Biography on Lewis Bird

This Biography of Lewis Bird is derived from a Portrait and Biographical Album which covers the counties of OTOE and CASS Counties in Eastern Nebraska where Lewis Bird had settled.

This biography can be found at; http://www.rootsweb.com/~neresour/OLLibrary/pbco/index.htm

My thanks to Roots Web who provided this information and my niece Roberta L. Everling at: rleverling@mn.rr.com for passing this information on to me.

LEWIS BIRD

LEWIS BIRD. The farming interests of Liberty Precinct and of this part of Cass County are no better represented than by our subject. He came to this county and precinct in 1863, being then in the prime of a vigorous and self-reliant manhood, and casting his lot with the pioneers of the county who had preceded him, he purchased most of the land he now owns, which was then but slightly improved. The years that have followed have been for him years of busy, patient toil, and although, in common with other settlers of this section of the West, he has met with various hardships and discouragement's, which he has faced bravely, he has kept steadily onward until to-day he may be classed among the most fortunate and successful farmers of this precinct. His farm is provided with neat and substantial buildings, is well improved and well stocked, has a good supply of running water, and with its 280 acres finely located on sections 9, 10 and 4, is justly considered a first-class farm in its appointments.

Mr. Bird was born in Sussex County, N. J., June 14, 1833, and came of good old New Jersey and New England stock. and was well reared by his parents. His father, Joseph Bird, was also a native of New Jersey, and during his residence there, after he was old enough to learn a trade, he became a shoemaker. He was married in his native State to Miss Rachel Young, who was of Jersey birth and New England parentage, coming of a good family. In 1836 Joseph Bird and his family started on a pilgrimage to the State of Indiana, which was then considered to be in the Far West, although some of the country beyond the Mississippi, particularly Missouri, had been partly settled for several years. and Iowa was beginning to attract the attention of settlers, and a few had already made their homes there. After arriving at his destination in Indiana Mr. Bird located in the wilds of Delaware County, becoming one of its pioneers. and turned his attention to farming. He met with unqualified success in his new vocation, and improved a fine, large estate, upon which he made his home until death claimed him at the age of sixty-four years, in 1867. His wife survived him ten years, dying at the age of threescore years and ten. They were honest, hard-working people, and richly deserved the good fortune that followed their labors. They were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which the father was Class-Leader for years.

Lewis Bird was the fifth son and child in the family of eight sons and two daughters born to his parents. He was reared to manhood on the old homestead that his father had reclaimed from the primeval forests of Indiana, he having been but a child of three years when his parents moved to that State. He received a good common-school education, and a thorough, practical drill in the calling that he has since pursued with such success, and he remained an inmate of the parental household, affording his father active assistance in the management of the farm until his marriage, which occurred in Jay County, Ind. The maiden name of his wife was Emeline R. Current, and she was born in Virginia, Dec. 27, 1830. She was a daughter Peter and Rebecca (Jones) Current, natives of West Virginia. They were there reared, and after marriage and the birth of most of their children, they moved to Jay County, Ind., in 1855, having first come to that State in 1832, and settled in Henry County in its pioneer days. They moved onto a farm in Jay County, and there the mother died in 1866, when past threescore years. The father later came to Nebraska and lived with his daughter, Mrs. Norris, in Rock Bluff Precinct, until his death in 1870, at the age of seventy-three years. He and his wife were people of great respectability, and were sound Methodists in their religious belief. Mrs. Bird was well educated in Henry County, Ind., and taught school for a time before her marriage. Her pleasant wedded life has been blessed to her and her husband by the birth of six children, all of whom are living, and the following is recorded of them; Rachel J. and Rebecca A. are twins, and the former is the wife of W. P. Webster, a jeweler in Lander, Wyo.; Rebecca is the wife of Aaron Porter, a farmer of Custer County, Neb.; Olive is the wife of Albert Searl, who is Deputy Clerk in the Treasurer's office in Gosper County, this State; Florence is the wife of Charles Mougey, a farmer in Custer County, Neb.; Maggie is the wife of Edward Mougey. and they live on Mr. Bird's farm in this precinct; Osta lives with her parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Bird have a very attractive home on section 10, and all who come beneath its hospitable roof are sure of a genial and cordial welcome from the pleasant and social host and hostess. They are bright and intelligent people, and have many warm friends in this community. They are influential members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is an official. Mr. Bird is strong advocate of temperance, both in word and deed, and votes with the Prohibition party.

As one of the best representative farmers of this county, the portrait of Mr. Bird, is peculiarly appropriate in this work.

(Editors note:) This biography uses the name "Emeline" for Lewis Bird's wife, but genealogy sources show her name to be spelled as "Emmaline". (Ed; Charles Everling)

Charles Everling chareve@mninter.net

Home page at: http://www.mninter.net/chareve

Updated 15 January 2006