Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Bird, Ransler B. 1859 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 31, 2005, 11:53 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. RANSLER B. BIRD, the leading market gardener of the village of Riverside, was born in Elysburg, Northumberland County, Pa., March 18, 1859, and is a son of John S. and Rachel Ann (Potter) Bird, and grandson of James S. and Sarah (Fisher) Bird. Our subject's grandfather was a native of the state of New Jersey, but resided at Bear Gap, Northumberland County, Pa., the greater part of his life, where he was engaged in farming. He married Sarah Fisher, who bore him a family of six children, namely: Henry, James, John S., Lena, Anna, and Sarah. He died at the age of eighty-three years; his wife passed from this life aged eighty-two years. John S. Bird, the father of our subject, was born on his father's farm at Bear Gap, February 1, 1824, and spent his younger days learning the trade of a tanner; in 1875 he moved to Montour County and became a resident of Mausdale, where he worked for Charles Fenstermacher for about eleven years. In 1877 he moved to Riverside, and purchasing four lots on the corner of Avenue E and Sunbury street, erected a fine residence, which he has since made his home. In 1862 Mr. Bird enlisted in the Union Army and served nearly three years; he was assigned to Company D, 150th Reg., in the famous Bucktail Brigade, and was soon promoted to private, and at the battle of Gettysburg he was wounded in the left arm, for which injury he now receives a pension. His wife is Rachel Ann Potter, a daughter of Thomas Potter of Catawissa, Pa., and six children have blessed the union, as follows: Emanuel, deceased; James, a resident of Nanticoke, Pa., bookkeeper for the Susquehanna Coal Company; Kersey, deceased; Ransler B., our subject; Levi, deceased; and Martin, a Congregational minister residing at Brainerd, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. Bird are members of the Methodist Church and our subject's father is sexton of the same. Mr. Bird is treasurer of the village of Riverside. Our subject followed farming until 1887, when he removed to Riverside and purchased of Richard Wilson ten lots, or two and one-half acres of land; he improved the buildings, set out fruit trees and began raising vegetables for the market. In 1891 he erected a greenhouse, which contains forty-seven hundred square feet of glass, and he not only raises many beautiful flowers but keeps one of the largest and best kept gardens in Northumberland County. On market days his wagon and display of vegetables, berries, fruit and flowers are the envy of all. Our subject also raises lemons, and during the season of 1898 he picked and sold over one hundred choice lemons; he also ships flowers and shrubberies to the surrounding towns. Mr. Bird was united in marriage to Emma Shannon, a daughter of Joseph L. Shannon, whose sketch also appears in this Book of Biographies. Three children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bird, namely: John Elliott, born February 1, 1893; Eva Sophia, born June 24, 1896; and Esther Elizabeth, born March 22, 1898. Mr. Bird is independent in his political views, always upholding the candidate who, in his opinion, is the best man. He has served as a school director; religiously, he is a member and steward of the Methodist Church. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District Published by Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899) This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 3.9 Kb