Helen Money Bird Funeral Springville Evergreen Cemetery

Helen Money Bird. A great lady indeed, and loved by many. She was laid to rest on December 27, 2009. We love you Grandma Bird.

William Arthur Bird

William Arthur Bird and Mary A Bryan

Walter Freeman Bird

Walter Freeman Bird : Son of Walter and Arabella Hailey Bird. He married Lucinda Childs.

John Oliver and Lydia Harrington Bird

This is the oldest son of Walter and Arabella Hailey Bird.

Arch Hailey Bird

Arch is Walter and Arabella Hailey Bird's son. He married Ann Sumsion of Springville.

Kate Artilla Bird

Ellen "Bird" Peyton

This is a photo of Ellen Bird, daughter of Walter and Arabella Hailey Bird. She married Edward D. Peyton.

St. Martin's Parish Birmingham England

This is the Parish that my great, great, great grandparents were married, John and Ann Russon Bird. They were married in May of 1830. I have the actual marriage certificate that documents this most important event in this young couples life. They eventually migrated to the States in 1854.

Zella Bird Loader

This is a picture of Zella Bird, youngest daughter of Walter & Arabella Hailey Bird. She married Hyrum William Loader of Pleasant Grove.

Thomas & Ann Croxford Hailey

Thomas and Ann Hailey came to Utah from England in 1850's. Their daughter Arabella Hailey married my great, great, great grandpa Walter Bird. Thomas and Ann moved to Springville after crossing the plains but moved back to Missouri a short time later and died in St. Joseph Missouri in the late 1800's.

Ann Russon Bird

George & Rhoda Bird Beardall

Springville 1st Sunday School School Theo. Class

Verona Clegg & Wallace Bird are seated in the second row of this picture. They aren't seated next to each other; Verona on the left side and Wallace on the right side.

Helen Money Bird Public Schooling

George and Helen Money Bird -- "Got the news today...George has cancer!"

Wagon Trains -- Bird Pioneer Ancestor's

This was the mode of transportation for the majority of pioneers crossings the plains between 1847 and 1869 when the railroad finally opened up. Walter Bird & Thomas Tew were the first of our Bird ancestors to travel with these wagon train companies in the year 1851. The were the first two English settlers in the city of Springville, UT 1852.

Walter Bird loses sight in one eye -- Age 60

Walter Bird had an accident with and old knife mowing machine cutting grass up near the Mapleton/Springville border by Leland & Beverly's current home. He was only 60 years of age and it came with quite a shock to lose sight in one of his eyes.

Arabella Hailey Bird -- Old Folks Reunion Springville

Arabella Hailey Bird b. 1838 Oxfordshire, England

Old School Bird Family photo 1993 "ish"

Passenger List Ship "Ellen"

Walter Bird & Thomas Tew traveled on the ship "Ellen" which left Liverpool, England and landed in New Orleans, Louisianna. They were only 18 & 17 years old respectively at the time and came alone, sending for their families by way of perpetual emigration fund several years later in 1855. Their names can be found on the second list near the bottom third of the page. Thomas Tew's name is first, age 17, and Walter's is right after, age 18.

Wallace Bird home built in 1900

This home was built by Wallace Bird in 1900 and was occupied not only by his own family, but later owned by his youngest son, George Bird, but later sold outside the family. It still stands on the intersection of 7th S. & 4th E. in Springville.

Alice Bird (b. 1897 - d. 1900)

This is a portrait of three year old Alice Bird, oldest child and daughter of Wallace & Verona Clegg Bird. She was the only daughter born to our great grandparents, and was blessed in a dress that has been passed down to our day when even my two daughters, Paityn & Presley, have been blessed in it.

1st Ward Sunday School Class (Wallace & Verona Bird)

Grandpa John Banks Money

John Banks Money: he married Adalinda Rose in December of 1910. Sitting on his lap are his two grandchildren, Larry George Bird (George and Helen Money's first child) and Lynn Tolley (Aunt Lois' oldest child).

This picture was taken sometime around 1941, as Larry Bird died at six months of age in January of 1942. He was born in July of 1941.

Warranty Deed's Walter Bird

These are some of the Warranty Deed documents that Walter Bird possessed. Some of these are as old as 1873! Just twenty years after Springville, Utah was settled.

P.E.F. Ann Bird & children

Ann Russon Bird, wife of John Bird, and mother of six children came across the plains to Utah in 1855.

Census Records 1841 & 1851 Bird Family

These two (2) Census records were taken in 1841 & 1851 in England. Our Bird ancestors, John & Ann Russon Bird family were living in the Birmingham/Solihull, Warwickshire, England area. These are pretty neat records that show the whereabouts of our ancestors at the earliest time we have a record of.

