OBIT: Charles E. BIRD, 1944, native of Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library. Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ CHARLES E. BIRD Passing of Charles E. Bird Has Ended Widely Known Firm of Bird Brothers Senior Partner Followed Junior Partner in Death Within Present Year - Business Established by Them Continued by Heirs as Bird Poultry Co. - Obsequies of Charles Bird Delayed by Weather Only brief mention was made in last week's issue of The Republican of the death of Charles E. Bird who passed away in a Philadelphia hospital at 8:30 o'clock, Saturday, December 9th, because his funeral and burial were delayed by inclement weather and snow blocked roads and information for a complete obituary was not immediately available. Charles E. Bird was the senior member of the widely known firm of Bird Brothers, whose success as developers and propagators of the best strains of Giant Bronze turkeys made the name of their firm known in nearly every civilized country in the world. With the passing of both members of the firm during the present year, Cyrus M., the junior member, on Jan. 1, 1944, and Charles E. in December of this year, the firm has become extinct, but the business they established nearly half a century ago, is still being carried on by their heirs, under the firm name of Bird Poultry Company. Charles E. Bird was born in Meyersdale, March 3, 1875, the son of Orville R. and Hulda (Shultz) Bird, both deceased. He was educated in the local schools. Started Career as Teacher He taught school in Greenville and Summit Townships for six years and was a holder of a professional certificate. He was so popular as a teacher that parents of pupils sometimes vied with each other to have him as a free boarder. In 1900, in partnership with his brother, Cyrus M. Bird, he entered the turkey breeding business. Under the trade name of "Bird Brothers" they became known all over the United States, and in many foreign countries, for their pedigreed bronze turkeys. Their "Goldbank" and "Copper Bronze" strains of turkeys were kept pure and improved over a third of a century and descendants are to be found on the best farms and ranches of every continent. Charles and Cyrus Bird became interested in turkeys in their youth on their father's farm. When Charles was a mere lad his father gave him a turkey hen to begin hatching turkeys of his own, and from that time on raising turkeys was his hobby. Teaching Used as Stepping Stone After Charles and Cyrus both had taught school for several winters and engaged in farm work during the summer months and had earned and saved enough money to rent a farm, they decided to make turkey breeding a hobby, as a sideline to farming. Shortly after the turn of the century they went in for raising exhibition turkeys and after their first important showing in Pittsburgh, in 1903, they continued what started as a hobby as a major business. From then on they showed at all the major poultry shows in the United States. They exhibited fowls at Madison Square Garden for 27 consecutive years, and never without taking blue ribbons. Business Expansion After they got well started in the turkey business they began also to specialize in heavy chickens, and developed a very superior strain of Partridge- Rocks, the raising of which for breeding purposes proved a profitable side line to their propagation and distribution of Giant Bronze turkeys. The Bird Bros. also engaged in farming, some years growing bumper crops of potatoes, corn, wheat, oats, rye, hay and barley; also in cattle and sheep raising and maple sugar production. But the poultry business remained their major industry. When the large farm located partly in Elk Lick and partly in Summit Township, known as the old Flickinger farm, which they rented from the Consolidated Coal Company, for many years, and which they eventually purchased, proved inadequate as a range for their poultry and livestock, they bought the adjacent old Jonathan Lichty farm in Elk Lick Township. Besides raising thoroughbred turkey cocks and hens for export, they also engaged in raising turkeys and chickens for Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts, and also furnished turkey eggs to neighboring farmers to grow turkeys to be marketed by Bird Bros. From a small beginning they built up an extensive business and gave employment to quite a number of farm hands and men to assist in breeding, caring for and marketing of poultry. Active in Many Organizations Throughout his life, Charles E. Bird was active in many organizations. He was one of the organizers and directors of the Economy Telephone Co., with headquarters in Meyersdale, until it was merged with other telephone companies. He was a director of the Second National Bank from 1918 to 1943; secretary- treasurer of the Keystone Lime and Coal Co., and an officer of both the Niverton Coal Co., and the Economy Coal Co. He was president of the Elk Lick Township Road Board for eight years. He was associated with the National Bronze Turkey Club, and the Partridge Plymouth Rock Club and was superintendent of the poultry department of the Meyersdale Fair, and frequently officiated as judge of other poultry shows. Stricken With Illness in 1939 Mr. Byrd was not active in business since a severe illness in the fall of 1939. After several months in a hospital, he made his home with his brother Cyrus and family, just south of Meyersdale, for over 3 1/2 years. He was stricken with a more severe illness in July, 1943, and entered a Philadelphia hospital six weeks later, where he passed away on Dec. 9, 1944. Mr. Byrd was never married. He is survived by the following sisters: Mrs. Henry Suder and Mrs. J. L. Tressler, of Meyersdale, and Miss Malinda Bird, of Pittsburgh, a graduate nurse of West Penn Hospital. One sister, Mrs. Alice Bowman, preceded him in death, and his brother, Cyrus, passed away Jan. 1, 1944. He became a member of the Main Street Brethren Church in 1907, under the ministry of Rev. William H. Beachler. Funeral Rites Funeral services were to be held in the Main Street Brethren Church Tuesday afternoon, at 2:30, but owing to the inclement weather and deep snow the obsequies were postponed until 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. The funeral service was conducted by Rev. Kenneth Ashman, pastor of the Main Street Brethren Church, who was to have been of the Berlin Brethren Church, but the latter was unable to be present owing to the snow blockade. A male quartet composed of Rev. Ashman, Leon Ford, Clayton A. Gearhart and W. C. Price, sang two appropriate selections - "We Shall Meet Them" and "God's Way" - one before and one following the funeral discourse. Mrs. Kenneth Ashman played the organ accompaniments. Interment did not take place until Saturday at 11:30 a.m., owing to the road to Union Cemetery not being opened before Saturday morning. W. C. Price & Son were in charge of the funeral arrangements. Mr. Price Sr., brought the body from Philadelphia last Sunday. After it was prepared for burial it was taken to the home of one of Mr. Bird's sister's, Mrs. Joseph L. Tressler, on Beachley Street, where it lay in state until the hour of the funeral. After the funeral service the body was taken to the Price Funeral Home where it was cared for and viewed by friends until Saturday morning. Besides the undertakers and the pallbearers, only the immediate relatives and the officiating minister, Rev. Kenneth Ashman, accompanied the remains to Union Cemetery where interment was made in the Bird family plot. The pallbearers were Perry C. Miller, N. P. and John I. Meyers, Owen Lauver, R. H. Bowman and J. B. Hostetler. Meyersdale Republican, December 21, 1944