Alexander Laird

LAIRD, ALEXANDER farmer; b. 1830 in New Glasgow, son of Alexander Laird, Sr., and Janet Orr; m. first 5 January 1864 Rebecca Read, and they had eight daughters and four sons, of whom the following names are known, Dora, Albert, Alwin, William, Emma, Edna, Mary, Rosara, and Amy; m. secondly 30 September 1886 Ann Carruthers, and they had one daughter and three sons, of whom the following names are known, Sarah and David; Presbyterian; d. 9 August 1896 in North Bedeque. Laird, a Liberal, was first elected to the House of Assembly in the general election of 1867 for 4th Prince. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly in the general election of 1893. He was defeated in the general election of 1882. He was elected to the Legislative Council in 1874, 1886, and 1890 for 2nd Prince. Between 1867 and 1870, Laird served in the Liberal governments of George Coles, Joseph Hensley, and Robert Poore Haythorne. From 1876 to 1878, Laird served in the administration of Louis Henry Davies5. Laird was appointed to Executive Council in 1891 by Premier Frederick Peters''. He remained in Executive Council until his death in 1896. Laird was regarded as a man of consistent political stance. He was committed to the settlement of the land question and was in opposition to the establishment of denominational schools. Laird was one of the strongest allies of Premier L. H. Davies on the school question, and campaigned for public funding for an improved non-denomina- tional school system. Like his younger brothers David* and William*, who both became politicians, Laird received his education in New Glasgow. Throughout his life, he worked on and later maintained the family farm there, which was reputed to be one of the finest in the province. Laird was very involved in farming organizations, as founder and president of the Agricultural Mutual Fire Insurance Company and as a president of the Farmers' Association and Dairymen's Association. He served as a director of the Prince County Exhibition and was a supporter of the Government Stock Farm. Laird also exhibited an interest in journalism, much like his brother David, who was the founder of the Charlottetown Patriot. At the time of his death, he was president of the Pioneer, a Summerside newspaper. In 1894 Laird was involved in an accident with an enraged bull that attacked him, leaving him crippled mentally and physically. Alexander Laird died 9 August 1896. Alexander Laird, Sr., his father, of Sterling, Renfrewshire, Scotland, was a member of the House of Assembly. Laird Sr. served from 1850 to 1853 and 1854 to 1866, and was a member of Executive Council from 1859 to 1863. Rebecca Laird was the daughter of Ephraim Read. She died in 1882 at the age of 40. Ann Ltird was the daughter of Samuel Carruthers of North Bedeque.