Citing this biography: Boyd, Michelle, "Thomas Bird and Ann
--," article, Olive and Eliza, last accessed [current date]."
Thomas Bird was born about 1613, probably in England. He married
Ann --.
Thomas joined the church at Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts in 1642.
He was a tanner and served as a bailiff in 1654. The Birds' house (known
as the Bird-Sawyer House, which stood until sometime after 1940) stood
on what is now 41 Humphreys Street in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts
and his tan-yard was nearby ("nearly opposite").
Thomas died 8 4 month 1667 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts.
Thomas' will was written 12 July 1666 and proved 16 Jul 1667. Ann died
21 6 month 1673 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts.
Thomas and Ann’s children are:
1
Thomas
Bird, born 4 3 month 1640 in Dorchester, Suffolk,
Massachusetts, married Thankful Atherton 2 Dec 1665 in
Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, mentioned in his father's
will, freeman 18 Apr 1690, died 30 Jan 1709/10, intestate, buried
at Dorchester North Burying Ground, Dorchester, Suffolk,
Massachusetts, was noted in his inventory to have had a "Negro
man servant" (name unknown) and a "Negro maid servant"
(name unknown).
Wife: Thankful Atherton, b. in
1644 (according to Torrey and Trask) to Humphrey Atherton
(according to Trask), made an agreement with her children 8 Mar
1710/11 regarding the estate left to her by her husband (released
her right to her children with her children to pay an annual rent
to her and allow her use of part of the housing and moveables
(which she could use, sell, or dispose of as needed), access to
the oven and the little garden, and a portion of the fruit from
the trees on the property), d. 11 Apr 1719, buried at Dorchester
North Burying Ground, Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts.
Children: Joseph Bird, Thankful Bird (m. Jeremiah
Fuller), Sarah Bird (m. Jonathan Jones),
Anne Bird (m. John Clark), Thomas Bird,
Mary Bird, Submit Bird, Mercy Bird, Patience Bird
(died young), Patience Bird, and Benjamin
Bird.
2
John
Bird, born 11 10 month 1641 in Dorchester, Suffolk,
Massachusetts, married Elizabeth Williams, mentioned in
his father's will, freeman 7 May 1673, a selectmen and assessor of
Dorchester in 1694-6, part of a committee to lay out land
divisions in Dorchester in 1698, noted as blind in 1731, died 2
Aug 1732 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, will written 11
Nov 1724 and proved 28 Aug 1732, buried at Dorchester North
Burying Ground, Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts.
Wife: Elizabeth Williams, b. abt. 1647 to
Richard Williams, d. 20 Oct 1724 in Dorchester, Suffolk,
Massachusetts, buried at Dorchester North Burying Ground,
Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts.
Children: John Bird, Abiel Bird, Damaris
Bird (m. -- Hawes), Mehitable Bird (m. --
Blake), Hannah Bird (m. John Dean), Samuel
Bird, Elizabeth Bird (m. John Beighton), Katharine
Bird (m. Israel Dean), Deighton Bird
(female, m. -- Morneck alias Mirick), Silence Bird (m.
-- Clapp and William Wright), and Jane Bird (m.
-- Wilbore).
4. JOHN2 (Thomas1), b. March 11, 1641; m. Elizabeth, dau. of
Richard Williams, of Taunton. He was made
3
Samuel
Bird, baptized in Apr 1644 (according to Trask).
4
James Bird, born about
1647, married 1) Mary George 6 Feb 1669 in Dorchester,
Suffolk, Massachusetts and 2) Ann Withington 13 Nov 1679
in Dorchester, Suffolk, a tanner and an ensign, mentioned in his
father's will, served as constable in 1677 and as a selectman and
assessor in 1693, freeman 18 Apr 1690, died 1 Sep 1723 in
Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, buried at Dorchester North
Burying Ground, Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, inventory
taken 26 Nov 1723.
Wife: Mary George,dau. of Nicholas
George and Elizabeth --, bap. 21 10th month 1645, died in
childbirth 23 Jan 1673 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts.
Wife: Ann Withington, d. 21 Sep
1723 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts.
Children (by Mary): (daughter) Bird (died
young), James Bird (m. 1) Miriam -- and
2) Elizabeth Holbrook), (stillborn? child) Bird.
Children (by Ann): Eunice Bird, Ebenezer Bird,
Bebee Bird (m. Remember
Preston), Priscilla Bird,
Henry Bird (m. Ruth
--), and Thomas Bird
(m. Mary Clap).
