In the August 1839 session of the Carroll County Mississippi court,
Rebecca Bird was declared the legal guardian of her children Augustus James, Jane Curry
and Aryann (the spelling differs in various records) after the death of their father,
James C. Bird. The 1840 census complied in December of 1839 shows the household of
Rebecca Bird with three children and no male adults. Considering the ages of the females
in the household, it seems certain that Jane Curry Bird, daughter of James C. and Rebecca
Bird, was the first wife of Jesse Thomas Young. The census suggests that the estate of
Bird, which was located in the north eastern corner of Carroll county (now part of
Montgomery county) was extensive.
The 1840 Mortality Record for Mississippi which records deaths in the year prior to the
census of 1840, lists the death of James C. Bird, Born SC, died February of 1839 in
Lauderdale county of "dyspepsia". This could reasonably be the father of Jane
Curry Bird however the reference to Lauderdale county which is a different part of the
state, is not understood.
The Carroll County Estate Records 1840 -1869 page 14, May 1842, transcribed by Betty Wiltshire, has the following information (abridged for this web site) regarding the Estate of James C. Bird:
Robert C. Tate husband of Sarah Bird
B. G. Wadlington husband of Susan Bird
Edwin Smith husband of Mary W. Bird
Hugh R. Young husband of Selina W. Bird
Bedford B. Bird
Augustus J. Bird
James C. Birdall lawful heirs and distrubutees of James C. Bird ..... in consideration of one hundred dollars to each .... paid by Rebecca Bird, sole remaining administratrix of the estate, release and quit claims to any and all property .... which may be due as heirs of the estate of James C. Bird. Signed by B. B. Bird, A. J. Bird, J. C. Bird, Hugh R. Young, B. G. Wadlington, R. T. Tate and witnessed by Elijah Wimberly.
It is not clear if these individuals are grown children of James C. and Rebecca Bird or if they are related in some other way; sisters and brothers of James C. Bird perhaps. While Augustus Bird is specifically mentioned, the two young daughters, Jane Curry and Aryann are not (is it possible that Wiltshire misread the reference to "James C." in the list of heirs, could that name have been "Jane C." instead?). The possibility of a relationship between Hugh R. Young, husband of Sleina Bird and Jesse Thomas Young, husband of Jane Curry Bird has not been determined.
Jane Curry Bird married Jesse Thomas Young July 14, 1842 as recorded in the Carroll County Marriage Register. They had one child, Spencer Young, born April 15, 1843. It is assumed Jane Curry Bird died between 1843 and late 1845 since Jesse Thomas Young married Eliza Ann Chambers on January 2, 1846. In a biographical sketch prepared in the late 1800's, Spencer Young stated he knew nothing of his mother's family and no information pertaining to the Birds was passed down in family history. The actual fate of Jane Curry Bird is not known.
The Carroll County Marriage Register lists the marriage of Aryana A. Bird to Samuel Shelton January 18, 1843. Details of Bird family history are not available from the known descendants of Samuel and Aryana Shelton.
The Carroll County Marriage Register lists the marriage of A.J. Bird
and Margaret Wright on December 15, 1852. Carroll County Cemetery Records lists the
following burials in the Mission Church cemetery (now in Montgomery County): Agustus A
(probably J) Byrd 3/29/1820 - 6/6/1864, Margaret 5/29/1834-12/17/1897, John Henry
6/25/1855-11/14/68 (son of A.J. and Margaret). Another Byrd is listed; Sidney A.
6/12/1868-11/5/1907 but the relationship is not listed or known. The variation in the
spelling of Bird/Byrd is of interest.
Return to David Young's Genealogy Pages
dayoung@ieee.org
David Young's Genealogy Pages December 31, 2002