Résumé

Private, Union Army, 152nd Indiana Infantry, Company I, 1865. He enlisted on 02/15/1865 and was discharged on 08/30/1865. He was either enlisted or discharged in Springfield, IN. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: Indiana, U.S., Civil War Soldier Database Index, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015, accessed 12/14/2020.)

Partner, Bird and Dornbach, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1888-1890. This short-lived firm undertook a fair amount of work in Seattle and surrounding area, particularly after the Seattle Fire of 1889. Both Bird and Dornbach had German ancestries.

Principal, Thomas G. Bird, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1890-1907; in 1895, Bird maintained his office in the Occidental Building. He also lived in the same space. (See R.L. Polk Company'sSeattle, Washington, City Directory, 1895, p. 160.) Perhaps due to the paucity of architectural work in Seattle during the Depression following 1893, he was listed aa a mechanical engineer in the Polk Seattle DIrectory Company's Seattle City Directory, 1897, (p. 142). At this time, he worked in Room #345 and lived in Room #344 of the Occidental Building.

Brid had an office at 106 Seneca Street in 1901. (See Polk Seattle Directory Company's Seattle City Directory, 1901, p. 1268.) His office was situated in Room #20 of the DeCurtin Building in the City of Ballard, WA, in 1904. Ballard would become annexed into the City of Seattle on 05/29/1907. (SeePolk's Seattle Directory Company, Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1904, Ballard City Directory, p. 1189.) The DeCurtin Block stood at the intersection of Ballard Avenue and 2nd Avenue West. (See Polk's Seattle Directory Company, Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1904, Ballard City Directory, p. 1197.)

Relocation

Born c. 1844 in Pennsylvania, Thomas G. Bird lived there for for about the first five years of his life. He may have come from Wyoming County, PA, northwest of Scranton, but this supposition is based on the birthplace of Ochmig Bird (1813-1878), a prosperous relative for whom Thomas's brother Ochmig may have been named.

In 1850, lived on a farm with his family in Adams, IN, a township just southeast of Fort Wayne. The household consisted of his young parents, then in their early 30s, and three siblings. The family arrived from PA between 1846 and 1850, and owned approximately $1,500 worth of real estate according to the 1850 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1850; Census Place: Adams, Allen, Indiana; Roll: 135; Page: 238a, accessed 12/12/2020.)

The Birds remained in Adams in 1860. In ten years, their estimated wealth incresased to $3,000 worth of real estate and a $1,500 personal estate. Perhaps because his father James Bird had died in 1855, the family had taken in a boarder, George Stills, (born c. 1835 in OH), who likely worked as a laborer on the family farm. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1860; Census Place: Adams, Allen, Indiana; Page: 522; Family History Library Film: 803243, accessed 12/14/2020.)

In 1865, Bird served as a private in the 152nd Indiana Infantry, Company I, of the Union Army during the Civil War. As to where Thomas G. Bird spent the next quarter century is currently unclear. A Thomas G. Bird resided during the 1860s and 1870s in Brandywine Hundred, an unincorporated town in New Castle County, DE. This Thomas G. Bird was active in civic affairs, and his name was mentioned frequently in Delaware newspapers. This Bird was born c. 1841 in DE, and does not seem to have been the same person.

He had moved to Seattle, WA, by at least 1888. Bird lived in the Occidental Building in 1895. (See R.L. Polk Company's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1895, p. 160.) The city directory listed him as living in Room #344 of the Occidental Building in 1897. (SeePolk Seattle DIrectory Company's Seattle City Directory, 1897, p. 142.)

He resided at 2239 14th Avenue West in 1907. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Seattle City Directory, 1907, p. 226.)

The architect died in Napa County, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Death Index, 1905-1939 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013, accessed 12/14/2020.) He was buried at the Veterans' Home Cemetery in Yountville, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Washington DC; Washington DC, USA; Applications for Headstones for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941; NAID: A1, 2110-C; Record Group Number: 92; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, accessed 12/12/2020.)

