Guide to the Baird Family Papers

Descriptive Summary

Title

Baird Family Papers

Inclusive Dates

circa 1900-1974

Bulk Dates

circa 1900-1966

Call Number

RG 316

Creator(s)

Baird family.

Quantity

0.50 cubic feet (1 box, 1 oversize flat box)

Restrictions on Access

Collection open for research

Digital Content

To browse this collection's digital content visit Pearl.

Repository

Presbyterian Historical Society, 425 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516 USA

Biographical Note / Administrative History

Biographical Note

William Martyn Baird, Jr., (1897-1987), and his brother, Richard Hamilton Baird, (1898-1995) were born in Chosen (Korea) to Presbyterian missionary parents, William Martyn Baird (1862-1931) and Annie Laurie Adams Baird (1864-1916). Both attended Mount Hermon School for Boys, Northfield, Massachusetts, and graduated from the College of Wooster.

William Martyn Baird, Jr. earned an M.A. from Princeton University and, after attending McCormick Theological Seminary for two years, graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1922 and was ordained by the Presbytery of New Brunswick. From 1923 to 1940, he served as a missionary in Korea under the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (PCUSA) doing evangelistic work, including country itineration, conducting Bible Institutes, and supervising colporters. He spent considerable time working on the revision of the Korean New Testament. In 1929, Baird married Anna Landis Reist (1895-1981), a PCUSA missionary to Korea from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. From 1942 to 1945, they served in Mexico. They resigned in 1946.

Richard Hamilton Baird graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1923 and was ordained by the Presbytery of New Brunswick. From 1923 to 1941, he served as a missionary in Korea under the Board of Foreign Missions (BFM), PCUSA, doing evangelistic and agricultural work. From 1942 to 1945, he served in Colombia. Until retirement in 1964, he held positions as area representative for the BFM and COEMAR (Commission on Ecumenical Mission and Relations) in the United States, as field representative (later called field executive) in the Caribbean Area and in Korea, and was a staff member of the Synod of California.

Collection Overview

The Baird Family Papers, circa 1900-1974 (bulk circa 1900-1966), consist of photographs and a small amount of correspondence and other material. The photographs, circa 1900-1966, primarily document the Korean mission and the Korean Presbyterian Church, as well as Baird family members. The papers of Richard H. Baird include a short travel account describing his 1926 journey down the Yalu River and a folder of material pertaining to the Rev. Carl McIntire (1906-2002) and the Korean Church.

Organization and Arrangement

SERIES 1: William M. Baird, Jr. and Anna Landis Reist Baird Papers, 1940-1941

SERIES 2: Richard H. Baird Papers, 1926-1974 (bulk 1952-1966)

SERIES 3: Photographs, circa 1900-1966

Alternative Formats

Letter from William M. Baird, Jr. to Dr. J.L. Hopper, Board of Foreign Missions, 1940; letter from Anna Landis Reist Baird to her parents and loved ones, 1941; "Down the Yalu” (personal travel account), 1926; and Carl McIntire and the Korean Church material, 1936?, 1952-1966, 1974 (in Box 1 Folders 2-4) available on microfilm: MF/POS./1803.

To browse this collection's digitized content visit Pearl.

Related Material

Administrative Information

Processing Information

Collection processed and finding aid prepared: October 1992
Glenn Colliver, Assistant Archivist

Photographs added and finding aid revised: July 2012
Bill Brock, Collection Management Archivist

Catalog Headings

The following headings have been used to index the description of this collection in the society’s electronic catalog.

Personal Name Subject

Baird, William Martyn, 1897-

Baird, Richard H. (Richard Hamilton), 1898-1995.

Baird, Anna Landis Reist, 1895-1981.

McIntire, Carl, 1906-2002.

Corporate Subject

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Chosen Mission.

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Korea Mission.

Taehan Yesugyo Changnohoe.

Topical Subject

Missionaries--Korea.

Presbyterian Church--Missions--Korea.

