David Baird Sr.

David Baird Sr. (April 7, 1839 – February 25, 1927) was an Irish-born American lumber merchant, banker, and Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate from 1918 to 1919.

Early life David Baird was born on April 7, 1839 in County Londonderry, Ireland. His father was a middle-class contractor and the family were Scotch-Irish Covenanters.

Business career Baird immigrated to the United States in 1856 and worked on a farm in Port Deposit, Maryland, husking corn and peddling eggs and potatoes in exchange for boarding and meager-to-zero wages of up to $6/month. During the winter, a customer offered him a job as a raft hand for $2/day with Gillingham & Garrison, a leading Philadelphia lumber merchant firm. He accepted and remained with the firm for many decades. In 1860, the firm moved to Camden, New Jersey. In addition to piloting rafts, his job involved rolling freight on hand trucks from the Camden & Amboy trains to the Camden docks for an additional 20 cents/hour.

Political career

State and local politics Baird entered local politics around 1870, as a member of the Republican Party. He was a member of the Camden County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1876 to 1880, representing the first ward.

After leaving the Senate, he remained the leading figure in the Republican Party in South Jersey.

Death and legacy He died in Camden on February 25, 1927 after a grave illness and was interred in Harleigh Cemetery. Former president William Howard Taft was a pallbearer at his funeral, as were U.S. senators Walter E. Edge, Edward I. Edwards, and James E. Watson. The U.S. Senate adopted a resolution of regret, and flags throughout Camden were flown at half staff.

After his death, his estate was recorded at a value of $1.75 million (approximately $ million today) with other estimates suggesting it was worth as much as $5 million (approximately $ million today). It was divided among his family, with special bequests made to his staff, Cooper Hospital, the Camden Home for Friendless Children, and the Methodist Home for the Aged.