Born in Bellevue, Huron county, Ohio, October 20, 1838. He -was of English parentage who came to the county from Devonshire, England. In 1857, when 18 years of age, he moved west with his parents, Wm. and Elizabeth Bird, and settled on the prairie of Illinois. He was a great student and a lover of books. His spare moments were occupied with reading and study, by which, with the help of the common school education he prepared himself for entering the Rock River Seminary. He taught in the public schools at Lynnville for eight years, until his health failing, he turned his attention to farming. He owns and operates 800 acres of the best land in Cerro Gordo and Floyd counties. Mr. Bird was married June 20, 1875, to Martha Noshold, of Monroe, Ogle county, Illinois, who died June 29, 1876. In 1881 he married Martha J. Reasoner of Cape Vincent, N. Y. To this union were born two children. Mr. Bird was a self made man of industrious habits, honest principles, and of sterling integrity of character. He won success in life by the honest labor. He was an active and stanch, republican and was elected to the 26th and 27th General Assemblies of his state and served on many. important committees with marked ability. His political record was one of honor showing him to be a man of true public spirit, of enterprise, of keenness of conscience and devotion to principles of right, always commanding the confidence, not only of his constituency, but of all.

Born in Bellevue, Huron county, Ohio, October 20, 1838. He -was of English parentage who came to the county from Devonshire, England. In 1857, when 18 years of age, he moved west with his parents, Wm. and Elizabeth Bird, and settled on the prairie of Illinois. He was a great student and a lover of books. His spare moments were occupied with reading and study, by which, with the help of the common school education he prepared himself for entering the Rock River Seminary. He taught in the public schools at Lynnville for eight years, until his health failing, he turned his attention to farming. He owns and operates 800 acres of the best land in Cerro Gordo and Floyd counties. Mr. Bird was married June 20, 1875, to Martha Noshold, of Monroe, Ogle county, Illinois, who died June 29, 1876. In 1881 he married Martha J. Reasoner of Cape Vincent, N. Y. To this union were born two children. Mr. Bird was a self made man of industrious habits, honest principles, and of sterling integrity of character. He won success in life by the honest labor. He was an active and stanch, republican and was elected to the 26th and 27th General Assemblies of his state and served on many. important committees with marked ability. His political record was one of honor showing him to be a man of true public spirit, of enterprise, of keenness of conscience and devotion to principles of right, always commanding the confidence, not only of his constituency, but of all.