Banker and Businessman in Kansas City
In June 1902, Baird married Georgia O. Robertson at the Washington Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. Baird met his wife first became acquainted while both were students at the University of Michigan. His wife was the daughter of John Duffy Robertson, "a leading business man and capitalist of Kansas City." Baird's father-in-law, the president of Kansas City's Interstate National Bank, fell ill with diabetes and carbuncles on the back of his neck, and died in January 1908.
Baird moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1909, where he lived for the remainder of his life. In 1912, Baird paid $49,000 for one of the finest homes in Kansas City, a 3-acre (12,000 m2) estate "with forest trees" on Sunset Drive overlooking the Country Club. In March 1914, Baird, who was then engaged in the investment and farm mortgage business, purchased the Western Exchange Bank in Kansas City and was elected its president. At various times, Baird was also a director of the Inter-State National Bank, a director of the Morris Plan Company, and treasurer of the Anchor Savings and Loan Association, all of Kansas City.
In 1911, he was in negotiations to purchase the Boston National League baseball team, but opted not to do so. An article reporting on his interest in the Boston Rustlers baseball club noted:
"Baird is a capitalist of Kansas City. For a number of years he was director of athletics at the University of Michigan and established a reputation in the business end of the game that is second to none. The Kansas City man has always taken a keen and intelligent interest in professional baseball, and has been anxious to obtain a controlling interest in some major league club."
Baird did own an interest in the Kansas City Packers of the Federal League in 1915.
Baird also served on the Board of Visitors of the University of Missouri from 1921 until at least 1937, also acting as the President of the Board for several years.
Read more about this topic: Charles A. Baird
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