5
Sarah
Bird, baptized 12 Aug 1649 (according to Trask), mentioned
in her father's will, died 24 2 month 1669 in Dorchester, Suffolk,
Massachusetts.
6
Joseph
Bird, died 26 7 month 1665 in Dorchester, Suffolk,
Massachusetts.
Summary of Sources
Trask, William B., "Thomas Bird, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and
Some of His Descendants," New England Historical and
Genealogical Register, vol. 25, January 1871, pgs. 26, 28-29.
Suffolk County (Massachusetts) probate records, 1636-1899, Probate
records v. 1-4 1628-1667, FHL Film 007703070, Image 330 of 832,
Familysearch.org, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YP-P2YW,
last accessed 11 July 2021.
Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records,
1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com
Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data:Town and City Clerks of
Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT:
Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).
Pulsifer, David, "Early Records of Boston," New England
Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 5, Jan 1851, p. 97.
New England Historic Genealogical Society. Massachusetts, U.S.,
Town Death Records, 1620-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:
Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.
"Deposition
of John Bird, of Dorchester, 1731," New England Historical and
Genealogical Register, vol. 13, Oct 1859, p. 342.
Trask,
W. B., "Inscriptions from the Old Burial Ground in Dorchester,
MS.,"New
England Historical & Genealogical Register,
vol. 5, Apr 1851, p. 255, 258.
Gravestones of Thomas Bird, Thankful Bird, John Bird, Elizabeth
Bird, and James Bird, Dorchester North Burying Ground, Dorchester,
Suffolk, Massachusetts.
Photos
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tab.
Drawing
of what
the house would
have looked like
in 1637Drawing
of what
the house would
have looked like
in 1667 (second
floor added)Drawing
of what
the house would
have looked like
in 1776Photograph
of
the house in about
1905View
of the house
from the southwest,
5 April 1940
View
of the house
from the southeast,
5 April 1940View
of the house
from the northwest,
5 April 1940Front entrance
vestibule from
southwest,
5 April 1940Front hallway toward
door to southwest
room,
5 April 1940Southwest room,
showing east wall,
5 April 1940
Mantel in southwest
room (first floor),
5 April 1940Rear stairway to
second floor in west
hallway,
5 April 1940Mantel in southwest
room (second floor),
5 April 1940Window sash and
trim, southwest
room (second floor),
5 April 1940
Cover sheetBasement plan,
attic framing plan,
and state tabletFirst and second
floor plansEast and south
elevationsWest and north
elevations
Cross
sectionVestibule exterior
details and door
sectionsWindow
detailsStaircase
detailsPrinciple mantels
and interior finish
Hardware sheet AHardware sheet BOven door and
register grille
Click on each category below to expand and see the copies of sources
used to create the biography above (copyrighted and other restricted
items are listed in the summary of sources above but not included
below). Click again to close.
Thomas Bird, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and Some of His
Descendants
THOMAS1 BIRD was born in England about the year 1613, in
the reign of James the First. As to the time of his arrival in this
country we are not informed. He joined the church in Dorchester in
1642, after its reorganization under the distinguished Rev. Richard
Mather. He was made a bailiff in 1654, and was by occupation a
tanner. He lived on what is now called Humphreys street. His
tan-yard was on the ground nearly opposite, a little to the
north-east, of the present residence of Thomas Groom, Esq., where a
few years ago the yard and pits might have been seen. Jonas
Humphreys and his son James were also tanners and neighbors to Mr.
Bird, owning and occupying land at the south end of the above named
street. Among his cotemporaries in the same respectable and
lucrative business, in the town, were John Glover, John Gornhill and
others, as also Jeremy Houchin and Henry Bridgham, of Boston, who
were formerly of Dorchester.
Thomas Bird died June 8, 1667, aged 54. His will was proved July
17, 1667. (See Reg., vol. xvi. p. 161.) Appended is a
fac-simile of his signature to that document. The inventory of his
estate, taken by John Capen, Sen. and Jasper Rush, amounted to the
large sum in those times, of about one thousand pounds. His widow,
Ann, died Aug. 21, 1673. They had:--
2. i. THOMAS, b. May 4, 1640; d. Jan. 30, 1709-10.
3. ii. JOHN, b. March 11, 1641; d. Aug. 2, 1732.
iii. SAMUEL, bap. April, 1644.
4. iv. JAMES, b. about 1647; d. Sept. 1, 1723.
v. SARAH, bap. Aug. 12, 1649; d. April 24, 1669.
vi. JOSEPH, died Sept. 26, 1665.
