John and Mary Jane Bird
Information comes from Anona Bird Grandy in the History of Bear Lake Pioneers. This story has been condensed from the original.
John Bird was born 7 Aug 1841 at Birmingham England to John Bird and Anne Russell. John's parents were converted to the Mormon faith and baptized by Apostle Wilford Woodruff. John's brother Walter left for America in 1850 and in 1855 the rest of the family left on the ship Elious, which was damaged in sailing by another ship. They returned to harbor and then left on the Charles Buck, sailing to New Orleans, then up the Mississippi, then the Missouri River to Atchinson, where John's father died.
Arriving in Salt Lake in Sep 1855 they went right through to Springville. All the schooling John had was in Sunday School and the church. He worked and did odd jobs and in the Spring of 1864 he came to Bear Lake. His built a log cabin and sent for his sister Rebecca and brother William. His sister Annie had married and did not come with them. William moved to Dingle and married Mary Ann Sparks. John went back on the plains as a night herder so that Indians would not steal them. An immigrant train was on its way to Salt Lake that he met and on this company was Mary Jane Whitehead. They married 26 Sep 1868 in the Endowment House and then moved to Paris.
Mary Jane Whitehead was born 8 June 1844 in Bristol England, the daughter of John Whitehead and Mary Bolt. She came to America in her teens with her mother, sister, and brothers crossing the plains in the last company that arrived in Salt Lake Valley. She was a small pretty girl, dark complexioned with brown eyes and pleasant features. She was said to have a "way" with Indiana and they would do almost anything for her. She had settled along the Snake River Valley but her sister Eliza married Fred Wood of Ovid and settled at Liberty. Her brothers Frank and John located at Preston. Her sister Emma married Fred Passey in Paris.
Children of John Bird and Mary Jane Whitehead
1. Anne Selina Bird b-16 July 1869 in Paris;
d-27 Sep 1897 in Dingle
2. Mary Jane Bird b-12 May 1873; d-1884
3. John Henry Bird b-8 Jan 1871 in Paris; d-25 Feb 1948 in Paris; m-Ettie
Rebecca Nate
4. Emma Amelia Bird b-13 Nov 1875 in Paris; m-Frances Orchard
5. Minnie Bird b-21 Oct 1877 in Paris; d-14 Jan 1866
6. Minnie Bird b-4 Oct 1878 in Paris; m-Walter Kelbaugh
7. Infant Bird b&d 28 June 1879 in Paris
Mary Jane died in childbirth, her unborn child dying with her 28 June 1879. John then married Anna Maria Messer 15 Mar 1880 in Paris. She was born 15 Mar 1859 in England, the daughter of Thomas Messer and Georgiana Stainer.
Children of John Bird and Anna Maria
Musser
1. George Bird b-27 Jan 1881 in Paris; d-14 Oct 1966
2. Edith Georgiana Bird b-24 July 1882 in Paris; d-25 Jan 1978 in Montpelier
3. Walter Bird b-14 Sep 1884 in Paris; d-10 Dec 1966 in Montpelier
4. Mona Marguerite Bird b-1886 in Paris
John Bird died 6 Jan 1932 in Paris. Anna died 14 May 1908 in Paris.