More Info
James Wilson Bird
Inscription and Notes:
Aged 82 years. First name, birth date per Hist of Univ of Ga. by T. W. Reed. Loose
gravestone--may not be in original location. Bottom part lies about 6 feet away.
From History of the University of Georgia by Thomas Walter
Reed , page 76, found at http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/reed/
"James Wilson Bird was born in Alexandria, Virginia, March 4, 1787. His
father moved to Georgia and established a large iron works in Warren county
at the Shoals of the Ogeechee. In his early life James Wilson Bird carried on
this work sucessfully. On February 1, 1820, he was married to Frances Casey,
of Savannah, by Rev. William Cooper. Later on he moved to Sparta, Hancock county,
where he lived until his death on November 26, 1868, at the ripe old age of
eighty-one. He devoted almost his entire life to agriculture, having large plantations
in several counties in Georgia, and living the typical life of a Southern gentleman
of the ante-bellum days. He graduated as second honor man in his class."
Note that the above does not quite match the age at death as read from his gravestone. It is unknown which account is correct.