BIRD

 

William Bird succeeded Captain Charles Sparrow as the Virginia representative of the London merchants, John Sadler and Thomas Quiney. He arrived in Virginia in 1657 on the ship "Seven Sisters". In 1661, the Charles City court records:

Ordered that William Bird rest in the sherriffs custody during pleasure of the Co'rt for his affront given in open Co'rt.

Willm Bird upon his his submission and recantacon is released from his imprisonment paying the fees thereof.

He was made Justice in the same county that year. Several court cases where he either gave testimony or heard the complaints give vivid glimpses of life in early colonial life: the theft of a hammock and wine from a ship in harbor; a man accused of being an Athicke[atheist]  and not believing in the Resurreccion; and a quarrel between neighbors in which a fence is torn down and rootes of tobacco are thrown at a woman.

On July 4, 1671, William Bird purchased from Thomas Busby a grist mill and appurtenances at head of Chippokes Creek in Surry, 150 adjoining acres, and another tract of 300 acres adjacent to William Shorte. He had died by September 29, 1672, when his widow, Hannah Grendon, the daughter of Thomas Grendon, married for the third time.

His son and heir, Thomas Bird, inherited the mill and bought more land from Thomas Busby in 1680. He died before January 5, 1688, when his widow, Mary Madison married George Nicholson.

Thomas Bird left three daughters, as shown by a March 4, 1728 deed from Elizabeth Lanier (wife of John Lanier) which conveyed to Richard Jones and his wife Tabitha, daughter of Thomas Bird, who by his will dated January 21, 1680, devised land to his three daughters, Mary, "now deceased", and Elizabeth and Tabitha, 300 acres on the South Branch of Upper Chippokes Creek.

Tabitha Jones married Edward Harrison Smith.

Two Bird (Byrd) families descended from the two marriages of William's mother-in-law, Elizabeth ___________. Her first marriage was to Thomas Stegge. There were at least two children, Thomas and Grace.  Grace Stegge married John Bird of London.  Their son, William Byrd (he changed the spelling of his name) came to America sponsored by his uncle, Thomas Stegge, who had no heirs. He is the famous William Byrd I of Westover.
After the death of the first Thomas Stegge, Elizabeth married Thomas Grendon (above). Their daughter was the Hannah Grendon who married our William Bird.