Routt County CO Archives Biographies.....Bird, William M. March 1835 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/co/cofiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net November 10, 2005, 12:45 am Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado William M. Bird Coming to Colorado in 1875 as a young man of twenty-nine years, and passing all of his subsequent life in this state, nearly twenty-five years of it on the present ranch in Routt county, William M. Bird has been a factor of potency and great helpfulness in the development and progress of his section and enjoys in an unusual degree the rewards of his efforts in the general regard and good will of the people of his county. He was born near Huntingdon, Carroll county, Tennessee, in 1836, the son of Robert and Annie Bird, natives of that state, who moved to Dade county, Missouri, later in life and there ended their days. The father was a blacksmith and also conducted large farming operations and an extensive saw-mill business. He was a Democrat in political faith and a man of prominence and influence in the local councils of his party. Ten children were born in the household, three of whom are living, William, Mrs. Thomas B. Gibbs and Mrs. Charity Washum. William had few and meager educational opportunities. He assisted his parents until he reached his majority, and under the direction of his father learned the trade of a blacksmith. In 1875 he left Missouri for the farther west, and located near Florissant, in Teller county, of this state, where he homesteaded on a ranch and while developing it freighted between Fairplay, Leadville and Alma, continuing his operations in this line, although subject to many hardships and dangers, until 1880. He then, with a part of his freighting outfit which he had retained for the purpose, moved overland to the vicinity of Yampa in Routt county, where he took up another homestead. This comprises one hundred and twenty acres, one hundred of which are tillable. The ranch is pleasantly and favorably located and responds to Mr. Bird’s systematic husbandry with good crops of hay, grain and vegetables. His chief industry is raising an excellent quality of hay and large numbers of first-rate cattle. When it is remembered that his land was given up to wild sage brush when he took hold of it, and had not even the suggestion of a human habitation on it, a fair idea can be had of the enterprise and industry which he has applied to its development from its present attractive, comfortable and fruitful condition, and the credit that is accorded to him as one of the leading farmers of his neighborhood can be easily understood. Having the distinction of being the first blacksmith in the Yampa valley, he has also contributed a large measure of mechanical skill and diligence to the development of the section and the welfare of its people. While not particularly active in political matters, he loyally supports the principles and candidate of the Republican party. On December 22, 1854, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Wilson, a native of Fayette county, Ohio. They have had ten children, and eight of them are living, Albert, Samantha, Louis, Frank, Ulysses, Robert, Loren and Mrs. Frederick McCoy. Additional Comments: From Progressive Men of Western Colorado. Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1905 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cofiles/ File size: 3.6 Kb