In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1895) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1825
From Portrait and biographical record of Winona County, Minnesota; containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county (1895), Portrait and biographical record of Winona county, Minnesota. Containing biographical sketches of prominenet ... citizens .. (1894)
JOHN C. LAIRD, of Winona, was born in Lewisburg, Union County, Pa., October 6, 1825, and is a son of Robert Hoyt and Maria (Nevins) Laird. The father was born in Derry, Northumberland County, Pa., June 22. 1796, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. In 1820 he married Mrs. Maria (Nevins) Fruit, a widow. Her father, Christian Nevins, was born in Holland, November 1, 1759, and married Lucretia Chamberlain, who was born in 1765. The great-grandfather of our subject on the material side, John Hayes, was born in Londonderry, Ireland, and came to America in 1730. His son, Robert Hayes, was born in Northumberland County, Pa., in 1742, and wedded Mary Allison.
Matthew Laird, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born about 1765, and became a resident of Cumberland County, Pa. His son, Moses
Laird, married Jane Hayes, and their son, Robert H., became the father of John C. Laird, of this notice. The grandfather of Mrs. Maria Laird was a Revolutionary soldier. He was born in Hunterdon County, N. J., September 27, 1736, and was the eldest of twelve children born to William and Elizabeth Chamberlain, who were natives of England, and came to America in 1680. Col. William Chamberlain served in the Colonial army, and his commission bears the date of September 9, 1777. He was a member of General Armstrong's brigade and General Wayne's division, and took part in the battles of Franklin, Princeton and Brandywine. At the last-named his son Louis was killed. He was also present at the surrender of Cornwallis, October 19, 1781. His services were recognized as so valuable to the American forces that the English offered a reward of £500 for his head. His old uniform epaulettes are still in possession of the family.
Robert Laird and his wife lived and died in Pennsylvania. He made farming his life work and was quite an influential citizen. His death occurred at the age of ninety-one years. John C. Laird was one of a family of eight children. He was reared on the old home farm, and at the age of twenty-five determined to go to California, but his family objected and instead he emigrated to northern Illinois in 1850. In the fall of that 3'ear he went up the Mississippi to Winona Prairie, passing St. Paul, which then contained a population of five hundred. He stopped at La Crosse when there were but five families in the town. After two weeks he went to Galena, and thence to Freeport, Ill. In the spring of 1851 he entered a claim above La Crosse, but clerked in a store until the following fall, when he was made Deputy Register of Deeds of La Crosse County under William T. Price, since United States Senator. His eldest sister, Catherine, now the wife of Abner S. Goddard, taught school in La Crosse in the winter of 1851. In May, 1852, Mr. Goddard came to Winona, being one of its first settlers. He was appointed the first Postmaster of the place, but died the following August. His widow afterward married A. B. Smith, and was long a resident of Winona, being one of the best known and most highly respected ladies of the county. She had three children when she came here, but two died soon after her arrival. One son, Charles Goddard, enlisted before he was seventeen years of age for service in the Civil AVar, and was wounded at the battle of Gettysburg, after which he returned to Winona. He was elected Register of Deeds, but died before the time came for him to enter upon the duties of the office.
John C. Laird arrived in Winona in August, 1852, and the following year made a claim. His time was largely spent in driving settlers over the country until 1855. In the spring of that year he was joined by his brothers, Matthew J. and William H., and the firm of Laird Bros, was formed. They would go up the Chippewa River and buy lumber, which they would raft down and sell to the settlers who were rapidly flocking to this place. The venture proved a very profitable one, and from this grew the extensive business of the firm of Laird, Norton <fe Co. In 1856 the Norton brothers joined the Laird brothers in business, and the subject of this sketch continued with the firm until 1865, when he withdrew. The first mill was erected in the fall of 1857. In 1860 John C. Laird went to Olmsted County to improve a farm which he had entered in 1856, and there remained until 1863. He had six hundred acres of land, which he sometimes operated with help and sometimes rented.
On the 9th of April, 1855, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Laird and Miss Charlotte M. Jarvis, of Chautauqua County, N. Y., who came to Winona in 1853, with Mr. and Mrs. Charles Eaton. Their children are: Will Hayes, who for eighteen years has been employed in the office of Laird, Norton & Co.; Allison W., a bookkeeper in the Second National Bank; and Scott, who was graduated from the high school in the Class of '94. Mr. Laird was one of the first members of the Congregational Church at this place, and has led an honorable, upright life, which has gained for him the confidence and good-will of all with whom he has been brought in contact. In politics he was first a Whig and then a Republican.
Willard Harrison.
