Clara Myrtle GRAY-SADLER Bird (1900-1988)

(First Published) Direct Genealogy Lineage of Thomas Jefferson Bird Sr. (1861-1931) And Drusilla Gay (1867-1948) (book, Terry L. Linton © 1987) (Linton Research Fund, Inc., Publication © 1987) (First Revision, Febuary © 1989) (Second Revision, December, © 1991, (Third Revision, May, © 1995,) (printed in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, USA)

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Affectionately Known as "Grandma Bird"

Clara Myrtle GRAY (1900-1988) was born on June 14, 1900 , in Seaboard, Princess Anne County, Virginia. Clara was the daughter of George Charles Godwin GRAY (1874- ?) & Lula Virginia "Ginny" WILLIAMS ( 1874- ?). Clara was put up for adoption four months after she was born in the Saint Mary's Infant Home, located on Chapel Street. Clara was immediately adopted and raised by, her in-laws, Annas Norris SADLER (1859-1941) and Margaret Eddie CURLING (1862-1925) of Great Bridge, Norfolk County, Virginia.

From 1907to 1913, Clara attended elementary school at the Chapel Street School at 317 Chapel Street, in Norfolk , Princess Anne County, Virginia.

On August 7, 1917, Clara Myrtle GRAY married Jeff Augustus "Gus" BIRD (1893-1954) , the son of Thomas Jefferson BIRD (1861-1931) & Drusilla GAY (1868-1948). Clara & Jeff were married in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania., while Jeff was being processed out of the Navy, after spending eight years in service.

Jeff Augustus BIRD was born on Aug 16, 1893, in Birdville, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Gus died on June 12, 1954, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, at age 60, Gus was buried on June 15, 1954, in the Blue Bonnet Garden Section of Mount Olivet Cemetery, Fort Worth, Texas.

Clara died on December 27, 1988, in Haltom City Central Hospital, Haltom City, Tarrant County, Texas, at age 88. Clara was buried next to her husband, on December 31, 1988, in the Blue Bonnet Garden Section, of Mount Olivet Cemetery, Fort Worth, Texas.

Jeff and Clara had sixteen Children:

i Guy Edward "Eddie" BIRD, born October 8, 1918, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Eddie died on May 29, 1957, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.

ii. Earl Alford BIRD, born October 29, 1919, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Earl died on November 29, 1991, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.

iii. Myrtle Elizabeth BIRD, born March 22, 1921, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.

iv. Evelyn Virginia BIRD, born May 17, 1922, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas died November 14, 2012, in North Richand Hills, Tarrant County, Texas.

v. J. A. Jeff Augustus BIRD Jr. born December 2, 1923, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, died in 2015, in Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California.

vi. Albert Irvin BIRD, born, March 31, 1925, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas and died on October 10, 2008, in Burleston, Tarrant County, Texas.

vii. Donald Milton BIRD, was born December 9, 1926, in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas and died November 17, 1999, in Greenwood, Johnson County, Indiana.

viii. Margaret Drusilla BIRD was born on April 17, 1928, in Harlingan, Cameron County, Texas and died January 7, 2019.

ix. Iva Lee BIRD was born May 20, 1930, in Austin, Travis County, Texas. Iva Lee died on November 25, 1993, in Bedford, Tarrant County, Texas.

x. Carlton Norris BIRD was born on November 21, 1931, in Austin, Travis County, Texas and died on October 1, 2002, in Hurst, Tarrant County, Texas.

xi. Franklin Delano "Buddy" BIRD was born January 8, 1934, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas abd died on January 19, 2016, in Haltom City, Tarrant County, Texas.

xii. Frances Dell BIRD was born January 8, 1934, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas and died on June 2, 2014, in South Lake, Tarrant County, Texas.

xiii. Mary Louise BIRD was born February 28, 1936, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.

xiv. David Brewer BIRD was born February 26, 1938, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas and died on July 4, 1997, in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.

xv. Patricia "Pat" Margie BIRD was born January 30, 1941, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.

xvi. Beatrice "Betty" Jean BIRD was born August 28, 1942, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.

