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 William Bird, Esq. - Douglassville, PA Posted by:  79scouts
N 40° 15.441 W 075° 43.760
18T E 437978 N 4456576
This is the grave site of William Bird, Esq.
Waymark Code: WMFTHD
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 11/28/2012
Views: 5
Mr. William Bird, Esq. was the ironmaster at Hopewell Forge. The town of Birdsboro, PA was named for him. He was instrumental in building St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church.
Description:
The following is from: http://linton-research-fund-inc.com/William_Bird_1706_1761_linton_research_fund.html
William Bird was born in Hopewell East New Jersey, now known as Raritan, Somerset County, New Jersey. William was christened as Wilhelm Bird in 1706 at the old Dutch Reformed Church at Hopewell, East New Jersey.
On March 19, 1941, Historian, Montgomery wrote "Andries Bort, or Andrew Bird was the father of William and Burgoon Bird.." William was one of the first setters in the Nanataway Valley region of present day Berks County, Pennsylvania.
In the early 1730's William was a cordwood contractor cutting wood for Pott's Warwick Iron Furnace and Pine Forge. William served his Iron master apprenticeship under Pennsylvania's first Iron master, Thomas Rutter at Colebrookdale Furnace the first iron furnace in Pennsylvania. William was the Iron master at the following: Pine Forge; New Pine Forge; Birdsboro Furnace; Birdsboro Iron Works; Durham Furnace; and Roxborough Furnace.
By 1740 William Bird had established his Birdsboro Iron Works on the West Branch of Hay Creek, where it empties into the Schuylkill River. In 1744 he built the "Bird Manor House" out of brownstone adjacent to his Birdsboro Forge and Birdsboro water grist mills. This house is still standing in downtown Birdsboro today. By 1751 William Bird had finished the "Bird Mansion" and layout out the site for a town around it. This town became known as Birdsboro. In 1752 Berks County was formed out of Philadelphia, Chester and Lancaster Counties.
William was directed in 1752, to "purchase a piece of land situated in some convenient place in the town of Reading and there on to erect and build a court house and prison, sufficient to accommodate the public service of the said new county".
Also in 1752 William was appointed one of the first five Justices of the Peace of the newly formed county of Berks.
In 1761, William was re-appointed as a Justice of the Peace. William was the first Schuylkill River Improvement Commissioner of Berks County. William was the first Commissioner of Roads of Berks County.
In 1753, He was instrumental in establishing the St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church for his workers at Birdsboro Furnace. It was located in the old building used by the Swedish Lutheran Congregation, in Morlatton, now Douglassville, Berks County. William Bird was one of the first two trustees chosen for the new church. William was elected the first Vestryman of St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church.
Date of birth: 01/01/1706
Date of death: 11/16/1761
Area of notoriety: Historical Figure
Marker Type: Horizontal Marker
Setting: Outdoor
Visiting Hours/Restrictions: no restrictions
Fee required?: No
Web site: [Web Link]
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