DOCUMENTATION SOURCE:
Research Information provided by Sherry Johnson (email: sherrjoh7@yahoo.com) as of March 2007
Personally surveyed Taylors Creek Cemetery on 6/26/2001 and took photo of tombstone
Transcription of Will of Israel L. Bird
Transcription of Will of Sarah Louisa (Johnson) Bird
BOOKS

Taylors Creek, Story of the Community and Her People Through 200 Years", Bird and Paul Yarbrough, Editors, A Project of Taylors Creek Cemetery Association, Press of The Atkinson County Citizen, Pearson, Georgia, 1963. A copy of this book can be found at the Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Georgia. This book has an updated and revised version printed in 1985.

(page 29)) (page 149)
WEBSITES

Taylors Creek Cemetery Plot Map & Website

Tombstone: "A Loved One at Rest".

Buried near him are 2 children, Mary and James Bird, who died at a young age, just 23 days apart. The third child, Little Walter Bird, died not more than a year after them. These are most likely his children, and they have been attached to him for purposes of this database although no other documentation has been found to prove this at this time. It is believed that Mary R. Bird was his wife, but only evidence is the cemetery plot next to him and her date of birth as shown on gravestone which would put her at the right age to be his wife.

He is listed in his brother, Israel Bird's wife Sarah Louisa's will as their heir, they having no issue. Sarah Louisa died shortly after her husband passed. George P. had already passed away in 1899 before Israel. His daughter, Birdie Darsey, is listed in Sarah Louisa's will. It is unclear what Birdie's actual "legal" name was, and which Darsey she married. She signed the papers "Mrs. Birdie Darsey."

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Research Information provided by Sherry Johnson (email: sherrjoh7@yahoo.com) as of March 2007

I'm one of the coordinators for the Byrd DNA Project website. The family below is not my direct Bird/Byrd line, but there is a connection (according to DNA) through Burgoon Bird to my ancestor Andrew Bird of Berks Co., PA.

I've pursued three Bird lines that came out of Berks County, Pennsylvania. My ancester was Andrew Bird, who moved from Berks County, PA, about 1731-1734, to the Shenandoah Valley. DNA shows a relationship to Burgoon Bird (m. Mary Robison, d/o Israel), who moved from Berks Co., PA, to Georgia around 1760. This line is the one that includes the individuals who lived at Taylors Creek. The third line was decended from Marcus Hulings Bird (son of William Bird, founder of Birdsboro, PA), who left Berks County after the Revolutionary War and settled in North Carolina. All of these men had numerous descendants. As a coordinator for the Byrd DNA Project, I get regular requests for information about these related families. William Bird's line are related only by marriage via his wife Bridget Hulings to the other two Bird families.

As I was searching census records yesterday for the Liberty County Birds, I think I saw one elsewhere for a Faith Bird. I did not pursue her because I was trying to fill ot the family data on the children/grandchildren of James Robinson Bird. Below is the 1860 census info for Mary H. who married James.

1860 Census, Liberty Co., Georgia, p. 771, Li. 9 #333, 315.
"17th District 17 July 1860
James R. Bird 48 m GA Planter
Mary " 46 f GA
James " 23 m GA
Israel " 21 m GA
Robinson " 17 m GA
Sarah " 14 f GA
Martha " 11 f GA
Susan " 10 f GA
George " 8 m GA
Mary " 6 f GA
Georgia " 2 f GA

There are 2 other Mary Birds Mary O. vs. Mary R. In 1880, Mary O. 24, was still living at home with her mother. Mary R. was married to George P. Bird and had a 5 month old daughter Birdie. I have also seen the Taylor's Creek history that suggests that Mary Bird married John Stewart. So far, I've not found documentation for this information.

1. Walter Bird
2. Birdie Bird
3. James Bird b: 2 APR 1882
4. Mary Bird b: 26 FEB 1887