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JOSEPH BIRD. � Prominent among the farmers, stock-raisers and business men of Macoupin county stands the name of Joseph Bird. He was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, on the th of May 1828 His father, William Bird, was a native of the city of London, England. He married Mary Wilson, who was also a native of the same place.He emigrated to Americain the year 1818. In May, 1834, he came with his family to Illinois, and settled in Bluffdale, Greene county, where he died in October of the same year.Joseph, being the eldest son, was at an early age called upon to support himself and help provide for the family. He therefore had no opportunities for attending the schools or receiving such an education as falls to the lot of most boys of this country. During his boyhood he worked by the month, and assisted his mother on the farm. January the 9th, 1849, he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Ann Lasater; she was a native of Greene county, Illinois, and was born October 17th, 1833. Her parents were natives of Tennessee. After his marriage he rented for two years. In 1851 he came to Macoupin county and purchased 315 acres in section four, town ten, range eight, receiving some assistance from his mother. He had added tract after tract until at the present he is the possessor of (1026) ten hundred and twenty-six acres, and every acre of it has been acquired by active industry, united with shrewd common sense and good management.In August, 1879, he purchased the elegant residence, known as the Dubois property, in Carlinville, where he intends in the future to make his home.

In his family he has been blessed with seven children, four of whom are living. His only son, Morris Edwin, died February 6th, 1878, in the 20th year of his age; he was a young man of great promise and gave evidence of future usefulness. His daughters, Carrie Isabel, Ida Alice, Mary Olive, and Daisy Mabel are yet at home. Mr. and Mrs. Bird are members of the Baptist Church. In politics Mr. Bird is a democrat, but his life has been too actively engaged to take much part in political matters. In the county where he has resided for nearly thirty years he is respected for his sterling qualities as an honest, upright and influential man. As an evidence of the respect in which he is held, it may be mentioned that the township of �Bird� was so named in honor of him at the time the county adopted the township organization act.