Walter Bird (Pioneer Ancestor)

As far as the Bird line goes; we have this great man to thank! Especially those of us still living in Springville, Utah. Walter and a best friend, Thomas Tew, came to America in 1850 and eventually ended up in Springville in 1851 (the first two European settlers). They began building the old white church and other important community structures. Walter eventually was the first man to move his family outside the fort and build his own home in 1874.

He was a faithful member of the church and instilled in his 13 children the importance of testimony born of the spirit and to follow your hearts righteous desires. He was only 18 years of age when he left his family to travel to the United States. He encountered many hardships along the way, but never doubted his decision for doing so. He was head watermaster of Springville for a number of years and a farmer by trade. He could read, write, and speak English (according to Census 1900), and became a U.S. citizen in 1869 approx.

He died in April of 1904 and was buried next to his best friend in the Evergreen Cemetery located in Springville, Utah. The home he built in 1874 is still standing and is located at 696 S. 400 East. He aquired 7 acres of property in that vicinity and at his death divided his property and home between his surviving boys (Wallace, Arthur, Arch Hailey).

Arabella Hailey Bird

This is Arabella Hailey Bird. She married Walter Bird in 1855 in Springville, Utah. She was born in 1838 in England and came to America/Utah in 1852. Her family moved back to Independence, MO after a tragic event occured between her father, Thomas Hailey, and some members of the church who painted their faces and horsed whipped him in the middle of the intersection of 1st East & 2nd South (according to Dean Bird). Thomas Hailey refused to allow a group of men to borrow his horses for a second time to rescue saints on the plains heading to Utah, after the first trip his horses were taken care of so poorly.

Arabella stayed behind to be with her husband and young family. She later gave birth to 13 children and left behind a wonderful posterity. She died in 1906 in Springville, Utah. In memory of this great woman and grandmother, my wife and I chose to name our second child after her: Presley "Arabella" Bird who was born December 9th, 2007.

Kiwanis Club 2008 - Bird Family

The Kiwanis club has been a special service organization to our Bird family members for the past 60 or more years. Grandpa George Bird was the President in the early 50's, then Leland Bird was President in the 80's, Uncle Calvin was President in 2005-06, and now I'm the President elect, or President for 2008-09.

This picture is of Uncle Cal & Aunt Linda, as well as Danny and I serving scones and homemade root beer at the annual Art City Days Carnival. We open up the week of the carnival from Wednesday to Saturday. It's the biggest here of all the booths and it's been a long standing tradition not only of the Kiwanis club, put even Springville LDS church groups before (Uncle Alan's stake originally started it in the 80's or 90's).

Walter Bird Warranty Deed 1904

This warranty deed was issued to Arabella Hailey Bird (wife of Walter) signed by Walter Bird just two weeks before he passed away and witnessed by two of his sons Walter Freeman and Arch Hailey.

Wallace & Verona Photo 1930's

George Bird Pedigree Chart 1965

Grandpa Bird was a family historian in his own right, or at least his wonderful wife Helen was! Anyway, this post is of the pedigree chart Grandpa put together in 1965 of his ancestry and maybe these types of documents as well as Sunday night reminiscing with Grandma Bird and all her photos has inspired me to be the "genealogist" of our family.

Wallace Bird Obituary October 1937

Wallace Bird is said to have been a very jovial man with a pleasant personality that people liked to be around him. He was Springville city Marshal for two terms for a total 12 years, as well as the head wastermaster of Springville city for quite a long time. He also served in the LDS church in various capacities.

Wallace & Verona Amelia Clegg Bird Family

Bird Family: Front Row (L to R) George Ray (b. 1916), Verona Amelia Clegg (b. 1877), Wallace (b. 1873), Mary Williams. Back Row (L to R): Inez Starr, Kenneth Leon (b. 1912), Hazel Adams, Wallace Othell (b. 1900), Maurice Clegg (b. 1903). Missing in picture is oldest daughter, Alice, who died at age 3 (b. 1897).


Wallace and Verona were married in February of 1897. This picture was taken sometime before George was married in 1940 because Helen in not in photo, so Grandpa Bird (George) would have been roughly 18 to 21 years old since Wallace (father of the family) died in October of 1937 and Kenneth Leon was married to Inez Starr in 1934, placing this photo between those two dates.

#3 Was Church B-Ball's Best Back in the Day!

Grandma Bird has written about how good Grandpa Bird was at basketball and I guess church ball was a pretty big deal back then. They won the championship and I think #3 had a lot to do with it!!

