Genealogical collections concerning the sir-name of Baird, and the families of Auchmedden, Newbyth, and Sauchton Hall in particular

16 GENEALOGICAL COLLECTIONS
parts of the world, and has lately bought a small estate near the town;
another son, who was long in North America, and lately returned
home ; and a daughter unmarried. Captain Donaldson is married to a
daughter of Bruce of Powfoulis, great-grandchild to Sir James Baird.
Gilbert Baird became a magistrate at Saint Andrews, and left a good
character behind him. He left to his daughter several lands and
houses in and about St. Andrews, which now his grandson possesses.
Walter Baird continued Catholic to his death, which happened December 14,
1599, leaving only one daughter by his lady. Catherine Grant was
a most judicious, active woman, and, according to the tradition of
the country and some letters which remain, in all respects an excellent
wife. Her mother was daughter of Cuming of Ersay. She died
March 15, 1592, and by her last will it appears she then held
several large farms x in her own hand, and left a great stocking of cows,
horses, milk cows, and young cattle, labouring oxen, and sheep upon
them.
"Walter Baird's daughter, Lillias, was married August 16, 1578, to Gilbert
Baird of Auchmedden, to whose descent we must now return as far as
it can be traced back.
Several men and women, descendants of the family of Ordinhnivas, besides
those mentioned before, are spoken of in old letters and papers, and in the Records
of the Sheriff and Town Courts of Banff, but it is now impossible to ascertain their
proper generations, nor have they any male posterity now remaining. There is
particularly one, Thomas Baird, in Burnside, 2 August 16, 1554. He was setting
out Hibemico bello, which is explained the war against the rebellious Highlanders,
and assigns to his wife, by a parchment deed written in Latin, of this date, at
Banff, a great many crofts he had at that place, and property and profitable leases,
held by him in Aberdeen and Banff shires. It is very probable that he was a son
or grandson of Janet Maitland.
1 The will is transcribed in the notes appended to the MS. The farms are Bankheid, Dallachy,
Auchannachy and the Liez (?), and Auehnagorth. — Ed.
2 He is a witness to a deed quoted in the Appendix. — Ed. May 2nd, 1543. Thomas Baird
of Burnside gets a nineteen years' tack of the Dowhaugh of Banff. — W. B.