Biography of William T. Bird - Conway Co, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Cathy Barnes Date: 21 Jun 1998 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas. Goodspeed Publishers, 1891. page 47 William T. Bird, of the firm of D. J. Bird & Snyder, dealers in general merchandise at Springfield, is a native of Monroe County, Alabama, where he first saw the light of day in 1857. His parents were Georige Thomas and Malinda A. (Gilliand) Bird, who removed from Alabama to Conway County, Arkansas, just prior to the breaking out of the late war. Mr. Bird was a farmer by occupation, and a worthy member of the Masonic fraternity. He was killed near Batesville, Ark., in 1866, while in the service of his country in the Federal army, leaving a family of four children to be reared and cared for by a widowed mother. Mrs. Bird departed this life in 1886, a devout member of the Methodist Church. William T. Bird is the third of two sons and two daughters, all of whom are yet living. Mr. Bird grew to manhood on a farm in Conway County with nothing but the country schools for educational advantages. On the death of his father, the main support of the family devolved upon him, which deprived him of the advantages common to most boys. In 1878 he was married to Miss Sarah E. James, a native of Mississippi and a daughter of Samuel James, who died in that State. Mrs. Bird afterward came with an elder brother and sister to Conway County, and is the mother of six children. Mr. B. followed the occupation of farming till December, 1888, when he engaged in his present business. He owns a farm of 160 acres, nearly 100 acres of which is under cultivation; also owns business property in Springfield, all of which is his own accumulation. Politically, he is a Republican, and is a member of Mason Camp, Sons of Veterans, at Center Ridge.