Colonel Abraham Bird

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA with the rank of COLONEL. DAR Ancestor # A010299

Note: alternate spelling Byrd in the following source:

https://www.ourfamtree.org/descend.php/Abraham-Byrd-I/135760

Abraham Bird is listed on the Rockingham County Personal ProprtyTax rolls of 1787.

From "A History of Shenandoah County Virginia" by John W.Wayland p. 691-2

   Col. Abraham Bird lived on Smith's Creek in then Augusta County until about 1773 when he bought 550 acres on North River and Jumping Run in Shenandoah County, apart of which is now the "Red Banks" estate. Here he lived until 1803 when he sold this estate to Lawrence Pitman and Edward Walton and removed to Fayette County, KY, where he died in 1820.

He was Ensign of Militia in 1759; and Captain-1762-1771.

   Shortly after his removal to Shenandoah County, he was elected to the House of Burgesses in place of Joseph Watson, deceased, and attended the session of 1774. He was a member of the Conventions of 1775 and 1776, and for several terms represented Shenandoah in the House of Delegates. He was Justice for many years; Sheriff; County Lieutenant and Colonel of Militia during the Revolution. His wife Rachel has not been as certained.

Col. Bird was representative of Dunmore in the Virginia constitutional convention of 1776 and representative of Dunmore and Shenandoah in the Virginia House of Delegates eleven sessions in the period 1776 - 1796.
Abraham Byrd, son of Andrew and Magdelene Jones Bird, was born about 1731. He married first to Catherine ---, and married 2nd, 1757, to Rachel Zeigler, widow of William Fry. He was a member of the house of Burgess in 1775 and a member of the Assembly in 1778. He died, 1820, in Fayette Co., Kentucky.
Abraham and Rachel Zeigler Bird had children: Magdalene married Reuben Allen; Elizabeth m.Thomas Jones; Catherine m. John Thomas; Margaret m. Joseph Hawkins; Mary m. Reuben Moore; Andrew Bird
Kentucky Obituaries p21
"Col. Abraham Bird, of Fayette County. Died March 1820, aged 88 years.
Kentucky Pioneer and Court Records
Page 38
Bird, Abraham
Will Book E
page 149
Names wife, Rachael, sons; Abraham, Mark, and George. Daughters; Magdelane, Elizabeth, Mary, Catherine and Margaret. Executors; sons, Abraham Bird and Wm. I Russell. Written 1808. Witnesses; Joseph Jay, Wm. Manuel and David Coffman. Proved Mich. Ct. 1820.
Will Book G
page 217 gives legatees; Rachel Bird and Catherine Thomas
Page 426 gives legatees; Joseph Hawkins and Magadaline Allen

GEDCOM Note

OF FAYETTE CO, KENTUCKY !DEATH:various,

OF FAYETTE CO, KENTUCKY !DEATH:various, book, KENTUCKY OBITUARIES, - BY GLEN CLIFT,GEN. PUB. CO.

Descendents of Andrew Bird of Colonial L

Descendents of Andrew Bird of Colonial Long Island, New York, E.o. Bennett 834 Country Club Drive, La Grange, TX. Higginson Book Co. Salem, MA. p 158

Abraham Bird of Smith's creek, then Aug

Abraham Bird of Smith's creek, then Augusta County until 1773. He bought 550 acres on North River and Jumping Run Shenandoah County, Virginia, a part of which is his "Red Banks" estate. This, in 1803, he sold, removed to Feyette County, Kentucky, died there in 1820. He was Ensign of Militia in 1759; Captain, 1762-1771; after removal to Shenandoah County, he was elected to the House of Burgesses, attended the session of 1774. He was a member of the Conventions of 1775 and 1776; Justice for many years; Sheriff; County Lieutenant and Colonel of Militia during the Revolution.

Abraham Byrd lived on Smith Cree

Abraham Byrd lived on Smith Creek in the then Augusta Co. until about 1773 when he bought 550 acres on N. River and Jumping Run in Shenandoah County, a part of which is now "Red Banks Estate". Here he lived until he sold his estate to Laurence Pittman and Edward Walton and removed to Fayette County, Kentucky where he died in 1820. He was Ensign of Militia in 1759 and Captain in 1762-1771. Shortly after removal to Shenandoah Co. he was elected to the House of Burgesses in place of Joseph Watson, deceased, and attended the session of 1774. He was a member of the Concentions of Delegated. He was Justice for many years, Sheriff Co. Lt., and Col. of Military during the Revolution. (Information from History of Shenandoah Co., Virginia, ch. XXXIII "Byrd Family" Possible place of death from 1991 AF Lexington, Jessamine, Kentucky

Life Sketch

Abraham Bird lived on Smith's Creek in Augusta Co VA until about 1773 when he bought 550 acres on North River & Jumping Run in Shenandoah County [then called Dunmore Co]. In 1803 he sold this tract to Lawrence Pitman & Edward Walton and moved to Fayette Co KY.