Missions--Educational work--Korea.

Geographic Subject

Yalu River (China and Korea)--Description and travel.

Genre-form

Photographs. aat

Correspondence. aat

Personal Added Name

Baird, Richard H. (Richard Hamilton), 1898-1995.

Baird, Anna Landis Reist, 1895-1981.

Baird, William Martyn, 1897-

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description	Alternative Formats

1	1	Finding Aid to Record Group 316

		SERIES 1: WILLIAM M. BAIRD, JR., AND ANNA LANDIS REIST BAIRD PAPERS, 1940-1941

1	2	Letter from William M. Baird, Jr. to Dr. J.L. Hopper, Board of Foreign Missions, 1940	Digital
1	2	Letter from Anna Landis Reist Baird to her parents and loved ones, 1941	Digital

		SERIES 2: RICHARD H. BAIRD PAPERS, 1926-1974 (bulk 1952-1966)

1	3	"Down the Yalu” (personal travel account), 1926	Digital
1	4	The true facts in the Machen and McIntire cases, 1936	Digital
1	4	Carl McIntire and the Korean Church, 1936?, 1952-1966, 1974	Digital

		SERIES 3: PHOTOGRAPHS, CIRCA 1900-1966

1	5	Outgoing missionary conference, 1918 or 1919	Digital
1	6	Outgoing missionary conference of 1923 – key to photograph, notes, and other related material, undated	Digital
1	7	Korean missionary staff, circa 1900	Digital
1	7	Korean missionary annual meetings, 1958	Digital
1	7	Korean missionary annual meetings, 1960	Digital
1	7	Korean missionary annual meetings, 1966	Digital
1	8	General Assembly of the Korean Presbyterian Church, 1960, undated	Digital
1	9	Chunju Mission Station, circa 1920-1938, undated	Digital
1	10	Kangkei Mission Station (includes negative), circa 1928-1931	Digital
1	11	Pyongyang Mission Station (includes negatives), circa 1900-1928, undated	Digital
1	12	Syen Chun Mission Station, 1921, 1925, 1937-1938	Digital
1	13	Severance Hospital and Medical College, circa 1928	Digital
1	14	Soong Sil College (includes negatives), circa 1964	Digital
1	15	Union Christian College, Seoul, 1909, 1954, 1956, undated	Digital
1	16	Presbyterian Women's College, Seoul, 1960	Digital
1	17	Women's Bible Institute, circa 1935	Digital
1	18	Men's Bible Institute faculty (William M. Baird, Jr., principal), 1937	Digital
1	19	Church World Service Flour Distribution, undated	Digital
1	20	Christian Educators Conference, undated	Digital
1	21	Christian Children's Fund meeting, Seoul, 1960	Digital
1	22	Women's Conference annual meeting, 1958	Digital
1	22	Leaders church workers retreat, 1960	Digital
1	23	Protestant Service Men's Center, Seoul – ground breaking, undated	Digital
1	24	Dr. John C. Smith receiving degree, Yonsei University (negatives), 1957	Digital
1	25	Unidentified Korean groups and meetings, 1956-1958, undated	Digital
1	26	William M. Baird, Jr., Anna L. Baird, and Mexican students, undated	Digital
1	27	Miscellaneous photographs, 1958, 1960, undated	Digital

2	1	Outgoing Missionary Conference, 1923 [housed in oversize flat box 2]	Digital
2	2	Outgoing Missionary Conference, 1926 [housed in oversize flat box 2]	Digital
2	3	Korea Club, Gripsholm Gathering, New York, 1942 [housed in oversize flat box 2]	Digital
2	4	McCormick Seminary Glee Club, 1919-1920 [housed in oversize flat box 2]	Digital
2	5	Princeton Theological Seminary, Class of 1922 [housed in oversize flat box 2]	Digital
2	6	Biblical Seminary in New York, 1929 [housed in oversize flat box 2]	Digital

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Guide to the Baird Family Papers

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