Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-08-20


cess up to noon.
JAMES n. BIRD DEAD.
An Aged and weiI-known Citizen
PASSES Away-Death Results from
GencraI Debility.
james II. Bird died OF his residence,
Seventh and West streets, at SIS o'clock
on Saturday evening, of old age. He was
in his goth year and one of the oldest
men in Wilmington, there being probably
but one man in the city who has attained
that advanced age. Mr.. Bird was of
family whose name is as widely known
and as closely identified with the history
and interests of Delaware as any existing
upon her soil. The great- grandfather of
the deceased took up tract of land under
letters patent in 1850 in what is now st.
Georges hundred. He was Welshman
and his property formed part of the
Welsh tract, and has been held in the
family continuously for two hundred
years. The deceased's grandfather,
William David Bird, wasa farmer and
hotel keeper at Mt. Pleasant. He served
as one of Delaware's contingent in
the Revolutionary war, and fought
in the battle of the Brandywine
and in that at Cooch's Bridge. His house
was used for about week during those
troublesome times ms headquarters by
General Washington. Deceased's father
was Thomas Bird, who had married Mary
Thomas, q daugher of James Thomas, a
farmer and manufacturer of st. Georges
hundred. Thomas Bird was Il ruling
elder of the Presbyterian church Mt st.
Georges during his prime of life and is
remembered us liberal and progressive
mon of quick intelligence aud hne judg-
uunt.
james L. Bird was born ON the home
|, lead farm III St. Georges hundred oil the
81 of April, 1896. In childhood lie was
IF such delicate health that he was not
kept very close to study and was rather
trained to physical pursuits. When Is
years of age he assumed control of n farm
and conducted it according to his own
Judgment. All his life he devoted his
business efforts to the cultivation Cor
development of land. About 1850 he in
connection with other enterprising men
bought considerable tracts of land in
Kent county, this State, and set about
improving them with such success that ut
the present time they are among the very
best agricultural lands in Kent. In 1886
Mr.. Bird moved from his farm in st.
Georges hundred to Quincy Place, in
Christiana hundred, now the residence of
Henry g. Banning on Clayton street
beyond Front. At the time of purchasing
that property it was farm of $50
acres, extending from the Lancaster
to the Newport pike and out
beyond where Union street now
is. The residence of Mr.. Bird and
that of the late James A. Bayard's were
the only ones in the vicinity at that time,
there being no dwellings between these
| and the Friends meeting house at Fourth
and West streets. Mr.. Bird lived Mt
Quincy Place until 1861, when he ex-
changed the property with Mr.. Banning
| for that Mt Seventh and West streets,
where he lived thenceforth up to the day
| of his death.
Deceased was member of the Presby-
| terrain church and was the senior ruling
| elder at Hanover for q number of years.
In business he had firm opinions and
| well-defined habits. He could never be
brought to place any faith in stocks and
| bonds or any investments of that kind.
| When the p, W. n b. railroad was pro-
| ected he did take so shares of stock,
more out of public spirit and for the
| purpose of encouraging the enterprise
| than as an investment for gain. He
held them no longer than neces-
sary, however, and ut the first
opportunity disposed of them in ex-
change for 10 acres of woodland, thus
disposing of securities that would in
comparatively few years have brought him
n fortune in themselves Since 1912 he
has been n regular depositor in the Della
ware National bank.
Politically. Mr.. Bird was IN exception
ally active Wing, for many years standing
side by side with the late Alexis DUPONT,
fighting the battles of his party nj the
polls in Christiana hundred. He was Il
great admirer of John M. Clayton, and
an ardent disciple of Henry Clay, who
for so many years was the ideal and I'M
rivaled leader of the Wing party. While
being exceedingly active in advancing
the interests of the local Wing party, Mr..
Bird never sought or held any office of d
political nature. In 1860 he chose among
the numerous tickets then in the field, that
of Bell and Everett, and voted it, but
since that time to his death he has been q
straight-out Republican; though because
of his advanced age, never so active as IL
the Wing days.
The deceased was married in 1921 tt
Elizabeth Clark, daughter of Thomas
Clark. In 1910 his first wife died and il
1871 he married Susan, daughter o
Levi Clark, who died but few month";
ago. He Ind II children, of whom cigh
survive him. They are Thomas, presiden
of the Board of Trustees of the Poor TO
this county, and farmer in Red Iioi
hundreds james c., physical
of Washington; Henry b., farmer o
Prince George county, Md; Susan G..
wife of DIR. r.. P. johnson of this city
Mary Louisa, wife of Gen. L. g. Boots
of this city; Charles, colonel in tn
United States army, stationed MT tn
! present time in Montana; William H.
: land agent at Salt Lake City, Utah an
! Levi G. Bird, Esq, of this city, one o
! lending members of the New Castl
: county bar. ..-,
Four of his sons served in the war O
9 the Rebellion, three ON the Union sid
and one on the side of the south. Honr
l b., who was living in Maryland where h
S now resides, enlisted in the Confedcrat
!. army, and was n captain in the comman
of Gen. Kirby Smith.