Bay County Heritage

My great-grandfather, John Henry Laird, was one of the early settlers of Bay County. He was in fishing, lumber and naval stores businesses. He donated the lumber to build the first school house in West Bay and was on the organizational committee to build Bay High School. Pictured above is his sailing vessel called the " John Henry Laird."

Above is a picture of the Laird family in front of their St. Andrews waterfront home in 1925. My grandmother, Ruby Laird, is seated on the left wearing the white dress. Her twin sister, Pearl, is seated on the right side. John Henry sits in the middle of this family photo. Behind him are my great uncles Wallace, Angus, and Roy. They were very popular business leaders in north Florida.

Above is my grandmother (Ruby on the right) and her twin sister (Pearl on the left) graduated from Bay High in 1928. They both went on to graduate from the Florida State College for Women in 1932. While attending college my grandmother met my grandfather, E.V. Welch, who was conducting grant research for Cornell University. Ruby was a teacher in the Bay County school system for 25 years. My grandfather was in public health services involving insect control.

My mother, Barbara, graduated from Florida State University in 1957. She met my father, George R. Mulligan, a Rutgers graduate, when he was in Navy pilot training in Pensacola. Both parents served as teachers/administrators in Bay County schools for over 30 years. Barbara is a well-known area artist and George is a videographer emphasizing historical preservation.

Early family photo. Mark is wearing the hat.

Mark not wearing his hat at the Florida State graduation in 1990.

During my junior year at college, my brother and I created the FSU Torch Run. This is a symbolic event that unites the Panama City FSU campus with the main campus in Tallahassee. For the past 18 years, the student government organizes the 100 mile long relay, with the final runner lighting Chief Oceola's spear prior to homecoming day kick-off at Doak Campbell Stadium. Pictured is the very first group of "torch runners." Mark is wearing the dark glasses on the bottom right. My brother is directly above me and my dad is partially hidden in the middle.

Wedding day - March 17, 1995 (St. Patrick's Day). Pictured from left to right is father, my wife Tawn, me and my mother.

On the left is my daughter Lillian and Olivia is on the right.

Pictured at the bottom are my two sisters. Top left is my wife and top right is my sister in-law. All four are FSU graduates	Pictured at the bottom are my two brothers in-law. On the top left is my brother. The top right is me wearing my hat again. All four are FSU graduates.

Our immediate family has earned 14 degrees from FSU.

"Winner of the
August 26th, 2008
GOP Primary"