2. THOMAS2 (Thomas1), b. May 4, 1640; m.
Thankful, dau. of Humphrey Atherton, Feb. 2, 1665. He was made
freeman, April 18, 1690; died Jan. 30, 1709-10. She was born in
1644; died April 11, 1718. The inventory of his estate, taken by
Daniel Preston, James Foster and James Blake, was £570.14.5. Among
his effects were a Negro man servant, valued at £45; a Negro maid
servant, at £30; housing orchard, meadow and other lands, £390.
On the 8th of March, 1710-11, there was an agreement between the
widow and children of Thomas Bird, late of Dorchester, deceased,
intestate. The widow releases all her right unto her children, unto
the housing, lands and other estate of her deceased husband, except
the right in the dwelling house and other privileges mentioned and
to her reserved. In consideration the Children agree to pay their
Mother the Annual rent of £10, viz., Joseph 2/10 and each of the
other children in a just proportion. The Mother freely to enjoy,
during her life, one third part of all the housing, convenient part
of the cellar, and liberty of the Oven as she shall have occasion,
and the little Garden and such part of the fruit of any of the Fruit
Trees on any part of the Lands as she desires for her own eating,
while growing on said Trees, and one third of the moveables, which
their Mother may sell or Dispose of as her own Comfort if needed by
her, otherwise to come in a just Division at her decease. That
Benjamin Bird, one of the sons of the deceased, in Consideration of
£470 paid to the rest of the Children, shall Enjoy all the housing,
Land and Moveable estate of our said Deceased Father, except the
right of common and undivided Lands in the New Grants and the
housing and moveables set out to our Mother. Signed by Thankful
Bird, Joseph Bird, Benjamin Bird, Jeremiah Fuller, Jonathan Jones,
Sarah Jones, John Clark, Isaac Howe, Submit How, Edward White,
Patience White, Mary Bird and Mercy Bird.
Thomas and Thankful (Atherton) Bird had:--
5. i. JOSEPH, b. Oct. 1, 1666; d. March 9, 1711-12.
ii. THANKFUL, b. Feb. 6, 1667; m. 1700, Lieut. Jeremiah Fuller, of
Newton. She was his third wife; died 1720; she had six children. Mr.
Fuller had a fourth wife, who died in 1742. He died Dec. 23, 1743,
aged 85. See Jackson's History of Newton, 280, and Savage's
Dictionary.
iii. SARAH, b. Oct. 24, 1669; m. Jonathan Jones, April 7, 1709.
iv. ANNE, b. Nov. 8, 1671;m. John Clark, of Newton, April 16, 1697.
(For the names of their six children and their births, see Jackson's
Hist. of Newton, page 258, where it is erroneously stated that John
Clark, Jr. m. Ann Pierce, of Dorchester, instead of Anne Bird. There
was no Ann Pierce in Dorchester, that we know of, at that date.)
v. THOMAS, b. Aug. 11, 1673. He was one of the "Canada soldiers,"
under the command of Capt. John Withington, of Dorchester, in the
famed expedition of 1690. Of the seventy-five in that company,
forty-six, says the Church records, never returned. Thomas Bird was,
doubtless, among the lost. In the list of those who were admitted by
the general court of Massachusetts, as settlers or grantees into a
new Township in the county of Worcester, Mass., about January,
1737-8, (incorporated in 1765, by the name of Ashburnham), was
"Benjamin Bird, ju. of Dorchester, in the right of his Vncle, Thomas
Bird." See Register, xvi. 148, 149; Hist. of Dorchester,
p. 256.
6. vi. MARY, b. Jan. 26, 1674.
7. vii. SUBMIT, b. May 13, 1678.
viii. MERCY, b. Feb. 6, 1679.
ix. PATIENCE, b. Nov. 19; d. Dec. 25, 1681.
x. PATIENCE, b. Nov. 27, 1683; d. Dec. 11, 1757.
9. xi. BENJAMIN, b. April 13, 1686; d. suddenly, March 29, 1757.
4. JOHN2 (Thomas1), b. March 11, 1641; m.
Elizabeth, dau. of Richard Williams, of Taunton. He was made freeman
May 7, 1673; was one of the Selectmen and Assessors of the town of
Dorchester, in 1694, '95, '96. She died Oct. 20, 1724, aged 77. He
died Aug. 2, 1732, in ye 91st year of his age. See copy
of grave-stone inscription, Register, vi. 179; deposition (1731),
do. xiii. 342. Will of John Bird, made Nov. 11, 1724. Proved Aug.
