Powhatan Baird , a prolific builder in Louisiana, known for his quality work, built this home in 1854 for his family. 1 Powhatan and his wife Huldah Gunn had ten children. Their children were:
Nadine Baird (1853-1923) married Henry A. Long.
Arthur Baird (1855-1856) passed away in infancy.
Franklin Baird (1857-1942) took Clara Branham as his bride.
Mary Josephine “Molly” Baird (1859-1953) married George Lewis McLane.
John William Baird (1861-1937) married Lila Branham.
Henry Lee Baird (1864-1927) his first wife was Malinda Anderson. After her death he married Eliza Pemberton Watson.
Annie Leone Baird (1866-1931) was married to Allen Boyd.
Jessie May Baird (1869-1870) died in infancy.
Allie June Baird (1871-1937) was first married to Edward McCuen, divorced and then married Charles W. Arney.
Claudine Huldah Baird (1874-1956) married John Ludlow. Upon his death, she married Charles Parker Holmes.
He remained in this home until 1863 when he purchased the home at 1102 Georgia Street from W.B. Pew. He remodeled the newly acquired home and then occupied it until his death March 22, 1916.2
The 1875 Louisiana city directory had Elijah M. Craig , a cooper, living in this home.
The 1892 City Directory of Louisiana shows E.P. Wamsley, a barber, living at this address with a fellow barber Charles Lowery occupying the second story.
By the 1900 census, William A & Emma Stambaugh Smith made 1000 Georgia Street their home. They had five children: Dean, Irma, Bert, Helena, and Houston. Emma’s parents, Phillip & Susan Stambaugh, also lived there, along with Emma’s sister, Effie Stambaugh. Emma passed away in December of 1902 , William married her sister, Effie in 1909. William passed away in 1928. Effie lived the remainder of her life in the home.She passed away in 1944.
William supported his family as the owner of a long established store in Louisiana called the Arcade, at 313 through 317 Georgia Street. After his death in 1928 his 2nd wife Effie continued to run the business for a time before her death in 1944.
1 Louisiana Press Journal. 1916. “Old Landmarks, P.H. Baird Write of the Old Buildings in Louisiana,” February 10.
2 Louisiana Press Journal. 1916. “His Life Work Done ,” April 16.