BIOGRAPHIES: Courtland B. BIRD, Dunn County, WI ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Roni Fraysier 3 August 2003 ==================================================================== Courtland B. Bird, owner of a considerable farm in the town of Otter Creek, but now living retired, was born at Moundville, Marquette County, Wis., March 1, 1854, son of Nathaniel B. and Mary Ann (Cooper) Bird. The parents came to Wisconsin from New York State, locating at Fort Winnebago in 1847. After a residence there of about one year, they moved to Portage County, and thence in 1855 to Eau Claire. In 1860 they moved to Dunn County, making the journey in a wagon drawn by oxen and bringing a drove of stock with them. On arriving here they took a homestead in the town of Peru, where they started a farm, Nathaniel Bird the first year cutting brush for stock feed, as his land was unimproved. In 1864 he took a homestead of 80 acres in Section 18, town of Menomonie and also bought 80 acres adjoining, making a farm of 160 acres. He and his wife spent the remainder of their lives on this farm, he dying Dec. 11, 1893, and she on Feb. 27 1899. Their children were: Phoebe Ann and Mary Jane (twins), born Oct. 24, 1835; Lucretia E., born Oct. 29, 1837; Adeline, born Oct. 24, 1839; Serepta, born Oct. 21, 1841; William Henry C., born Aug. 27, 1843; Henry, born Aug. 17,1845. David Cooper, born May 9, 1848; George Washington, born Aug. 11, 1851; Courtland B., born March 1, 1854; and Austin D., born May 15, 1856. Courtland B. Bird acquired his education partly in Dunn County and partly in the city of Eau Claire. In early manhood he went to Dakota and homesteaded 160 acres of government land, on which he lived for seven years. At the end of that time he returned to Dunn County, Wis., and bought the farm of his father-in-law, G. K. Irvine, in Section 15, town of Menomonie. Later he sold that farm and bought another, near Wheeler. Subsequent to that he bought 520 acres in Sections 14-15, town of Otter Creek, and he has now 65 acres of this wild land under cultivation, the remainder being in pasture. In 'the fall of 1923 Mr. Bird sold 160 acres to his grandson Ralph, so his own property now contains 360 acres. He is carrying on general farming, stock raising and dairying. He is a man who has well preserved his faculties up to his present age of 70 years and can recall the days of long ago when the lumber industry was the chief enterprise flourishing here and agriculture was in its primitive stage. He himself followed logging and lumbering, and many times helped to drive logs down the river. He also worked on the construction of the "Soo" railroad. For many years he served as chairman of his town board and for several years was chairman of the county board, thus taking a prominent and active part in the direction of the affairs of the county. He was married 60 years ago, on Aug. 1, 1874, to Mary Ellen Irvine, daughter of G. K. and Fannie A. (Cowles) Irvine of Fort Madison. Iowa. Five children were the fruit of this marriage, namely, Bert C., Grace, Williain J., Jessie L. and Minnie, all of whom are now living. Bert C., who married Ivie Irvine, resides in the town of Otter Creek. He and his wife have five children, Gladys, Grace, Mary, Elbridge and Harry. Grace married Theodore Decker and they live at Rockford, Wash. Their children are Thelma, Leona and Luella. William J., who resides in the town of Sherman, Dunn County, Wis., married lva Shafer and they have five children, Fred, Florence, Dean, Raymond and Kenneth. Jessie L., now Mrs. John W. Sherwood of the town of Grant, has had two children, Maud and Mabel, the latter of whom died in infancy. Minnie is the wife of George B. Gregerson of the town of Wilson and has two children Esther and Ellen. Mr. Bird's farm is now conducted by his grandson, Ralph Bird. Mr. Bird has a cottage on Lake Chetek, where he spends his summers and during the winters he travels. In the winter of 1924-25 he and his wife took the Ozark Mountain trip by auto, being gone for five months. -Transcribed from the "History of Dunn County Wisconsin, 1925"