28, 1732. Mentions dau. Damaris Hawes, decd and her
children; to grandson Wm. Wright, lands from the right of my
father-in-law Richard Williams, if he the sd Wm. arrive
to the age of 21 years; grandson John Bird; special bequests are
made--the residue to be divided into ten parts, to each heir a
Portion, viz.: son John Bird, dau. Abial Bird; son Samuel Bird, daus.
Mehitable Blake, Hannah Dean, Elizabeth Beighton, Catharine Dean,
Deighton Morneck, alias Mirick, Silence Clapp and Jane Wilbore.
Inventory of the estate, £470.10. John and Elizabeth (Williams) Bird
had:--
10. i. JOHN, b. Dec. 26, 1670; d. Aug. 5, 1745.
11. ii. ABIEL, bap. April 27, 1673.
iii. DAMARIS, b. Sept. 18, 1675; m. Hawes.
iv. MEHITABLE, m. Blake.
v. HANNAH, b. Dec. 16, 1677; m. John Dean, of Taunton, Sept. 21,
1699. She "took hold on ye Covenant" of the Church in Dorchester,
Sept. 8, 1700. For the births of their nine children in Taunton, see
Register, xvi. 327.
12. vi. SAMUEL, b. April 14, 1680; d. March 20, 1740.
vii. ELIZABETH, b. Jan. 4, 1682; m. John Beighton; d. Dec. 5, 1732.
viii. KATHARINE, b. March 14, 1685; m. Israel Deane, of Taunton,
March 20, 1704-5. He was a son of John Deane of Taunton, son of
John, and was born Aug. 4, 1685, d. July 14, 1719. His wife survived
him. See Register, iii. 386. Names and dates of births of
their six children in Register, xvii. 235.
ix. DITTON (a daughter), b. Nov. 10, 1687; m. Morneck alias Mirick.
x. SILENCE, b. Feb. 14, 1689-90; m. William Wright, "of Great
Brittaine."
xi. JANE, b. June 25, 1693; m. Wilbore.
4. JAMES2 (Thomas1), b. about 1647; married
Mary George, April 6, 1669. She died in child-bed, Jan. 23, 1673. He
m. Ann Withington, Nov. 13, 1679, who died Sept. 21, 1723. He was a
tanner by trade; was made freeman April 18, 1690. He is called
"Ensigne;" was constable in 1677; one of the Selectmen and Assessors
in 1693; died Sept. 1, 1723. It may be observed that Mr. Bird, his
widow Ann, and daughter Priscilla, died in the same month, namely
September, 1723. Inventory of his estate taken, by James Blake, Junr,
Preserved Capen, and Thomas Wiswell, Nov. 26, 1723. Amount,
£1107.16.8. Mentions about 90 acres of land. James Bird and wife
Mary had:--
i. A daughter, b. Sept. 22; d. Oct. 1, 1670.
13. ii. JAMES, b. Dec. 27, 1671; d. Sept. 15, 1728.
By wife Ann (Withington) Bird had:--
iii. EUNICE, b. Oct. 16, 1680; d. Aug. 3, 1709.
iv. EBENEZER, b. Jan. 30, 1683; d. Jan. 18, 1703, by a fall from
his horse.
v. BEBEE, b. May 22, 1686; m. Remember Preston, May 3, 1705. He was
the son of Daniel and Abigail (Jackson) Preston, and grandson of
Deacon Daniel and Mary. See "Preston Family," Register, xiv.
26, where it says he "left no issue." She died Dec. 25, 1746, aged
61. Register, vi. 239.
vi. PRISCILLA, b. April 10, 1688; d. Sept. 24 (grave-stone says
23), 1723.
14. vii. HENRY, b. March 20, 1689-90; d. May 5, 1756.
15. viii. THOMAS, b. Jan. 1, 1692-3; d. May 3, 1770.
Source: Trask, William B., "Thomas Bird, of Dorchester,
Massachusetts, and Some of His Descendants," New England
Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 25, January 1871,
pgs. 21-24.
Click each thumbnail to open a full-size version of the image in a
new tab.
Will of Thomas Bird
Copy
of the will of
Thomas Bird
Source: Suffolk County (Massachusetts) probate records, 1636-1899,
Probate records v. 1-4 1628-1667, FHL Film 007703070, Image 330 of
832, Familysearch.org, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YP-P2YW,
last accessed 11 July 2021.
