Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton (1922-2012)

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Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton

(May 17, 1922 - November 14, 2012)

Project

page established April 1, 2007

Above: Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton (1922-2012) in 1964

Above photo: Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton (1922-2012) on Saturday October 31, 1992 in a photo

She called this her “Halloween” picture. Her sister Mary and sister-in-law Vera had won

a make-over and glamour photo session. Afterwords she said “looks like we are ready to go out trick or treating now.”

Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton

(May 17, 1922 - November 14, 2012)

Project

PLinton Research Fund Inc., Publication © 2007

Updated January 19, 2018

Evelyn Virginia BIRD (1922-2012) was the 4^th born child of sixteen children to Jeff Augustus "Gus" BIRD (1893-1954) & Clara Myrtle GRAY-SADLER (1900-1988).

Evelyn was born on May 17, 1922, in her father’s house, located at the corner of Bird and Grace Streets, Riverside, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.

On November 11, 1944, Evelyn married Kirk Louis Linton (1914-1987) the son of Charles Edward Linton (1890-1958) and Annie Lucretia Cronk (1888-1956). They were married in Washington, District ofColumbia. Their wedding was witnessed by Edna Crowell (secretary to General in her office), Captain Donald Frye, Bernadette Thelma LINTON Butler "Bernie" (Kirk’s sister and brother-in-law) and Randoulph "Randy" Irvin Butler (1918-2007)

On August 17, 1945, at 23 years of age, Evelyn became the mother of Kenneth "Ken" Edward LINTON

On November 8, 1949. at 27 years of age, Evelyn became the mother of Terry Louis LINTON

Talented porcelain artist

Evelyn Virginia BIRD (1922-2012) my Mom would not agree with this but she, was a very talented porcelain artist. She started taking china painting lessons on July 22, 1970 from Nina Burdette, one of the top-rated porcelain artist in the United States who just happened to live across the street. Much later, many times I would drive her over to Bull Run Mountain to spend the day painting with Margaret Suyber one of the top-rated porcelain artist in the World. When Mom died members of the International Porcelain Artists and Teachers Guild contacted my brother and I with great hopes of obtaining some of her pieces of porcelain. Now four different types of porcelain works of her's can be viewed in the International Porcelain Artists and Teachers Museum located at 204 East Franklin Street in Grapevine, Tarrant County, Texas.

Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton (1922-2012) "Blue Boy" hand painted porcelain flat plate © 1977 in the International Porcelain Artists and Teachers Museum located at 204 East Franklin Street in Grapevine, Tarrant County,Texas,

Evelyn Virginia BIRD (1922-2012) "Dogwood" flat porcelain © 1989

Memories

Road Trip May 17, 2008

My mom, Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton (1922-2012) loved to visit the homes and old churches were her ancestors had lived and attended.

On this particular “road trip” May 17, 2008, on her 86th birthday, we were “just” going to visited with my Dad, Kirk Louis LINTON (1914-1987) at Mount Comfort Cemetery, in Fairfax County, Virginia and then eat at the Mount Vernon Inn at George WASHINGTON (1732-1799) Mount Vernon Plantation, her and Grandma Bird’s favorite place to visit.

On the way up from Fredericksburg, Virginia we stopped at the Pohick Episcopal Church in Lorton, Fairfax County, Virginia. The below photo was taken, of Mom setting in George Washington’s Pew in the church. I took this photo while standing in my 5^th great-grandfather John LINTON (1730-1775)’s pew next to the Washington’s. George and John were founding church Members and Deacons there and close friends.

Next, we placed flowers on my Dad, my grandparents Charley & Annie, my aunt & uncle Florence & Jim, my uncle and aunt Ted & Lucy Ann also my great uncle George & Hilda

We stopped next stopped right up the road at Kristy Cream Donuts for lunch, one of our old favorite spots to eat, stared eating there in 1960 when we started going duck-pin bowling after midnight at the Penndaw Bowling Alley.

Then on up to old town Alexandria, Virginia to the Episcopal Christ Church Cemetery, to visit the grave of her 3^rd great-grandmother Mary ROSS Bird (1739-1790). Mary had died in Alexandria, while visiting her husband Colonel Mark BIRD (1729-1812)’s younger brother Colonel William BIRD (1757-1812). William and his family attended Christ Church. There is no pew there with the Bird name on it but Mom found George Washington’s Pew (he had pews in numerous churches) and Mom sat in his pew. She said “well since George was Kirk’s cousin and I am Kirk’s cousin George is family too.”

William BIRD had fought under Washington in the Revolutionary War and is mentioned four times in Washington’s Letters. William had moved from Birdsboro, Pennsylvania to Fairfax County to manage ironworks and gristmills for John DALTON (1702–1777) family. Dalton was one of the founders of Alexandria and business partner of Washington. In 1781 William married Catharine DALTON (1763–1822).

Mom and I drove over a few streets from the church stopped on Fairfax Street and took pictures of her 4^th great-granduncle William and Catharine DALTON Bird’s town house. The town house was the original home of her father which she had inhered in 1777. We next walked up the street to the John Dalton mansion were Catherine was born and took more pictures. The Dalton mansion is open for visiting but it was closing time and we decided to tour it on another road trip as my Mom called them.

Yes, we made it to the Mount Vernon Inn before it closed and had Moms birthday dinner, Mom had chicken potpie and I had roasted turkey and cousin Georges’ root beer. Everything offered at the inn was served at George and Martha’s table and they use Martha written recipes.

Mom loved to go to Mount Vernon and set for hours listening to Martha DANDRIDGE Washington (1731-1802) (the best historical interpreter I have ever seen) and our road trip to visit with her cousin Elizabeth Griscom, (1751-1836) Better known as Betsy Ross. But those are different road trips that I will tell you about later.

Endnote: While writing this article I discovered that Catharine DALTON (1763–1822) was the 9^th cousin three times removed of Mom’s mother Clara Myrtle GRAY-SADLER Bird (1900-1988) my Grandma Bird. I had informed Mom years before that her mother and Dad were 12^th cousins twice removed (Grandma Bird loved that). When I documented that George Washington was Dad’s 5^th cousin six times removed on his mother Annie Lucretia CRONK (1888-1956) side, Dad just said “ he is still going to be my uncle George”.

Below: Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton (1922-2012) loved to visit the homes and old churches were her ancestors had lived and attended. This photo was taken May 17, 2008, on her 86th birthday, of her setting in George Washington’s Pew at Pohick Episcopal Church in Lorton, Fairfax County, Virginia. I took this photo while standing in my 5th great-grandfather John LINTON (1730-1775)’s pew next to the Washington’s.

Martha Washington in 2011 telling Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton (1922-2012) about her cousin Betsy Ross who Martha knew personally and that “you know Betsy used to sew buttons on George’s uniforms when I was not there to do it”

Betsy Ross Road Trip

Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton (1922-2012) talking with her cousin seamstress Betsy Ross (1752-1836) outside of her husband, upholster John ROSS (1752-1776) and her upholstery shop at 89 Arch Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The upholster shop was on the ground street level and their residence was the top two floors. The small winding stairs were to much for Mom so she sat and talked with Betsy while I took the 45-minute guided tour. Betsy was a great historical interrater and made a great exception for us and stepped out the back door to talk to Mom (while I took a photo they, were not alluded inside) This was on our first (of many long) road trips this one lasted three weeks covering Isaiah LINTON (1739-1775)’s Jerusalem Mill Village in Hartford County, Maryland; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bucks County, Pennsylvania and Birdsboro in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

(to be continued)