Chalkey's Chronicles 2 Sep 1753. Moses [sic- Mounce] and Abraham Bird were Sureties for William Clark as executor of the Will of William Clark Sr.

2 Feb 1754 Augusta DB 6, p.10 Andrew Bird [Jr] to Abraham Bird. 174 acres in Brock's Gap on North Sharrando [Shenandoah] River, the patent line, to the Chimney Rock. Andrew had acquired this land on 17 Nov 1752 from Benjmain Borden [DB 5, p.30]

Chalkey's Chronicles 21 Dec 1758 Will of Rees Thomas, farmer. Wife Jean, tract of patent land on Brock's Creek, 350 acres, until son Evan shall be of age. Sons Rees, John, James. To daughters and wife's daughters. Executors: wife Jean & son John. Proved 16 May 1759. Executors qualified with securities Ephraim Love and Abraham Bird.

Nov 20 1760. Conrad Custard, age 18, orphan of Arnold Custard, chose Abraham Bird as his guardian.

In Augusta Co, Abraham Bird was Ensign of Militia 23 Mar 1759, Captain from 1762-1771. [Took the oath as Captain along with Benjamin Harrison and Andrew Bird on 18 Nov 1762] 20 Nov 1760 - Peter Hog suit vs. Abraham Bird. Peter Hog commanded at Brock's Gap. Abraham Bird tried to get Hog's soldiers to sign a petition for Hog's removal and tried to supplant him.

Nov 1766. Lawsuit of Ray vs. Chandler. Capt John Blagg commanded a company of the Virginia Regt in 1760. William Chandler & Joseph Ray both of Bedford Co. Chandler contracted to deliver goods for Ray at Dunkard Bottom on the New River, when Blagg was with Col. John Smith at Ft. Lewis, August of 1760, during the campaign under Col. Byrd vs. the Cherokees.

24 Oct 1768. Abraham Bird witnessed a deed from James & Susanna Johnson to Charles Long, Augusta Co.

When he moved to Dunmore, Abraham held the rank of Lieutenant in the Militia in 1776 and was made Colonel in 1778.

Bird was elected to the House of Burgesses in place of Joseph Watson, Dec'd, and attended the 1774 session. He represented Dunmore Co in the VA constitutional Convention in 1776 and then represented Dunmore/Shenandoah in the House of Delegates from 1776 to 1796.

In 1777, Abraham Bird was one of the justices of the Dunmore County Court. On 22 Jul of that year he was appointed to take the list of tithables in the district of Capt. VanBuskerk and Capt. Funkhouser.

On Apr 30 1778, He was one of the justices present in the county court. He was sworn in as Colonel of the county militia; Abram Bird Jr. was sworn in as captain - his son was not old enough to be this Abraham - is this a nephew, son of Mounce Bird?

Vol. XI of The Statues at Large: Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia from the First Session of the Legislature, by William Waller Herring, 1823, p.57. An act to appoint trustees for the towns of Woodstock: Cobham, Manchester and Blandford. I. Whereas the trustees of the town of Woodstock in the county of Shanandoah, [formerly Frederick] either by death or removal are become extinct;..... II. Be it enacted, That Abraham Bird, Jacob Holdman, Abraham Kellar, John Tipton, Phillip Hoffman, Jacob Rinkar, George Kellar, Thomas Allen, Henry Fravell, Alexander Hite, John Snapp, and Benjamin Strickler, genetlemen, be, and are hereby appointed trustees to the town of Woodstock...

Children of Abraham & his first wife are believed to include George, Magdalene who married Reuben Allen, Elizabeth who married Thomas Jones, Catherine who married John Thomas, Margaret who married Joseph Hawkins, Mary who married Reuben Moore, Andrew, Mark, and Abraham Jr. who married Catherine Frye in Fayette Co KY, 1803.

The above record indicates that the family had settled in Fayette Co by 1803. This was the year of the court house fire which destroyed the marriage records, which likely included the marriage of Col. Abraham to the widow Rachel Speers Fry.

In December of 1817, the Fayette Co Court records indicated he was married to the widow Rachel Fry.

from Kentucky Obituaries page 62 Col. Ab

from Kentucky Obituaries page 62 Col. Abraham Bird of Fayette County, Kty died in March 1820 aged 88 years (R3/22) !DEATH:book- Kentucky Obituaries 1787-1854, , G.Glenn Clift, Gen. Pub. Co. Inc., Baltimore 1979, page 62

GEDCOM Source

standardizing

GEDCOM Source

The earlier date listed would make him only a few years old when first son was born. The brother just older than him was born about 1730

GEDCOM Source

MSP9-M84 Rothwell family tree http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/24630405/person/1577736674 http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/24630405/person/1577736674 Rothwell family tree source states marriage was about 1760

GEDCOM Source

@R-794009817@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.

GEDCOM Source

Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=86841959&pid...