condolence's

Rose McDonald Darby
Scary when members of one's own generation are dying. All my mom and dad's brothers and sisters are gone. We are now the grandmas and papas, the old ones. Hard for me to believe. I still feel 30.

Terrell Shaw
I'm inexperienced at this being old thing. I hope to gets lots of practice so I can eventually get it right!

Rose McDonald Darby
Jim's dad is living with us; at age 91 he is getting it right!

Terrell Shaw
Yep. I still have my 91 hr-old Mom, who is working on another book! The key, I think, is to not slow down.

Rose McDonald Darby
I agree. I hope to still be running about at an old age.

Turrentines

From Joan Shaw Turrentine's Facebook:

1977 - Lyn and Steve Turrentine were in Debbie Blanton's weddiing

1972 - Daddy was behind the camera - as usual.
Raymond Atkins
Terrell, you look like one of the original members of Iron Butterfly!

David Marlin Rains
You, David, Beth & Joan look like hippies

Haley Elizabeth Shaw
My father.... No, just no...

Laurie Craw
Terrell, those striped pants. What were you THINKING? Now don't go digging out old pix of me and MY fashions....There are some real zingers in my past too. LOL

Ooops. I swore off FB for a week. Oh well.

Terrell Shaw
I was thinking, "I'm so purty, why I'll bet in 40 years the girls will STILL be noticing my snazzy seventies attire!" And you are. 

Ruth Baird Shaw
That was back in the dark ages when we had only 4 grandchildren!

Is this the Epworth Parsonage?

Bill Fortenberry
I'm pretty sure Terrell Shaw wore those pants to McHenry on more than one occasion. This decision was not held against him.
P.S. I don't know all the folks in this photo, but I am struck by the uncanny resemblance of the young man in glasses on the far left to Dow Turrentine, the gene pool is obviously deep.

Terrell Shaw
William, that's Dow's great uncle David, who also happens to be my baby brother. 

(And, of course, you recognize Dow's daddy , front left.

 

Gleaning Facebook: Baird Family Visit

From Andy McCullough's Facebook

Enjoyed visiting with my Great Ruth Baird Shaw last night and cousins - Terrell Shaw, Sheila Matthews Shaw, Lillian Shaw, Deborah Shaw Lewis, Gregg Lewis, Andrew Lewis, Lisette Lewis, Joan Shaw Turrentine, and Lyn Davis

Carol Shaw Johnston

Wish I could've been there!

Jane Baird Latham

Me too!!

Lyn Davis

It was so good to see you and get to visit for a while!

Gleaning Facebook: from Jessica

From Jessica Rogers Facebook --

Grandma Ruth & five of her seven kids

Ruth Shaw with her children and their spouses.

 

Gleaning Facebook: From Warren

Warren Lathem

Turell:), just wanted you to know that this morning I give thanks to God for you and Sheila and your family and what you and all the Shaws mean to Jane and me.  I know we MAY disagree on a political issue or two, but those pale in importance to the blessing you all are to our lives.  Wish we could see you more often.  Maybe you can come over after school and we can watch Glenn Beck together?

Terrell Shaw
Happy Sunday morning to you, Wally

. At least you didn't call me TuhRELLE! Growing up I was used to friends calling me "Turry", I figured that was a pronunciation problem, not a misunderstanding of the name. Then my friend Scott wrote our names down for scorekeeping purposes (Remember "The Game of Life"?) and spelled my name exactly that way.

Sheila and I are also very grateful for you, Jane, and your family -- even ol' Jarred!

And especially for you wonderful mother- and father-in-law.

Time Machine: Baird Family Reunion 2002

2011 Notes: Family Reunion May 2002. God bless the memory of these two wonderful aunts and the lives of those still enjoying life on this side.

2011 Comment
Janice Shaw Crouse
Great picture of mother -- I love the bone structure of her face -- just perfect!!!

Christmas 1991 Shaw Family