Clara Myrtle GRAY-SADLER Bird (1900-1988)

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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