Parents

His father was James Bird (born c. 1818 in PA-d. 12/03/1855 in Allen County, IN), his mother, Matilda Eich, (born c. 1820 in PA). The spelling of her last name has been spelled "Eike" and "Eick" in documents. (The "Eike" spelling can be found on the death certificate of Thomas's brother, Ochmig. See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Indiana Archives and Records Administration; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Death Certificates; Year: 1926 - 1927; Roll: 10, accessed 12/14/2020. The "Eick" spelling can be found in Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Source number: 1612.011; Source type: Family group sheet, FGSE, listed as parents; Number of Pages: 1 Source Information Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004, accessed 12/14/2020.)

In the 1850 US Census, James was listed as a farmer. Matilda managed the farmhouse and her children. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1850; Census Place: Adams, Allen, Indiana; Roll: 135; Page: 238a, accessed 12/14/2020.) Her surname was recorded as "Matilda Eich" on Bird's "marriage return" of 09/14/1899. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013; Reference Number: kingcoarchmr_03762, accessed 12/14/2020.)

He had at least six siblings. They included: Emily Bird (born c. 1842 in PA), Lucy Bird (born c. 1846 in PA), Ochmig Bird (born 09/11/1849 in Fort Wayne, IN-d. 09/20/1927 in Anola, IN), Elizabeth Bird (born c. 1852 in IN), James Bird (born c. 1854 in IN) and Lydia Bird (born c. 1856 in IN).

Emily Bird worked as a teacher in Adams, IN, at age 19, according to the US Census of 1860. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1860; Census Place: Adams, Allen, Indiana; Page: 522; Family History Library Film: 803243, accessed 12/14/2020.)

Thomas's brother, Ochmig Bird, who also became a farmer, married Elvira Stouder on 11/22/1879 in IN. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: Indiana, U.S., Marriages, 1810-2001 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 12/14/2020.)

Another Ochmig Bird (born 03/19/1813 in Wyoming County, PA-d. 01/21/1878 in Fort Wayne, IN) lived in Fort Wayne, IN, in 1860, where he worked as a successful building contractor. At age 47, he owned real estate worth a significant $15,000 and had a personal savings of $5,000. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1860; Census Place: Wayne, Allen, Indiana; Page: 947; Family History Library Film: 803243, accessed 12/14/2020.) This Ochmig Bird was was possibly an uncle or cousin of Thomas's. This Ochmig Bird worked as an engineer and surveyor, and became a notable public official in Fort Wayne, serving a City Surveyor (c. 1842), City Councilman (1851-1852) and Allen County Treasurer (1856-1860). He was elected to three terms as Indiana House of Representatives (1849-1851), (1862-1864) and (1864-1866), and in the Indiana Senate (1868-1869) and (1871-1874). A source said of the elder Ochmig Bird: "After his resettlement in Indiana, Bird set about establishing himself as both an engineer and railroad builder. He is also listed as being a prime mover in the construction and development of the Wabash and Erie Canal, and was 'prominently identified with its enterprise for about a quarter of a century.'" (See Andy Osterdahl, politicalstrangenames.blogspot.com, "Political History: Ochmig Bird (1813-1878)," published 12/11/2011, accessed 12/14/2020.) Such an illustrious relation may have been a potent inspiration for young Thomas, encouraging him to become a builder and engineer.

Spouse

A Thomas G. Bird was listed as having been married on 11/28/1866 in West Chester, PA, to Ellen B. Carr of Delaware. It is not clear if it was the same Thomas G. Bird, who was born in PA, but it was the same Thomas G. Bird mentioned in many newspaper articles in Delaware newspapers of the 1870s through the 1900s. It is likely that this is not the same Thomas G. Bird. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records. Source Information: Pennsylvania and New Jersey, U.S., Church and Town Records, 1669-2013 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, accessed 12/14/2020.)

On 09/14/1899, Bird married Etta Alida Brayton (born c. 1855 in WI) who was 12 years younger than the architect. At the time of her marriage she worked as a housekeeper, according to the marriage license. They both had been married previously according to their marriage license of 09/14/1899. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013; Reference Number: kingcoarchmr_03762, accessed 12/14/2020.)

This was Etta's second marriage. Her first husband was to Emmet Barden, with whom she had a daughter, Lulu May Barden. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013, accessed 12/12/2020.)

Her father was J.J. Brayton, her mother, Marietta Vincent. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013; Reference Number: kingcoarchmr_03762, accessed 12/12/2020.)