Henry Samuel Baird was born on May 16, 1800 in Dublin, Ireland. He immigrated to the United States, first settling Pittsburgh, PA with his family in c1805. Baird studied law in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and in 1822 went to Mackinac Island, Michigan Territory, where he taught school; in 1823 he was admitted to the bar. Baird and his family later moved to Green Bay, where he was admitted to practice law by special terms of Judge Doty's court held on Oct. 4, 1824. He was admitted to practice before the territorial court, becoming the first professional lawyer to practice in what would become Wisconsin. Henry S., Baird was skilled in Indian affairs, and was a counsel for the Winnebago and Menominee tribes during negotiations for sale of their land in 1830. Baird was also a secretary to Henry Dodge during the signing of the Treaty at the Cedars in 1836, and a secretary at the council held at Lake Poygan in 1848. Baird was elected to the territorial council in 1836 as a Whig, and served as president during its first session. He eventually would become attorney general for the Wisconsin Territory from 1836-1839, and was a delegate to the Wisconsin constitutional convention in 1846. In 1853 Baird was the Whig nominee for governor. In his later years he would serve as mayor of Green Bay (1861-1862). Henry S. Baird retired from practice in 1865 and died ten years later. The Baird Law Office building, (built in 1835), where Henry S. Baird used as an office beginning in 1841, exists today at the Heritage Hill State Historical Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Henry Samuel Baird was born on May 16, 1800 in Dublin, Ireland. He immigrated to the United States, first settling Pittsburgh, PA with his family in c1805. Baird studied law in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and in 1822 went to Mackinac Island, Michigan Territory, where he taught school; in 1823 he was admitted to the bar. Baird and his family later moved to Green Bay, where he was admitted to practice law by special terms of Judge Doty's court held on Oct. 4, 1824. He was admitted to practice before the territorial court, becoming the first professional lawyer to practice in what would become Wisconsin. Henry S., Baird was skilled in Indian affairs, and was a counsel for the Winnebago and Menominee tribes during negotiations for sale of their land in 1830. Baird was also a secretary to Henry Dodge during the signing of the Treaty at the Cedars in 1836, and a secretary at the council held at Lake Poygan in 1848. Baird was elected to the territorial council in 1836 as a Whig, and served as president during its first session. He eventually would become attorney general for the Wisconsin Territory from 1836-1839, and was a delegate to the Wisconsin constitutional convention in 1846. In 1853 Baird was the Whig nominee for governor. In his later years he would serve as mayor of Green Bay (1861-1862). Henry S. Baird retired from practice in 1865 and died ten years later. The Baird Law Office building, (built in 1835), where Henry S. Baird used as an office beginning in 1841, exists today at the Heritage Hill State Historical Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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