GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY NOTES 3 
In the presence of these curious facts, attested by many 
witnesses, the people in the neighborhood, when the 
estate was acquired in 1854 by Mr. Robert Baird, became 
curious to see whether the eagles would return. In par- 
ticular the Rev. Mr. Gardiner, the then minister of the 
parish, was onthe lookout. Strange tosay, they did return 
to their old eyrie, and continued there for some time. Un- 
happily there was then a coastguard station at Pennan, 
and the men tried to shoot the eagles, which scared them 
away. Since then there is no record of their return. 
Many of this ancient and honorable family were of 
Jacobite sympathies, among whom might be mentioned 
the celebrated Lord Pitsligo. After the ill-fated uprising 
of 1745 some may have participated in that emigration 
to America in which for prudential reasons so many Scots 
took part. However this may be, the somewhat indefi- 
nite family traditions which remain are to the effect that 
Thomas Baird, born in Scotland in 1724, came to America 
somewhat before 1747, after a sojourn in Tyrone, Ireland. 
His brother John, born in 1730, came over about the same 
time. The brothers settled in Chester County, where their 
names appear on the assessment lists prior to 1747, but not 
later. It is probable that they removed to Cumberland 
County about that time, as their names appear on the first 
assessment list of that county in 1751. 
John Baird, said to have married Margaret McLean, 
died in East Pennsboro township, July, 1778, leaving a 
widow and five children. ‘Thomas Baird, the great grand- 
father, and earliest known paternal ancestor of Professor 
Baird, married Mary Douglas, probably of Chester 
County, about 1746 or 1747, and his removal to Guilford 
township, Cumberland County, may very probably have 
immediately followed his marriage. The date of his death 
