Randolph County ILGenWeb

William McKee Baird

Civil War Pension Record:  WC-439-867

Randolph Certificates of Record of Marriage:

John BURKE married Martha BEARD 25^th day of January 1877

James P. EDWARDS married Martha BURK 26^th day of April 1884
John BURK married Martha BEARD 25^th day of January A.D. 1877

Children’s addresses in papers as of November 1895 are:

John M. BAIRD Marceline, Linn County, MO

Ellen (Baird) ROLF 1429 North Ninth Street, City of St. Louis, MO

Proof of Disability

State of Illinois, County of Randolph, SS.

ON THIS 12^th days of October, A.D. 1888 personally appeared before me a

Justice of the Peace in and for the aforesaid County, duly authorized to administer

oaths in the County of Randolph and State of Ills and who being duty sworn

according to law, state that I was acquainted with Wm. M. BEARD who enlisted

or volunteered as a Corp in Company K 142 Regiment of Illinois vols., and who

was Discharged at Camp ______, Chicago, Ill on or about the _____days of

October, 1864 by reason of Expiration of term of Enlistment.

That the said Wm M. BEARD while in the line of his duty, at or near White Station

in the State of Tennessee did, on or about the _____day of July, 1864 become

disabled in the following manner, viz.: that he took Camp Diarrhea & complained of

Piles and was subject to same at intervals from that time until mustered out in Later

end of October 1864 at Expiration of term of enlistment.

That the facts stated are personally known to the affiant by reason b being in

Command of Co. During all of the time.

(Signed) John STARENSER

Capt Co K 142 Ill Vol Inf

Declaration for Pension or for Increase of Pension of Children

under Sixteen years of Age.

State of Illinois, County of Randolph, S.S.

On this 10^th day of September A.D. one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight

personally appeared before me a clerk of the Circuit court a Court of Record, within

and for the County and State aforesaid John M. BAIRD & Jesse BAIRD, Ellen BAIRD

resident of Sparta, County of Randolph, State of Ills. Aged 23 & 25, 16 years respectively,

who being duly sworn according to law, make the following declaration in order to obtain

the pension proviced by Act of Congress for children under sixteen years of age. That

they are the legitimate children of William M. BAIRD who enlisted under the name of

Wm. M. BAIRD at Sparta, Ills on the 4^th day of May A.D. 1864 Corp. Co. K - 142 ⁰ –

Regt. Ills. Infty. Vols. in the war of 1861-65. who died of a disease contracted in service

& line of duty at Sparta on the 21 day of nov. A.D. 1873 and who bore at the time of this

death the rank of _____, in  ________ that he left a widow surviving who remarried on the

8^th day of March 1878 Jany 25, 1877 that the above-named are the only surviving legitimate

children of William M. BAIRD who were under sixteen years of age at the time of his

death, of whom Samuel A. BAIRD, born Dec. 23, 1858 & died Nov. 8^th 1875. that said

children were the issued of soldier, as follows, the dates of their birth being as hereinafter stated:

Samuel A.     of soldier by Martha BAIRD, born Dec. 23  1858 (died)

Jesse            of soldier by     “            “    , born Sept. 22  1862

John M.        of soldier by     “            “    , born Sept. 19  1864

Ellen             of soldier by     “            “    , born Sept. 25  1872

That the mother was married under the name of Martha HATHORN to Wm. M. BAIRD,

there being no legal barrier to such marriage; that the said children have not aided or abetted

the rebellion; and that a prior application has been filed by the widow but not prosecuted

to completion that declaration appoint with full power of substitution and revocation John

E. LATIMER of Washington, D.C. their attorney to prosecute the above claim; that their

post office address is Sparta, Randolph Co., Illinois.

(Signed) John M. BAIRD, Jessie BAIRD, Ella BAIRD

(Witnesses) A. CROZIER (There is one additional illegible signature)

Declaration of a Widow for Restoration of Pension.

Act of March 3, 1901, Amending Section 4708, Revised Statutes.

State of Illinois, County of Randolph, SS:

ON this 18^th day of January, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and two, personally appeared

before me, a Notary Public within and for the County and State aforesaid, Martha EDWARDS,

aged 59 years, a resident of Sparta, County of Randolph, State of Illinois, who, being duly

sworn according to law, makes the following declaration for the purpose of having her name

restored to the Pension Roll under the Act of March 3, 1901, amending section 4708,

Revised Statues:

That she was formerly pensioned as widow of William M. BAIRD who died

December 21^st 1873, by reason of wound or injury received or disease contracted while

serving as Corporal in Company K 142^d Rgt Ill Infty, in the war of the Rebellion (1861).

That she was his lawful wife during the period of his service in said war, and that she

remained his lawful wife to the date of his death.

That her pension was paid by the United States pension agent at Chicago Illinois and that

the number of her Pension Certificate was (not numbered). That she never received any other

pension from the United States no made any other application for pension.

That her pension ws terminated because of her marriage to John BURK. That said marriage

took place April 20^th, 1876, at Chester Illinois. That said husband died July 5^th, 1878, at

Mobanly, Missouri and she was married to James R. EDWARDS on the 26 day of April

1884 (or) That she divorced from said husband James R. EDWARDS upon her own

application and without fault on her part, n the 19^th day of September, 1898, at Chester

Illinois. That said James R. EDWARDS husband did not serve in the Army or Navy of

the United States. The said John BURK did not serve in the army or navy of the United States.

That she did not marry again after the death of the soldier except to John BURK and

James EDWARDS named above.

That she is without other means of support than her daily labor and an actual net income

not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars per year. She hereby appoints, with full

power of substitution and revocation herself claimant herein of Sparta Illinois her true

and lawful attorney to prosecute the above claim.

That her Post Office address is Sparta County of Randolph, State of Illinois.

ATTEST: W. P. ASKINS
(Signed)
Martha EDWARDS

Charles ROBBINS

Submitted by Pamela Tremé