Shawnee County KS Archives Biographies.....Bird, Winfield Austin Scott 1855 - 
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Author: James L. King (1905)

HON. WINFIELD AUSTIN SCOTT BIRD.

    HON. WINFIELD AUSTIN SCOTT BIRD, member of the Kansas House of
Representatives from the 38th District, and one of the leading attorneys of
Topeka, whose portrait is shown on the opposite page, is recognized as one of
the prominent and useful men of the "Sunflower" State. Mr. Bird was born August
31, 1855, in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and is the seventh member of a
family of 13 children born to his parents, Archibald and Elizabeth Ann (Heilman)
Bird.

    Mr. Bird was reared on a farm in Somerset County and attended the public
schools until the age of 16 years when he entered a Normal School. After
completing a course of six months, he began to teach school, first in
Pennsylvania and later at Fall City, Nebraska. His study of the law was
prosecuted under many discouraging conditions but he finally was prepared for
his examinations and was admitted to the bar, at Fall City, September 8, 1880.
On the 28th of the same month he came to Topeka, where he has been located ever
since, practicing his profession alone, with the exception of one year, during
which time he was in partnership with L. S. Ferry. He was ambitious and soon
entered into politics, making himself felt in this field as he had already done
in his profession. In 1887 he was appointed city attorney of Topeka, served two
years as such and then served six subsequent years by election on the Republican
ticket. In the fall of 1904 he was elected a member of the House of
Representatives, leading the ticket by more than 1,800 votes.

    Mr. Bird's record in the House of Representatives is a remarkable one and
shows very conclusively his deep interest in public affairs and his fidelity to
the people who have placed important trusts in his hands as a legislator. He
introduced 43 bills, three more than any other member, and 26 of these, either
in the original bills or the committee substitutes, or submitted Senate bills,
passed the Senate and are now laws. The most important may be enumerated:

    Bill authorizing the city of Topeka to lay water mains across the State
Hospital grounds, by which the city may remove its water mains from all danger
from floods of the river.

    Bill appropriating $28,500 for the Boys' Industrial School north of the city.

    Bill appropriating $10,000 for rebuilding the north and south approaches and
steps to the State Capitol, and $10,000 for paving the walks and drives in
Capitol Square.

    Bill providing for boards of control of public utilities in cities of the
first and second classes.

    Mr. Bird was a member of the conference committee on the part of the House
that secured the appropriation for the Old Soldiers' Home at Dodge City. As
chairman of the committee on cities of the first class, he wrote the substitute
bill which provides that when a voter registers, he shall not be required to
register again so long as he does not move, and continues to vote at each
subsequent election. As will be seen Mr. Bird's energies are directed along
practical lines and the bills he has advocated and introduced are all of a
public-spirited nature, showing careful and thoughtful consideration of the
district's welfare.

    On March 21, 1883, Mr. Bird was united in marriage with a daughter of Sydney
Dodge, of Hiawatha, Kansas. Mrs. Bird is a member of the Congregational Church,
of which he is an attendant. They are prominent in the social life of the city,
being the dispensers and recipients of much hospitality.

    Since 1883 Mr. Bird has been a member of the Bar Association of the State of
Kansas and is also a member of the Shawnee County Bar Association. His offices
are located at No. 601 Kansas avenue, Topeka.

Mr. Bird's fraternal connections are numerous and important. He is a 32nd degree
Mason, member of the various branches of the Scottish Rite; is past exalted
ruler of the order of Elks; past grand chancelor of the Supreme Lodge of the
Knights of Pythias ; a member of the Shawnee Tribe, No. 14, Improved Order of
Red Men, of which he is the present great senior sagamore of the United States,
attending every session of the above order in his State since 1890 and every one
in the United States since 1895; and for the past 25 years he has been a member
of Shawnee Lodge, No. 1, I. O. O. F. Socially he is connected with the Lake View
Shooting and Fishing Association.

    Although Mr. Bird has met with gratifying success and has attained an
enviable position, he owes little to outside influence. What he is he has made
himself, climbing from humble positions—farm boy, lumber worker and railroad
section hand—to the elevation secured through his own abilities. To have thus
succeeded, in the face of the fierce competition of modern days, is something to
induce a measure of justifiable pride.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS
AND
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

EDITED AND COMPILED BY
JAMES L. KING
TOPEKA, KANSAS 

"History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples"

PUBLISHED BY
RICHMOND & ARNOLD,
GEORGE RICHMOND; C. R. ARNOLD.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,
1905.

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