Help Please BAIRDs circa 1700.....

[leahnatl]

Hello All:

My name is Leah Beard and I'm new to this forum. I've been trying to find my Baird (Beard/Baird in the Colonies) ancestor and how he got to America for years. I was hoping someone would be so kind as to see if he is listed anywhere in records that were around in the late 1600s, early 1700s.

His name is Neill Beard (Baird). He had enough money in 1746 to purchase property in Bladen County, North Carolina; and continued purchasing it.

He along with several others signed a petition requesting a licensed minister of the Church of Scotland for the Cape Fear area in North Carolina, although I have not found this petition yet.

His Will indicates his wife and several of his children (although Miriam probably died before him as she's is not listed in his Will):

1. NEILL BEARD (BAIRD) b Abt. 1690, d 1772, Cumberland Co., NC. He married CATHERINE.

Children of NEILL BEARD and CATHERINE are:
MIRIAM, b. Abt. 1730
WILLIAM, b. Abt. 1732, Bladen Co., NC
CATHERINE, b. Abt. 1736, m. John Moore
NEAL, b. Abt. 1742, Bladen Co., NC
JOHN, b. 1748, d. 1799 NC
JAMES, b. 1755, Bladen Co., NC; d. 1801 NC
DANIEL, b. 1760

Family lore states some of his children were born in Scotland. If that is the case, then he most liked married in Scotland. He may have gone to Ireland before going to America.

I've not been able to locate any Neill BAIRD on any records available online in Scotland.

Could someone help me? Root around and see is Neill (Neal, Neil) BAIRD may have come from the area of Aberdeenshire, i.e. Aberdour, Banffshire, or anywhere the Bairds were at this time period.

If he was forced out around the '45 event, would he have the money to purchase land in 1746?

I have searched to see if he came in through the north earlier, possibly being Quaker. But would he petition the Church of Scotland for a minister if that be the case?

Thanks in advance for any help and/or comments.

If you want a few more details, do a Google Search for Neil Beard and it will pull up.

Leah Beard
leahnatl@bellsouth.net

[CatrionaL]

Hi Leah

A rather belated welcome to Talking Scot.

While browsing the site, I came across your post and realised that no-one had responded to it.

It's true that once we get back to the 1600 and early 1700, it becomes increasingly difficult to find information., especially if you don't know where the person came from.or was living at a particular time.

Since wills are one helpful source of information once we move back in our research, I had a look at the wills at the www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk site. For the period that interests you there was only one BEARD, James an advocate 1655. It might be worth purchusing, especially as you appear to have exhausted all other sources.. The wills for the name BAIRD are numerous, but worth a glance through the free index to see if anything stands out.

Hope this helps just a little.

Kind regards

Catriona