Rev. Baird was a pioneer minister that came from Maryland in 1795 to Kentucky. He settled near Levelwoods in the late 1790's when it truely was all woods. He quickly set about in establishing the Levelwoods Methodist Church. He spent 54 years in the Methodist Church and was described as "An able expounder of the word of God". He died on April 17, 1846 at the age of 78. He is buried in a small family cemetery on his farm. The cemetery is about a mile from the Levelwoods Church. Many of the Beard or Baird family still descends from him today.

Original inscription on Rev. John Baird's stone: " Sacred to the memory of the Rev. John Baird who departed this life April 17, 1846 in the 78 year of his age 54 years of which he spent in the Methodist Episcopal Church Calling sinners to repent He was an exceptable Preacher an affectionate Husband a Kind Father and faithful Friend Through death lives in the Harts of many."

According to Ben Jones: In 1787, Philip Reed of Worchester County, Maryland, came to Kentucky as a land prospector. He was delighted with the land and climate and returned to Maryland and married his sweetheart, Anna Aldelott, and brought her to Hardin County, now LaRue County, Kentucky. On October 4, 1794, Elizabeth Aldelott, a sister to Anna Aldelott Reed, married the Rev. John Baird, a young Methodist circuit rider. In 1795, lured by Reed's praise of Kentucky and the settlers' need of a spiritual leader, John and Elizabeth Baird emigrated to join Philip and Anna Reed.

From the LaRue County Herald, Sep 3, 1896:
........The first Methodist preacher who came to this neighborhood was Rev. John Baird, who emigrated from Maryland. He preached a sermon at Mr. Phillip Reed's August 7, 1796. A short time afterward a small society was organized by Rev. John Watson consisting of Rev. John Baird, Elizabeth Baird, Wm. and Matthew Mellender, and James and Ann Murphy. They steadily increased until they numbered seventy. Other societies being organized, they were diminished to 25 but their watchword being "Onward" they steadily increased until they reached the present number, 120. Among the faithful, earnest workers of the last fifty years who have fallen asleep may be mentioned, Wm. Baird, Elijah Allen, Jas. Brown, Joel Miller, Phillip Scott, Willis Scott and others. For a number of years they have been second to none in the Circuit in the support of the ministry and in their zeal in church and Sunday School Work.

[added by Russell Perkins, FAG#47213352]