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Jeff & Clara Bird. Christmas 1953, with their 16 children. Top row from left to right: David Brewer (1938-1997); Donald Milton (1926-1999); Guy Edward (1918-1957); Albert Irvin (1925); Franklin Delano (1934); Jeff Augustus, Jr. (1923); Earl Alford (1919-1991); Carlton Norris (1931-2002); Bottom Row Left to Right: Iva Lee (1930-1993); Evelyn Virginia (1922); Patricia Margie (1941); Beatrice Jean (1942); Jeff Augustus Bird (1893-1954); Clara Myrtle Gray Bird (1900-1988); Margaret Druslla (1928); Frances Dell (1934); Mary Louise (1936); Myrtle Elizabeth (1921-1996)

George Charles Godwin Gray (1874-?) Photo taken in 1895 in Norfolk, Virginia.

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Clara’s Mother

Lula Virginia "Ginny" WILLIAMS (1874-1935)

Clara Myrtle GRAY’s (1900-1988) mother, was Lula Virginia "Ginny" WILLIAMS (1874-1935). Ginny was the second of five children born to John Walker WILLIAMS (1840-1943) & Sarah "Salley" Frances CAPPS (1846-1943). John was born, November 26, 1840, on his father’s farm, in Seaboard, Princess Anne County, Virginia. Sarah was born in 1846, on her father’s farm, in Pungo, Princess Anne County, Virginia. ¹

Ginny was born in 1874 , on the William’s Farm, in Seaboard, Princess Anne County, Virginia (now Virginia Beach City). Ginny married George Charles GRAY, some time in 1894, in Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia. George was born, in 1874, in Pennsylvania. ² Clara Myrtle GRAY wrote on the back of her father's picture: "George or Charles Godwin Gray", "I don't know where he is from. He left when I was 4 weeks old to see about a job. "We think he must have gotten a steady job as no one never saw him again." ³ After Ginny’s husband, George, left in July of 1900, Ginny put all of her children up for adoption, in the Saint Mary's Infant Home, located on Chapel Street, ⁴ except her oldest daughter, Susie. Nothing else is known about Ginny.

George and Ginny had five children:

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I. Susie GRAY (1895-?) was born in 1895, in Princess Anne County, Virginia. ⁵ Susie was raised by her mother until she "went bad" and ran away from home in her early teens to New York City. ⁶

II. Ivy Lee GRAY (1896-1930) was born in 1896, in Seaboard, Princess Anne County, Virginia ⁷ and died in 1930 in Norfolk, at age 34. Ivy Lee was raised by her grand- parents, John WILLIAMS (1840-1943) and Sarah A. CAPPS Williams (1846- 1943). Ivy Lee married Raymond B. MURRAY, the son of John T. MURRAY (1837-?) and Alice S. unknown, (1837-?), in 1915, in Virginia. Raymond was born in 1893, in Norfolk County, Virginia and died in 1963, in Norfolk, Virginia, at age 70. ⁸

Raymond and Ivy Lee had known nine children: Ivy Lee MURRAY (1916-1991), Ruth MURRAY (1917-1975), Alice MURRAY (1919), Margaret MURRAY (1921), Raymond John MURRAY (1923), Olivia MURRAY (1924), John MURRAY (1926), Catherine MURRAY (1928), and Bruce Jay MURRAY (1929). ⁹

III. Edward Luxford GRAY Sr. (1897-?) was born on September 20, 1897 in Seaboard, Princess Anne County, Virginia. ¹⁰ Edward was raised by his grandparents John WILLIAMS (1840-1943) and Sarah A. CAPPS (1846-1943) on their farm in Seaboard. ¹¹ According to his World War I Draft Registration Card, which he signed on September 12, 1918, states that he is of medium height, small built, brown eyes, black hair and age twenty-one. He was living at 739 North Malthy Avenue, City of Norfolk, Virginia. Edward was working as a machinist, employed by the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia. Edward listed his nearest relative as R. G. Williams at the same address. ¹² Russell G. Williams (1881-1942) was Edward’s uncle. Also living there were is aunt Edith Oliva SADLER Williams (1886-1979) and their son Clarence Miller WILLIAMS (1912-1987) ¹³

Edward first married, circa 1919, in Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia, to a unknown girl, born in 1897. Edward next married Ethel Meredith Etheridge, daughter of Thomas E. ETHERIDGE (1879-?) and Annie (1880-?) unknown, on April 18, 1927, in Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia. Ethel was born in 1903 and died in Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia. ¹⁴

Edward and Ethel had three known children: Edward Luxford GRAY Jr., (1917), born in Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia. Carol GRAY, born in 1919, in Seaboard, Princess Anne Co., VA. Olivia Paige GRAY, born in 1924, in Princess Anne Co., VA. ¹⁵ Olivia married Roy CLAY circa 1944.

