Individual Details

Andrew Bird

(Abt 1702 - 1750)



Andrew married Magdalene Jones, duaghter of Mounce & Ingeborg Yokum Jones. They lived when first married, in the predominantly Swedish community at Morlatten in Pennsylvania.

Andrew Byrd, is listed as one of the 1734 settlers of the Shenandoah. Jost Hite's patent dated 21 Oct 1731, gave Andrew Bird to right to settle near New Market. His patent was on Smith's Creek in what is now Rockingham Co.

Children are believed to be John (1729-1819, m. 1767 Margaret Susanna Winterode/Wintrow - but I doubt this marriage, see notes for John); Andrew Jr. (1730-1799, m. Mary Howell - another source states that Andrew died in 1822, Rockingham Co VA but his will was probated 28 Jan 1799); Rebecca (b. 6 Jul 1732 & baptized on 8 Jun 1737); Mounce (1735-1793 m. Clara Ruddell); Abraham (1737-1820 m. 1757 Rachel Ziegler and moved to Kentucky); Mary who married Stephen Ruddell, and Magdalena who married George Ruddell, 2 Feb 1760, Rockingham Co VA; Ingabough who married Rueben Allen; Amos who died 15 Jun 1818. The Ruddells were children of John Ruddell and Mary Cook.

Chalkley's Chronicles
1750. Magdalene Bird, widow of Andrew Bird, and his eldest son, Andrew Bird, petition to administer estate. 1751. James Porteus was their attorney, but now deceased.


Andrew was still alive on Aug 22, 1749. He proved the will of John Ruddell Jr. which he had witnessed on 26 Jul 1749. [Augusta WB 1, p.176] Andrew, Andrew Bird Jr and Edward Ryan were the witnesses. John Ruddell Jr named his father executor. He was of Smith's Creek. His mother Mary, brothers Archibald & Stephen received bequests. He mentioned other brothers & sisters and Robert Wilson to share with them.

Magdalene & eldest son Andrew were administrators of his estate. On 27 Feb 1750, they posted bond with sureties John Dobkin and Samuel Newman. [Augusta WB I, p.283] The appraisement of his estate was on 20 Apr 1751, by Wm White, Wm Carrol and John Ruddell. [Augusta WB 1, p.361]


This is possibly Andrew's son John:
1756. Sept 13th & 14th [list of those killed or taken by Indians] John Bird at Jackson River, killed. Mrs. Bird and six children, at Jackson River, prisoners.

Augusta County Court, Order Book 5
24 Nov 1756. John Bird - suit abates by his death.
17 Nov 1756. James Boreland's Bond as administrator of John Bird.
16 Aug 1758. Sarah Bird, orphan of John Bird, dec'd, aged 15, chose John Dean her guardian.
16 Aug 1758. John Dean's bond with John Stuart & Thomas Hugart as securities

Andrew's son Andrew:
Apr 1806 West vs. Byrd Copy of will of Andrew Byrd, dated 17 Feb 1788 and probated 28 Jan 1799 in Rockingham County. Wife Mary. Daughter Catherine Circle, place where she now lives. Son Andrew Bird. Granddaughters Mary, Elizabeth, Catherine & Nancy West. Grandson William West, place where his mother lives. Son Abraham.
15 Aug 1805 Deposition of William West and wife Mary, Greene Co TN. Negro in question was given to James West in 1773, about a year and a half after James and Caty West were married. Andrew Bird was hurt by a fall from a horse and there was question whether he was of right mind afterwards. Caty West was his daughter and her husband was James West. Administration was granted to Catherine West on the estate of James West, 25 Nov 1782 in Rockingham Co. Copy of appraiement filed, dated 10 Sep 1783.
15 Aug 1805 Deposition of James West of Hawkins Co TN. Children and heirs of James West included Daniel Bealer and Polly, Caty [West] and William. Byrd had a Negro wench, Sall, for several years before he sold her to the Baptist Society.

Andrew Bird was born ca 1700 to Andrew Bird, Jr. and Marie Brokaw Bird, probably at Newtown (formerly Mespat/Maspeth, now Elmhurst) on Long Island. The family moved about 1704 to join family already settled in the Raritan Valley on the Raritan and Millstone Rivers in Somerset Co., NJ. Andrew, as a young man, moved to Amity township (now Berks Co., PA), where he married ca 1724, Magdalene, daughter of Mounce and Ingaborg Jones, who were among the first settlers of the "Swedes Tract," Philadelphia (now Berks) County, PA.

Pendleton, Philip E., Oley Valley Heritage: The Colonial Years 1700-1775, Birdsboro, PA: Pennsylvania German Society & Oley Valley Heritage Assoc., 1994, p.176, Dallas Public Library.
Known heads of households and single freemen residing in the Oley Valley 1701-1741"...William Bird 1728 Amity, Robeson....Andrew Bord (Burd, Bird) 1727 Robeson, Burgund Bord (Burd, Bird) 1735 Exeter...Marcus Huling (Hulings, Hulin) 1716 Amity...Mounce Jones (Magnus Jonasson) 1704 Amity, John Jones (Jonasson) 1709 Amity,...Andrew Robeson 1714 Exeter, Israel Robeson 1718 Robeson, Jonathan Robeson 1725 Exeter...Thomas Rutter 1715 Douglass...Jonas Yocom (Yocum, Yokom, Jochim) 1714 Douglass...

Note: Y-DNA testing indicates the strong genetic relationship of multiple male descendants of Andrew Bird and Burgoon/Burgund Bird, but William Bird was related only through his marriage to the daughter of Marcus Huling (a granddaughter of Mounce and Ingaborg Jones).

Andrew Bird and his wife Magdalene and their young children moved to Opequon Creek, Old Frederick Co., VA, ca 1732 with the Jost Hite settlers.

Eisenberg, William Edward, This Heritage: The Story of Lutheran Beginnings in the Lower Shenandoah Valley, and of Grace Church, Winchester, 1954, Dallas Public Library.
5 June 1737 at Shenandoah, baptised Rebecca, daughter of Andrew Bird, born 6 July 1732. Evidences" James Gill & Sarah Moor [Moore]...
On 8 Jun 1737, Andrew Bird "Testes" for baptism of Jacob, son of Rilie Moor, born Dec 1734.
*Note: This baptismal record appears to be evidence that Rebecca was born after her parents moved to the Shenandoah Valley. Her older siblings were probably baptised in Pennsylvania, though such records have not been found. Andrew and Magdalene would likely have had their daughter baptized before taking her to live in an area where clergymen were available only on infrequent visits. It would appear that the family arrived in the Shenandoah Valley circa 1731-32.

Transcribed from the Fairfax Land Suit 27:152
___________________________
1 November 1735
Affidavit of Peter Wolf that he saw 49 settlements in no. on the grant to Mackay & Hite in the fork of Shanandoah; and that the same are now improving by the persons named in the List taken by Justice Morgan Morgan - viz:
...Andrew Bird






Events

BirthAbt 1702Somerset County, New Jersey
MarriageAbt 1720Pennsylvania - Magdalena Jones
Death1750Augusta County, Virginia

Families

SpouseMagdalena Jones ( - )
ChildAndrew Bird (1723 - 1799)
ChildMary Bird (1725 - 1780)
ChildIngaborg Bird (1726 - )
ChildJohn Bird (1730 - )
ChildCol. Abraham Bird (1731 - 1820)
ChildRebecca Bird ( - )
ChildMounce Bird (1735 - 1793)
ChildAmos Bird (1739 - 1818)
ChildElizabeth Bird ( - )
ChildMagdalena Bird (1741 - )

Endnotes