LOCATION:   The George Byrd Cemetery is located in the NE/4 of the NE/4 of Section 10, T5S-R8W.  It is approximately 15.3 miles north northeast of Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

DIRECTIONS:   From the intersection of US 90 and Mississippi Highway 57 east of Ocean Springs, go north on Highway 57 a distance of 18.2 miles to Wire Road.  At Wire Road turn left (west) and go 1.93 miles to Farm Road (see the Elico Fire Tower).  Turn left (south) onto Farm Road and proceed 1.5 miles to the Byrd Cemetery at the end of Farm Road.

HISTORY:   The land where the George Byrd Cemetery now lies was patented to Martha Byrd by the State of Mississippi on April 20, 1860?  This must have been the homestead of George Byrd (1824-1899) and Martha Byrd (1819-1925).  When Martha Bird died on March 30, 1925, she was reputed to be one hundred-six years old.  Census data indicate that she was probably born March 1827.  At the time of her demise, Martha Byrd was quite active.  She was a Methodist and had attended the first meeting at the New Prospect Campground circa 1885.  The children of George and Martha Byrd were: Sarah Eveline Wilson (1863-1937), Margaret O'Neal (1865-1955), Samuel R. Byrd (1860-1929), and Reuben R. Byrd (1871-1926).
Son, Reuben Byrd, a farmer, inherited the cemetery land.  He married Jerusia ? (1874-1899).  Their children were:  Maggie L. (1893), Eddie Gore (1897), and Bama (1898-1956).  After the death of Jerusia Byrd in 1899, Reuben married Dosia David (1879-1940).
Shortly after the demise of Reuben Bird, M.L. Byrd, Eddie Byrd Gore, Bama Byrd, and Dosia David Byrd sold the E/2 of the NE/4 of Section 10, T5S-R8W to M.H. Dees.  In the conveyance which took place in June 1927, they reserved a parcel of this land for a cemetery.  Its location was described in the deed as follows:

Beginning at the NE/C of Section 10, T5S-R8W run south 9.50 chains to the point of beginning.  From the point of beginning go west 3.16 chains, south 3.16 chains, east 3.16 chains, and north 3.16 chains to the place of beginning (Jackson County Deed Book 60, p. 453).  This is the Byrd Cemetery.  The dimensions of the cemetery are 209 feet x 209 feet or one acre.

At the time of the sale, M.L. Byrd was a resident of New York County, New York and Eddie Byrd Gore lived at Harris County, Texas.  Bama Bird was a career school teacher.  She taught at Howard No. 2 in Biloxi.
An interesting facet of the Byrd Cemetery is a sign (Graves Nearby) leaning against the south fence.  It was originally presented at a memorial service for the Reverend Henry Fletcher Cemetery in October 1970.  The roadside location of the sign was near the Fletcher burial plot, two
miles south of the Bonnie Chapel Church.  Dr. Buford Cain provided the marker, and it was erected by Will Fletcher.

 
 

G Joseph H. Goff  7-6-1894 to 3-22-1960 Julia J. Goff  3-15-1905 to 1-24-1981                              H Charles Havens 2-15-1826 to 8-1-1903 J.G. Havens 2-20-1856 to 11-18-1908 Annie E. Havens 8-29-1852 to 11-15-1914 Lyman Eugene Havens 10-11-1883 to 8-17-1966 Virda Ann Havens 9-13-1896 to 10-17-1979 Rev. L.E. (Gene) Havens, Jr. 3-19-1921 to 5-9-1975 Fannie Lott Havens 5-22-1921 to

J C.W. Jones 1-15-1884 to 11-8-1926 Glenn Jones, Ms Pvt 351 Inf WWII 3-9-1923 to 10-8-1944 Jessie Willard Jones 4-8-1915 to 7-17-1935 John Jones, CO A 3rd Ms Inf CSA 5-5-1845 to 12-22-1936 Eliza A. Jones 11-5-1859 to 4-18-1948 Joseph F. Jones 9-13-1890 to 3-10-1968 Rosa L. Jones 3-23-1896 to 2-20-1947 Walter L. Jones 2-14-1921 to 1-29-1937

 Return to Alphabetical Index at top of Register

 Return to the Alphabetical index top of Register
 
 

REFERENCES:

History of Jackson County Mississippi, "George Byrd and Sarah Frierson", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989), p. 151.

-------------------, "Reverend Henry Fletcher Cemetery", (Jackson County Genealogical Society:  Pascagoula-1971), p. 69.
 

Requiem, Volume III, "George Bird Cemetery", (Jackson County Genealogical Society:  Pascagoula-1971), pp. 67-69.

The Daily Herald, April 3, 1925, p. 11, c. 6.

The Daily Herald, "Miss Byrd Lose Father", December 8, 1926, p.
2, c. 4,

US CENSUS - Jackson County, Mississippi (1880, 1900, and 1910)

Surveyed August 21, 1993 by:

Ray L. Bellande
Linda Kerr

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