Staff Sergeant - WWII - George Ray Bird

George Bird became the rank of Staff Sergeant while serving in the European theatre of operations for the United States Army. This simply means he was a non commissioned officer (NCO), but was of the pay grade E-6 (E1 to E9, E9 being the highest). He would have been over a group of people to help train and manage affairs under the supervision of the Sergeant First Class officer. He served in the 125th Financial Disbursing Section which was stationed in Dorset, England.

George Ray Bird - Mighty Fine Banker

Grandpa Bird was a lot of amazing things....but he was well known not only in the small town of Springville or county of Utah, but across the western United States for his skills and leadership in the world of banking.

Bird Brothers today

Left to Right: Devin, Greg, Leland (Dad), Danny, Brian, Brian Tolley (cousin).

Walter Bird Residence (1st Outside the Fort)

This was the home Walter Bird built for his family in 1874. He was the first man to move outside the Springville Fort and build a home. Dean Bird wrote a great article in the Springville Herald a while back which documents this story.

It's stands today and is located on 7th South and 4th East.

Bird Brothers, Wives, and Family 1914

The Bird Brothers include front row (L to R): John Oliver & Walter Freeman. Back row (L to R): Wallace Bird (my ancestor), William Arthur, & Arch Hailey. The other two pictures are obviously these men's wives and children, etc. This picture was taken in June of 1914. Nearly 100 years ago!

The Leland Bird Family "1983"?

This is a pretty vintage Bird family photo. I'm not sure if this was taken in 1983, but it's my best guess? Sweet hair mom! Reminds me of Ramen Noodles. And dad the glass are pretty old school too. It's nice to see Brian and Greg had hair back then, what happened?

Wallace & Verona Clegg Bird

Wallace & Verona were married on the 10th of February 1897. Verona was the oldest daughter and child of Israel Eastham and Verona Amelia Noakes Clegg. Wallce was the city Marshall for six years.

They had five (5) children, one of which (Alice) died at age 3. The other four children were boys: Othell, Maurice, Leon, and George.

Walter Bird promissory note

This promissory note is in the actual hand of Walter Bird, who signed his name stating that he would pay back the necessary funds in order to aid his families travels to America.

John Bird Family Perpetual Emigration Fund

This was the form used by the church in the mid 1850's to track who was being aided by the Perpetual Emigrating Fund. These funds were required to be paid back by those securing the note either by money, crops, or property.

Walter Bird, John's oldest son and child, obtained permission from Brigham Young to secure the funds needed for his family to cross the sea from Great Britain to America and was obligated to pay it back. John Bird never made it to Utah, he died at Mormon Grove of Mountain Fever.

Ann Russon and her children carried on across the plains and arrived at Utah in September of 1855.

Israel Eastham & Verona Amelia Clegg

Israel Eastham Clegg was the sole surving child of Henry and Hannah Eastham Clegg who migrated from Preston, England to Utah in 1855. Hannah Clegg and son, died near Mormon Grove in Atchison, Kansas/Missouri. Henry Clegg carried on with his young son, Israel until they eventually reach the Salt Lake valley later that year.

Israel remained in Springville the remainder of his life, however, his father Henry moved to the Wasatch Valley where he helped settle Heber, Utah.

I am a direct descendant of Isreal through my grandfather George Bird, whose mother Verona Clegg was the oldest child born to Isreal and Verona Noakes Clegg.

Joy of service in Africa

This is a picture of me with a bunch of school children in rural Africa. We delivered boxes of books, toys, and school supplies for hundreds of grade school children a couple of hours outside of Gweru, Zimbabwe sometime in April-May of 1999.

This was a great experience for me, especially since my mother's elementary school in Mapleton were the donors of all the boxes of books, toys, and other items. Neither of us knew that we would be working together to deliver these needed supplies to the children of Zimbabwe.

Helen & Leland Bird

This is baby Leland with mother Bird when George was away in Europe serving for the U.S. in WWII. Grandpa Bird served in the war from 1943 to 1946 and was away from his new born son for nearly 3 years. He did get to be around for the first couple months after Leland's birth, but soon left overseas.

Helen Bird was courageous and strong during this time. She also had a lot of good help watching over her, especially Uncle Maurice Bird.

Wallace & Verona Bird Family

This is Wallace & Verona Amelia Clegg Bird family. Front Row (L to R): Leon, George (grandpa Bird), Wallace. Back Row (L to R): Maurice, Othell, and Verona.

They lived on the corner of 7th South and 4th East (southwest corner). Wallace served three seperate terms as city Marshall for a total of six (6) years.

Utah Bird Family Roots; Springville, Ut

This is my first attemp at blogging. My goal is to get all the family history stuff to as many family members as possible, especially those I've never met but may have some interesting histories, pictures, and/or pedigrees to share.