ISAAC BIRD

ORCHARDIST
CITY MARSHALL OF WATSONVILLE

Also known as Isaac Byrd

ARRIVAL

April 23rd, 1851

Isaac Bird with his wife and two children, arrived in the port of San Francisco on April 23, 1851 aboard the California, a steamer, traveling from Panama for 21 1/2 days.

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Santa Cruz Surf, 21 Oct 1899, p4c3
Death of a Pioneer
Isaac Bird, a pioneer of '49, died at his home near Watsonville Wednesday night. The deceased was a native of England and aged 85 years. He was a resident of San Jose until three years ago when he moved to this valley. - Watsonville Register.

San Francisco Chronicle, 21 Oct 1899, p3c2
Death of Isaac Bird, a Pioneer Orchardist of Santa Clara
Isaac Bird, last survivor of the famous Jack Hayes party, who came to California even before pioneer days, died of pneumonia on his orchard near Watsonville on the morning of October 18th, at the age of 85 years. He had been hale and hearty up to within two days of his death. Mr Bird's career in California was a most eventful one, he having passed through and participated in all the changes that befell the state from the earliest days when very few Americans ventured into the then unknown western wilderness. His first year in California he devoted to mining but soon conceived the idea that this state was adapted to fruit culture, and engaged in planting fruit trees on year after his arrival. He located the first orchard on land now occupied as the best residence portion of San Jose known as the Willows of the Garden City. He then owned the largest portion upon which the city of San Jose has since been built. He owned at various times some the best known orchards in Santa Clara and Monterey counties. His widow, who survives him, is 78 years of age. His children are Isaac Bird, manager of the Chowchilla Ranch, Merced; George [Washington] Bird, owner of the Prunedale ranch, Salinas; Mrs O M [Margaret] Keesling, wife of the manager of Wells Fargo at San Jose and Mrs Mary Bird Bowers of San Francisco. The funeral will take place tomorrow at Watsonville.

The San Francisco Examiner reports his obituary and includes another son, Calvert [Thomas] Bird, an attorney in San Jose.

The Tulare Advance Register reports another daughter, Mrs P F [Isabella] Wood.

His christening record states his baptism was 20 Mar 1814, location Brampton, Cumberland, England, his parents were Isaac and Mary Bird.
US Army Registration lists his birth as 1814 England and his enlistment date as 15 Mar 1847.
California US Voter Registers list his residence in from 1866 to 1894 as Santa Clara and his birth as England.