IV. Bruce GRAY (1899-?) was born in 1899, in Seaboard, Princess Anne County, Virginia. Bruce was raised by his uncle and aunt, Peter DYLK (1877-?) and Mary WILLIAMS (1882-?), of Princess Anne County, Virginia. ¹⁶

V. Clara Myrtle GRAY was born on June14, 1900, in Seaboard, Princess Anne County, Virginia., Clara was adopted and raised by her uncle, Annas Nias SADDLER and Margaret Eddie CURLING of Great Bridge, Norfolk County, Virginia. Clara married Jeff Augustus "Gus" BIRD (1893-1954) on August 7, 1917, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Clara and Gus had sixteen children: Guy Edward "Eddie" BIRD (1918-1957); Earl Alford BIRD (1919-1991); Myrtle Elizabeth BIRD Dougall Holzapfel (1921-1996); Evelyn Virginia "Polly" BIRD Linton (1922); J. A. "Jeff Augustus" "Snookum" "Jimmie" BIRD (1923); Albert Irvin BIRD (1925- 2008); Donald Milton BIRD (1926-1999); Margaret Drusilla BIRD Norwood (1928); Iva Lee BIRD Bryant (1930-1993); Carlton Norris Bird (1931-2002); Franklin Delano "Buddy" BIRD (1934); Frances Dell BIRD Shivers (1934); Mary Louise BIRD Gill (1936); David Brewer Bird (1938-1997); Patricia "Pat" Margie BIRD Bronstad (1941); Beatrice "Betty" Jean BIRD Jensen (1942)

Jeff Augustus "Gus" BIRD died on June 12, 1954, in his home, on Meadow Oaks Drive, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, at the age of 61. On June 15, 1954, Gus was laid to rest in the Blue Bonnet Garden Section, of Mount Olivet Cemetery, Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., TX.

Clara Myrtle GRAY Bird died on December 27, 1988, in the Haltom City Central Hospital, Haltom City, Tarrant County, Texas, at the age of 88. On December 31, 1988, Clara was laid to rest next to her husband, of some thirty-seven years, in the Blue Bonnet Garden Section, of the Mount Olivet Cemetery, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. ¹⁷

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Lula Virginia "Ginny" WILLIAMS Gray with her children, Edward, Susie and Ivy Lee in 1898.

Nineteen-year old, Clara Myrtle GRAY Bird, setting in the side yard of Thomas Jefferson Bird's House in Birdville, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.

Clara's niece and close friend.

Glaydes Virginia FLORA Vogel (1903-?)

The above photo was taken in December of 1916, in Seaboard, Princes Anne County, Virginia (now Virginia City). On the right is thirteen year old Glaydes Virginia FLORA, in the middle is sixteen year old Clara Myrtle GRAY and their friend Thelma LAND.

Thirteen year old, Glaydes Virginia FLORA, born March 8, 1903, was Clara’s niece and close friend. Glaydes’ twenty year old, boy friend, Alfred "Al" Edward VOGEL (1896-1971), introduced Clara to Jeff Augustus "Gus" BIRD (1893-1954) his friend and shipmate at one of the weekly dances held on board ship on the USS Louisiana at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia. Clara's brother's Edward Luxford GRAY (1897-?) And Bruce GRAY (1899-?) both worked at the Navy Yard along with her adopted SADLER family members. In 1922, Clara named her 4^th child Evelyn Virginia BIRD after Glaydes.

Glaydes raised her little sister Barbara "Bobbie" Maude FLORA also her niece Bessie Mae FLORA. At age twenty-seven, Glaydes, on June 28, 1930, married Alfred Edward VOGEL in Norfolk, Virginia. Al was born on April 10, 1896, in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, and died on February 18, 1971, Norfolk, Virginia.

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Continue to page two

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Clara on Find-A-Grave

How are you related to Clara Myrtle GRAY Bird (1900-1988)

Clara's husband Jeff Augustus "Gus" BIRD (1893-1954)

Descendants of Clara Myrtle GRAY Bird (1900-1988)

Jeff Augustus Bird (1893-1954) & Clara Myrtle Gray (1900-1988) (Memories)

Clara's WILLIAMS Family Tree

Clara's CAPPS Family Tree

Clara's EMBERSON & CATER Family Tree

Clara's TERRY Family Tree