He was born in Onondaga County, New York, November 6, 1837, and was raised on a farm. In 1872, he came to Iowa and bought land in Maple Township, Ida County, Iowa. Mr. Baird was married at age of 30 to Harriet Conover, daughter of Isaac Talmage, in Scholarie County, New York. Their child was Edmund C. Baird.
Mr. Baird married Matilda Preston in 1877. She was the daughter of John Preston, who was born and educated in Scotland. They had three children: Andrew E., Preston, and Mabel Laura.
E. C. Baird was vice president and director of the Maple Valley Savings Bank and served as a member of the Maple Township School Board.
His father was Andrew W. Baird and he was born in Scholarie County, New York. His mother was Harriet Bramhall Baird and she died when he was 4 years old. Then his father married her sister, Jane Bramhall, and they had one child, Willard.