Drusilla (Bell) Bird (1762 - 1824)

Born 16 Aug 1762 in Frederick, Maryland [uncertain]

Wife of Joshua Bird — married 1784 in Frederick, Maryland, United States

Descendants

Died 8 Aug 1824 at age 61 in Nelson, Kentucky, United States

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NOTE: Drusilla is designated as "Generation 3" in the Bird DNA Study.^[1]

Biography

Drusilla Beall was born 16 Aug 1761.^[2] She married a Revolutionary War veteran and had four children in Prince William Co., Virginia. ^[3] In 1800 she travelled with her family to Nelson Co., Kentucky^[4] where she spent the remainder of her life. She died on 8 Aug 1824 and was buried in McClellan Cemetery in Highgrove, Nelson Co., Kentucky.^[5]

Research Notes

There is no documentation of Drusilla in the historical record save the single tombstone inscription. Nevertheless, much can be discerned about her life from DNA testing and the available records.

There were, however, no other Bird families in Nelson Co. at this time and the presumption is that she was the wife of Joshua, predeceasing him by some 15 years. The date of death corresponds with her absence in Joshua's household in the 1830 U.S. Census and the cemetery is 15 miles from where Joshua and family were known to have settled. Circumstantial evidence suggests family connections with the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Drusilla is incorrectly identified as "Drusilla Ash Bird" on the Find a Grave website.^[6] Her presence there suggests a relation to someone in the cemetery, as there are no other Birds buried there, There are, however, only a few other occupants known to have been born in the 18th century (as was Drusilla). She was most likely related to the Thomas Bell buried there, whose pension application sheds light on the family's origins^[7]and subsequent settlement.^[8]

Circumstantial evidence suggests she was a fourth-generation American from Montgomery Co., Maryland with Quaker associations. Her parents may have been John Bell and a mother surnamed Brengle. Her grandparents may have been John and Elizabeth Bell of Old Monocacy, who were known to be in the area by 1742 and were probably immigrants. DNA testing amongst descendants shows a genetic affinity to Archibald Bell.

Her descendants have pronounced "identical by descent" DNA links with descendants of Benjamin Bird and Elizabeth Allison. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Bird DNA Study.
2. ↑ Calculated from her tombstone inscription, which reads "Druesella Bird, [died] August 8, 1824 aged 61 years, 11 mo[nths], 23 days."
3. ↑ Calculated from various records associated with Joshua Bird
4. ↑ Calculated from the first of appearance of Joshua in the Nelson Co. records, "Nelson County (Kentucky). Tax Assessor (Main Author), Manuscript/Manuscript on Film, Frankfort, Kentucky : Kentucky State Historical Society, 1952-1953, 1957-1958, 1991, Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Morgantown, Kentucky : E & K Microfilming, on 27 microfilm reels ; 35 mm."
5. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVLM-NG5S : 13 December 2015), Druesilla Bird, 1824; Burial, Highgrove, Nelson, Kentucky, United States of America, McClellan Cemetery; citing record ID 84653126, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
6. ↑ She was simply listed as "Drusilla Bird" until 2019, the "Ash" being added as a result of a miscommunication with the manager of that profile.
7. ↑ See Pension Application of Thomas Bell, R726
8. ↑ The Case For Declaring That Colonel William Crawford And Ann Connell Are The Parents Of William, James, Nancy And Polly Connell (1992), by Diana Glynn and Wayne Bracken