Birds VA/NC 1700s (esp. 1780s Bertie Co. NC)

[Hana]

It's been mentioned before that we often see the same neighbors turning up over and over as we follow our family names from state to state. This is one reason why I've begun to take neighborhood rumor more seriously. But it makes it harder to stick to one surname when we do threads. I've started with Vaughans on one thread and then had to explain that my interest in Vaughans was because of Wimberlys, and soon found that perhaps it was my Birds or Dances that were more important to tracing my Blackfoot ancestor. And now I see that the May I thought was just a pretty middle name was probably a passed down surname.

Right now I'm Bird-watching.

Joel Bird helped put up the marriage bond for my ancestors in Wake Co. NC (Quinney May(Mays?) Vaughan and Zachariah W. Wimberley). So I assumed he was a relative of one of them but didn't know how. Now I find a nearby Sarah Wimberly (1770 in Bertie Co. dau. of Lewis) married a Mr. Bird (possibly John), so there is a Bird-Wimberly connection.

Joel may be son of Edmund (1750 Bertie Co) and Mary, with sister Lydia.

There is also an Edward Byrd (1763) who married a Sarah (last name unknown, but the dob is right for Sarah Wimberly.) There was also John and Richard Byrds who were in Wake Co. at the right time.

It would truly help to know Joel Bird's parents and Sarah Wimberly's husband's first name (and, of course, whether they had any children!) Any thoughts, no matter how Bird-brained, appreciated.

:p

[Hana]

Vance Hawkins wrote on another thread:

www.victorianvilla.com/sims-mitchel...icles/phsp/014/

Col. William Byrd's Observations 1728-33
A Self-Guided Tour Of Pittsylvania County's Southern Border

The very earliest first-hand accounts of present-day Pittsylvania County are found in the famous writings of Col. William Byrd. Byrd led a surveying party to mark the line between Virginia and North Carolina in 1728, then returned in 1733 through the same area en route to land he was granted in payment for the survey, which he named “Eden” (North Carolina), immediately to the south and southwest of Pittsylvania County. Both of his journeys were faithfully recorded in his diaries, now known and often-reprinted as William Byrd's Histories of the Dividing Line Betwixt Virginia and North Carolina and A Journey to the Land of Eden.

(There was another post from Vance about William Byrd that mentions the Tutelo, Sapponi Occoneechi connection in his travels and writings.)

[Bill Childs]

North Carolina Marriages:
Joel Bird + Nancy Wilson, 10 Sep 1797, in Orange Co., NC.

(1790 Wake Co census shows 1 Joel Bird.
1800 Wake Co census, Hillsborough, shows 2 Joel Birds)
...............................
Edward Bird + Elisabeth Raser (also Razor & Raisor),
on 15 May 1762, in Bertie Co., NC;
Bondsmen: Frederick Bell & Jasper Hardison.
Wit: John Johnston.

1781 Bertie Co., NC Tax List shows 1 Edward Bird.

Other Bird's on Bertie Co Tax Lists:
1774 - John.
1781 - Enos, John, Richard
1790 Martin Co., NC census shows 1 Edward Bird.
1790 Sampson Co., NC census shows 2 Edward Birds, one listed as a "Junior". On the 1784 Sampson Co Tax list, Edward is a BYRD.
...........................
Wimberly's on Bertie Co Tax Lists:
1774 - Abram, Benj., Ezekiel.
1781 - Ezekiel, Fred, John, Levy.
...........................
Bill

[Hana]

Originally posted by Bill Childs

(1790 Wake Co census shows 1 Joel Bird.
1800 Wake Co census, Hillsborough, shows 2 Joel Birds)
...............................

Other Bird's on Bertie Co Tax Lists:
1774 - John.
1781 - Enos, John, Richard
...........................
Bill

Hmm. I'm not sure what to make of this yet but the above is most interesting, especially that bit about the 2 Joel Birds.

Joel Bird is the one absolutely definite bit of info I have about Quinney and Zachariah because he helped put up their marriage bond. The other bit is the info that Sally Bird (presumeably Lewis Wimberly's dau. Sarah, b. 1770) was mentioned in Lewis' will. So. Sarah is the right age to be Zachariah's mother, or aunt, or even sister, if Lewis was Dad.

This gets me a closer to finding that missing link. Thank you!

[Bill Childs]

The problem with this choice is that both Joel Birds were in the same 26 to 44 yr/old age-range. Most disconcerting, but one of them was probably incorrectly recorded and it really doesn't mean much. More study is required.
Bill

[Hana]

Originally posted by Bill Childs

...........................
Wimberly's on Bertie Co Tax Lists:
1774 - Abram, Benj., Ezekiel.
1781 - Ezekiel, Fred, John, Levy.
...........................
Bill

Not sure what I can do with this, but:
Benjamin and John Wimberly both have a FPC in their household in 1810 Bertie Co NC census.
And Benjamin and Levy and Levi Jr. each have an FPC in 1800 census in Bertie co.

So I'm starting to find FPC connections on my Wimberley line.

(Looking for parents of Zachariah W. Wimberley born about 1787 in Wake Co, NC, in or near Raleigh, and Quinney May/Mayes Vaughan, same location, 1790/4 -- her father is probably Stephen Vaughan and mother Priscilla. And I suspect that the 'Blackfoot' indian ancestor in our family must be the mother of either Q or Z.)