As printed in Portrait and biographical record of Winona county, Minnesota. Containing biographical sketches of prominent ... citizens .. (1894). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
JOHN C. LAIRD, of Winona, was born in Lewisburg, Union County, Pa., October 6, 1825, and is a son of Robert Hoyt and Maria (Nevins) Laird. The father was born in Derry, Northumberland County, Pa.,.Tune 22, 1796, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. In 1820 he married Mrs. Maria (Nevins) Fruit, a widow. Her father, Christian Nevins, was born in Holland, November 1, 1759, and married Lucrctia Ciiumbeilain, who was born in 1765. The great-grandfather of our subject on the material side,.lohn Hayes, was born in Londonderry, Ireland, and came to America in 1730. His son, Robert Hayes, was born in Northumberland County, Pa., in 1742, and wedded Mary Allison.
Matthew Laird, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born about 1765, and became a resident of Cumberland County, Pa. His son, Moses
Laird, married Jane Hayes, and their son, Robert H., became the father of John C. Laird, of this notice. The grandfather of Mrs. Maria Laird was a Revolutionary soldier. He was born in Hunterdon County, N. J., September 27, 1 736, and was the eldest of twelve children born to William and Elizabeth Cliaraberlaiii, who were natives of England, and came to America in 1680. Col. William Chamberlain served in the Colonial army, and his commission bears the date of September 9. 1777. He w.as a member of General Armstrong's brigade and General Wayne's division, and took part in the battles of Franklin, Princeton and Hrandywine. At the last-named his son Louis was killed. He was also i)resenlat the surrender of Cornwallis, October 19, 1781. Hisservices were recognized as so valuable to the American forces that the English offered a reward of £500 for his head. His old uniform epaulettes are still in possession of the family.
Robert Laird and his wife lived and died in Pennsylvania. He made farming his life work and was quite an influential citizen. His death occurred at the age of ninety-one years..lohn C. Laird was one of a family of eight chftdren. He was reared on the old home farm, and at the age of twenty-five determined to go to California, but his family objected and instead he emigrated to northern Illinois in 1850. In the fall of that year he went u]) the Jlississippi to Winona Prairie, passing St. Paul, which then contained a population of five hundred. He stopped at La Crosse when there were but five families in the town. After two weeks he went to(galena, and thence to Freeport, Ill. In the spring of 1851 he entered a claim above La Crosse, but clerked in a store until the following fall, when he was made Deputy Register of Deeds of La Crosse County, under William T. Price, since United States Senator. His eldest sister, Catherine, now the wife of Abner S. Goddard, taught school in La Crosse in the winter of 1851. In May, 1852, Mr. Goddard came to Winona, being one of its first settlers. lie was appointed the first Postmaster of the place, but died the following August. His widow afterward married A. B. Smith, and was long a resident of Winona, being one of the best known and most highly respected ladies of the county. She had three children when she came here, but two died soon after her arrival. One son, Charles Goddard, enlisted before he was seventeen years of age for service in the Civil War, and was wounded at the battle of (gettysburg, after which lie returned to Winona. He was elected Register of Deeds, but died before the time came for him to enter upon the duties of the office.
John C. Laird arrived in Winona in August, 1852, and the following 3-ear made a claim. His time was largely spent in driving settlers over the country until 1855. In the spring of that year he was joined by his brothers, Matthew.Land William IL, and the firm of Laird Bros, was formed. They would go up the Chippewa River and buy lumber, which they would raft down and sell to the settlers who were rapidly flocking to this place. The venture proved a very profitable one, and from this grew the extensive business of the firm of Laird, Norton it Co. In 1856 the Norton brothers joined the Laird brothers in business, and the subject of this sketch continued with the firm until 1865, when he withdrew. The first mill was erected in the fall of 1857. In 1860 John C. Laird went to Olmsted County to improve a farm which he had entered in 1856, and there remained until 1863. He had six hundred acres of land, which he sometimes operated with help and sometimes rented.
On the 9th of April, 1855, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Laird and Miss Charlotte M. Jarvis, of Chautauqua County, N. Y., who came to Winona in 1853, with Mr. and Mrs. Charles Eaton. Their children are: Will Hayes, who for eighteen years has been employed in the ollice of Laird, Norton <fe Co.; Allison W., a bookkeeper in the Second National Bank; and.Scott, who was graduated from the high school in the Class of '94. Mr. Laird was one of the first members of the Congregational Church at this place, and has led an honorable, upright life, which has gained for him the confidence and good-will of all with whom he has been brought in contact. In politics he was first a Whig and then a Republican.
Willard Harrison.
As printed in Portrait and biographical record of Winona County, Minnesota; containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county (1895). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Their biographies name John C. Laird: Richard Perrin (b. 1825)
The printed record stops around 1895. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.