Ancestry of James Gedney Bird (b abt 1833) of Brooklyn, NY?
I am interested in James Malcolm Bird, buried in a Bird family plot in Rye, NY.Apparently his father was James Gedney Bird.However, the relationship of James Gedney to the fairly well documented Bird family of Rye is not known, and notes at Greenwood Union Cemetery contradict more formal documents as to Malcolm's father's name.
(1) (a) James Malcolm Bird (he preferred just J. Malcolm), was an associate editor of Scientific American in the 1920s, author or editor of numerous books, and investigator of psychic phenomena and mediums (see multiple websites).(b) On his birth certificate, he was born on Sept. 2, 1886 in Brooklyn, NY, and his parents were James Gedney Bird age 53 and Eliza Baltz age 33.
(c) A registration of JMB for the draft in 1917 gives his full name, birth date and place, and profession as above.(d) His birth date and father’s full name are confirmed by his passport application of 1923.
(e) The death certificate of James Malcolm Bird provides: died Oct. 30, 1964, in Brooklyn, NY; buried Greenwood Union Cem., Rye, NY; born Sept. 2, 1886 to James Bird and Elizabeth Baltz Bird; residence: 99 St. Mark's Ave. Brooklyn, NY; wife Catherine M. Bird.(f) The Soc. Sec. Death Index provides the same birth date and death month.
(2) On the other hand, several notes in the offices of Greenwood Union Cemetery, Rye, NY list JMB’s father as Joseph G. Bird (son of Capt. James Bird).(a) Grave A458:16: James M. Bird: died Oct 30, 1964 in Brooklyn, buried 11/5/64, age 78 yrs.(b) Grave A458:6: Capt. James Bird (1797-1877): children were, according to Miss Frances Bird [also listing heirs] 2 - Joseph -- Frances & Malcolm.(c) Grave A458:14: Bird, Elizabeth B., died Aug. 19, 1941 in Brooklyn, buried 8/21/41, age 88-4-23, 2nd wife of Joseph Bird.
The Federal Census of 1880 lists: Bird, Joseph G. 48, b NY parents b NY, confectioner, widowed; Frances 24, daughter, b NY; Mary L. 39, his sister b NY[This links to the Rye Birds: a Joseph G. and a Mary Lavinia (b 1843?) are listed among the children of James Bird (
Write me for more information about this curious situation and the connection to the Baltz family.Bob