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

CONCERNING TEE SIRNAME OF BAIRD. 21
him, of which a copy remains. 1 Branden died anno 1661, above fourscore years
old. Old Troup 2 remembered to have seen him when he was a child, and
said he was a worthy, inoffensive, honest man. He left by his will the
stocking of the Mams of Northfield, valued at 3000 merks, to his eldest
brother's son, Sir James, in place of the patrimony he had got from their common
father.
Andrew was bred to the law, and entered writer to the Signet. He married
Helen Harvey, daughter to Harvey of Ward of Kilmundy. Their contract of
marriage was signed at Banff, Oct. 15, 1619. They had one son, Captain Walter
Baird, who was killed at the battle of Dunbar, Sept. 3, 1650.
James — as this was a very eminent man in his time, and the founder of two
families still flourishing in the Lothians, a particular account of him and his
posterity will be given last by itself, as it was sent me in June 1754, by Mr. James
Baird, his great-grandson.
John was educated at Edinburgh under his last-mentioned brother's inspection,
and by his interest was made Sheriff-Clerk of Banff in 1638, which is all I can
find of him. It is probable he died soon. 3
Thomas went over to France in 1607, recommended to his uncle, Mr. Andrew.
But he writes in his letters to his father that he was of a hard "ingyne" as to
learning, and incapable of any of the sciences. He became minim Friar 1609 in a
monastery of that order at Besancon, in Burgundy, anno 1615. But he had an
excellent turn to mechanics, of which a very good sample is still to be seen. It is
an oblong, small chest of ivory* 10 inches long, 5 broad, and 4 high, delicately
carved in bas-relief, with the chisel, upon the top and sides into figures of knight-
errants, distrest damsels, and enchanted castles, taken from some of the old
romances which were so much in vogue in that age.
Walter died a young lad in November 1613.
Hugh served in the Archduke Albert's troops, got a commission, and Avas
stationed in garrison at Aldemay in 1611, a town in Friseland. He married in
that country, but whether he has any posterity remaining is uncertain.
Magnus was settled at North Mawe in Shetland, and married there ; he had
one daughter, Janet Baird, who was married in 1636 to a merchant at Bergen, in
Norway ; she wrote frequently to Sir James Baird, and used to send him presents
of the product of that country. She was alive in 1673.
As to the posterity of Gilbert's three sons that went to Ireland to push their
1 See Letters, No. XVLTL— Ed. 2 Keith of Troup.— Ed.
3 He died in 1649, and Kobert Sharp, the Archbishop's brother, succeeded him.— W. B.
4 This relique is in my possession. — W. N. F.