Taliaferro County GaArchives Biographies.....Bird, George Lee December 25 1810 - November 4 1858 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Shannon Dale Byrd byrdman10@iname.com This biography is based on research and published work by Shannon Dale Byrd. "The George Marshall Bird Family: Ancestors, Descendants, & Other Related Families" has a lot of information about the Bird's of Taliaferro County, and is available in both hardback and paperback editions for $50.00 and $30.00, respectively. Order from: byrdman10@iname.com - 26598 Alabama Hwy 71, Flat Rock Alabama, 35966. GEORGE L. BIRD Dr. George L. Bird was born Christmas Day, in 1810, near Crawfordville, Georgia. George was the eldest son of ten known children born to wealthy plantation owners, Buford Bird, a veteran of the War of 1812, and Mary “Polly” Keeling. George comes from a long line of tobacco and cotton plantation owners. His father Buford came from Virginia, into Wilkes County and settled there. A large landholder and slave-owner, Buford was apparently a plantation owner in the county of Wilkes. On September 6, 1809, Buford was sword in as Deputy Sheriff. After the new county of Crawfordville was formed Buford was one of the first five appointed county commissioners. Parts of the duties of these five commissioners were to map out the newly formed county of Taliaferro, chose the county seat, and contact the building of a new courthouse and jail. The five County commissioners were: Malcom Johnston, he represented the area taken from Hancock County; Buford Bird, represented the area taken from Wilkes County; William Darden represented the area taken from Warren County; David C. Daniel, represented the area taken from Oglethorpe, and John G. Roberts, represented the area taken from Greene County. George had become a practicing physician in 1838, when he graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in my home town of Augusta, Georgia. Josie Bird told me on one of our interviews: “I was shown an actually license of George from the Medical College of Georgia, containing the name of George Lee Bird.” The Medical had acquired its license only ten years previously in 1828. As an academy offering a single course of lectures, the Medical College is currently, the university that offers more than 40 academic programs in allied health sciences, dentistry, graduate studies, medicine, and nursing at the certificate, baccalaureate, masters, doctoral and first professional levels. Additionally, MCG offers residency training in medical and dental specialty areas. Dr. George L. Bird married November 16, 1841 to Salina Chivers, sister to the “Georgia’s lost poet” Thomas Holley Chivers by whom he had one son: George M. Bird, born January 1, 1844, Taliaferro Co. Thomas and Salina were the children of Robert and Sarah Digby Chivers. The Chivers lived in the area of Sandy Cross and Hillman before Thomas Chivers decided to sell his part of the land. During that same year of his first child’s birth, Dr. Bird bought from his late father-in-law's estate, Etheldred Edwards four lots in Crawfordville on December 23, 1844. These lots totaled approximately six or seven acres, and are believed to be the site where Bird built a large, two-story dwelling. This is where George and Salina would make their home. This home is still standing at this date in Crawfordville, and at last account, was still owned by members of this Bird Family. Mrs. Bird died in the mid-1840’s leaving George with a very young child to care for - George Marshall. Needing a mother for his child and a mate for himself, Dr. Bird married a woman by the name of Martha Edwards. George knew Martha’s father Etheldred for many years, they were neighbors before George and his wife Salina moved into the home in Crawfordville. (It is interesting to know that two of George Lee's brothers had previously married two of Etheldred Edwards' daughters. Buford Bird Junior married Mildred Edwards and Wiley married Harriet Z. Edwards. Wiley later died in a Nashville, Tennessee Hospital from wounds received during the Civil War.) George Lee Bird died November 04, 1858. Both George Lee and his father-in-law, Etheldred, were large landholders in and around Taliaferro County, Georgia. Julia Ogletree Edwards, Etheldred Edwards and their son in law George Lee Bird are all buried in the old family farm cemetery, in a grove of trees on a road leading from Lyneville towards Daniel Springs, about a forth of a mile from the Greene County line. George lies next to his mother in law Julia Ogletree Edwards who died later on May 21, 1863. Julia lies next to her husband Etheldred, who was the last to be buried at this Edwards Family Cemetery. It is believed this is the land George bought on October 18, 1844. George bought 400 acres on Little River for $250.00 Etheldred's daughter Martha Edwards was born December 05, 1829. She married January 13, 1848 to George Lee Bird, born December 25, 1810, son of Buford and Mary Polly Keeling Bird. They lived in Crawfordville in a house George had built for his former wife Salina Chivers Bird. George and Martha had three children and they are: Catherine, Mary and Buford. Martha Bird died December 28, 1909 and is buried near her sister Cordelia Standifer Boswell ( 1838 - 1916) in the Crawfordville Baptist Church Cemetery. This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/gafiles/ File size: 5.4 Kb