“The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin”, published: Chicago:  
Western Historical Company.   1879.


COL. GEORGE W. BIRD, attorney at law, Jefferson; born in 
Milwaukee July 28, 1837; graduated at the Madison State University in 
June, 1860; on July 5, 1860, went into the law office of Smith, Keyes & 
Gay; studied two years and was admitted to the bar; came to Jefferson in 
1863, and established in the practice of his profession; enlisted in Co. D, 
40th W.V.I., May 24, 1864, and was discharged Sept. 16, 1864.  Married, 
Oct. 2, 1864, by Rev. N. E. Chapin, at Aztalan, Wis., Miss Maria S. 
Sawin, born July 12, 1845, at La Porte, Ind.; they have four children, all 
born in Jefferson – Clare Brayton, born Oct. 27, 1868; Guy Sawin, April 
16, 1871; Hobart, Sept. 10, 1873, and Maria Louise, April 5, 1876.  Col. 
Bird was County Superintendent of Jefferson Co. for four years from 
January, 1866, to January, 1870, and from 1874 to 1876 was private 
secretary to Gov. Taylor; has been Chairman of the town of Jefferson, 
and member of the County Board two years.  He has also been a delegate 
from the Second Congressional District to the last three Democratic 
National Conventions.  In Co. Bird’s family there are four generations – 
his children, their parents, their grandmother, Mrs. Louisa M. Sawin, 
aged 64 years, and their great-grandmother, Mrs. Maria Brayton, aged 
80 years – the widow of Deacon Jeremiah Brayton.  Mrs. Louisa Sawin 
taught the first school in Madison, Wis.


Submitted by:  Linda Pingel  (LPingel@worldnet.att.net)