Click each thumbnail to open a full-size version of the image in a
new tab.
Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts
Marriages:
Thomas Bird and
Thankful Atherton
2 Dec 1665James Bird and
Mary George
6 Feb 1669James Bird and
Ann Withington
13 Nov 1679
Deaths:
Joseph
Bird, son of
Thomas Bird
26 7 month 1665Thomas
Bird, Senr.
8 4 month 1667Sarah
Bird, daughter
of Thomas Bird
24 2 month 1669The
Widow Bird
21 6 month 1673Mary
Bird, wife of
James Bird
23 Jan 1673
James Bird Senr.
1 Sep 1723 and
Ann Bird,
21 Sep 1723John
Bird
2 Aug 1732
Source: Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records,
1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com
Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Town and City Clerks of
Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT:
Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).
A Register of the Birthes & Deaths in Dorchester from the
Yeare Vntill the First Month 1644
Thomas the sonne of Thomas Bird & Anne his wife was borne the 40.
(30.) 1640.
John the sonne of Thomas Bird & Anne his wife was borne the 110.
(10.) 1641.
Source: Pulsifer, David, "Early Records of Boston," New England
Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 5, Jan 1851, p. 97.
Name: Elizabeth Bird
Birth Year: abt 1647
Age: 77y
Death Date: 20 Oct 1724
Burial Place: Dorchester
Relative: w. John
Source: New England Historic Genealogical Society. Massachusetts,
U.S., Town Death Records, 1620-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT,
USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.
BIRD, James (ca 1647-1733, 1723?) & 1/wf Mary GEORGE
(1645-1673); 6 Apr 1669; Dorchester {George 90; Sv. 1:182; Reg.
25:23, 75:145; Dorchester Ch. Rec. 24; Bird (1871) 12; Smith-Bryant
116; Blake-Glidden 45; Dorchester VR 22}
BIRD, James (1644-1733, 1723?, 1725?) & 2/wf Ann WITHINGTON
(1656-1723); 13 Nov 1679; Dorchester {Bird (1871) 12; Reg. 25:23;
75:144; Smith-Bryant 116; Blake-Glidden 45}
BIRD, John (1641-1732) (blind) & [Elizabeth WILLIAMS]
(1647-1724), Taunton; by 1670; Dorchester {Dorchester Hist. 110,
add; Bird (1871) 11; Merrick 20; Williams (,18) 38; Leonard (,3) 18;
Lincoln (G LIN 12) 28; Sv. 1:182; Taunton Min. 2:45; Wethersfield
2:824; TAG 10:29; Dorchester Ch. Rec. 24; Bangs 29; Smith-Bryant
115, 116, 328; Reg. 5:396, 414, pencil add, 13:342, 25:23;
Blake-Glidden 45, 269}
BIRD, Thomas1 (?1613-1667) & Anne ____ (-1673); by 1640;
Dorchester {Bird (1871) 9; Sv. 1:182; Pope 321; Topliff (1906) 20;
Reg. 5:395, 16:161, 25:21, 38:404, 75:145; Blake-Glidden 45;
McCormick-Hamilton 89; Smith-Bryant 115}
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new tab.
Deposition of John
Bird, of Dorchester,
1731
Source: "Deposition of John Bird, of Dorchester, 1731," New
England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 13, Oct
1859, p. 342.
Photos are shown below as thumbnails. Click on each thumbnail to
view a larger version of the photo in another tab.
Dorchester North Burying Ground, Dorchester, Suffolk,
Massachusetts
Thomas Bird
Photo credit: Angela
Ward Hyatt,
findagrave.com
Thankful Bird, widow
of Thomas Bird
Photo credit: Jeffrey
James,
findagrave.com
John Bird
Photo credit: Jeffrey
James,
findagrave.com
Elizabeth Bird, wife
of John Bird
Photo credit: Jeffrey
James,
findagrave.com
James Bird
Photo credit: Jeffrey
James,
findagrave.com
Here Lyes ye Body of Mr John Bird who died
August ye 2d 1732 in ye 91st
year of his age.
...
Here Lyes ye Body of Mrs. Elizabeth Bird Wife
of Mr. John Bird Aged 77 Years Decd Oct ye 20eth
1724.
Source: Trask, W. B., "Inscriptions from the Old Burial Ground in
Dorchester, MS.," New England Historical & Genealogical
Register, vol. 5, Apr 1851, p. 179, 257.
