THOMPSON BIRD
                        Lake Charles, LA


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Source: Southwest Louisiana and Biographical and Historical by
William Henry Perrin published in 1891;  page 140.

Contributed by Margaret Moore                         


Thompson Bird is a member of the firm of J. A. Landry & Co., who 
own and operate an extensive ice factory in Lake Charles. This factory 
was originated in 1890, and is equipped with the latest improved ice 
machinery. It has a capacity of manufacturing ten tons of ice per day. 
They supply the demand of the whole of Southwest Louisiana, including
Opelousas, Lafayette, New Iberia and Morgan City The firm is
composed of J. A. and T. Bird and D. J. Landry, young men and
full of energy.  It is due to them that Lake Charles will soon be
lighted by electricity.

Thompson Bird was born in St. Louis, September 23, 1854. He is
the son of Abel T. and Julia (Vonphule) Bird. His father is a
native of Bird's Point, Missouri, this place having belonged to
the Bird family for many generations. The parents of our subject
removed to New Orleans, and from New Orleans to West Baton Rouge, in
1872, where the father was engaged in sugrar planting. Prior
to coming to Louisiana he had been a member of the firm of
Vonphule Sons & Co., wholesale grocers, in St. Louis. He still resides on
his plantation in West Baton Rouge parish.

The subject of this sketch was the third of a family of
eight children. He received his education in St. Louis and at Spring Hill
College, Mobile, Alabama.  After leaving school Mr. Bird entered a machine shop foundry
in New Orleans, with the intention of becoming a machinist. Here he served
an apprenticeship for three years, after which he was engaged on his father's
sugar plantation in erecting machinery and managing the mechanical part of the
work. In the year 1880 he came to Lake Charles, and has here been engaged
in business since that time. Mr. Bird married, in 1878, Miss Regina Landry.
They are the parents of two sons, Fred and Frank. Both Mr. Bird and wife are
members of the Catholic church.