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    Hon. JOHN BIRD. – The Hon. John Bird, of Wapello, in this county, was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, August 21, 1819. He was the fifth of nine children, whose parents were John Bird and Catherine Townsend. His father followed agricultural pursuits through life, and died in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, in 1850. He was a man remarkable for intelligence and piety, and paid great attention to the mental and moral culture of his children. The education of the subject of this sketch was very liberal, and acquired by his own exertions at Darlington Academy. He left …

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… the family homestead at the early age of sixteen, and resolved to accomplish success for himself by his own exertions. In 1840 he went to Ohio, and settled in Kenton. He immediately began the study of law in the office of Andrew Dodge, a prominent attorney of the State of Ohio. In 1842 he was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of Ohio, the committee of Examination being Moses Corwin, Benjamin Stanton, James McArthur, William Lawrence, and James Godman—all prominent in the galaxy of the great men of the Buckeye State. In 1843 he came to this state, and located in Wapello immediately, as an attorney. He has continued to practice his profession ever since, in Wapello, and is now admitted to be the first jurist of our bar.

    Although Mr. Bird’s attention has been in the main engrossed with the responsibilities of a large law practice, yet, yielding to the solicitations of friends, he has consented reluctantly to hold various offices of a public responsibility. He held the office of prosecuting attorney for a space of about four years. On the 5th day of January 1845, he was united in marriage to Rebecca Mintun, a native of Washington County, Ohio, and a daughter of Jacob Mintun, one of the first settlers of this county, and the first representative sent by this county to the State Legislature. Mr. Bird is the father of six children, who are all living but two. Politically, he is a strong democrat; voted first for Van Buren, and at the initiation of the civil war for Stephen A. Douglas. Religiously, his views are by no means circumscribed by the doctrines of churches. Socially, he is very pleasant and affable; is a man devoid entirely o ostentation, or sinister motives. His constitution, in spite of the excessive demands of a life-time of unusual activity, is yet robust, and plainly indicates a sound mind in a sound body. It will not be out of taste to here remark that Mr. Bird has always led a temperate life; is a stranger to the use of either tobacco or liquor. During the War of the Rebellion, he was captain of Company “F,” 19th Iowa Infantry, and was conspicuous for his patriotic efforts in organizing the soldiery of our county.