The only way I have been able to link Jesse and Isaiah Francis to Isaiah and Agness Byrd (Bird) is through one tenuous link. Jesse is on the 1841 tax rolls of Neshoba County, MS after Isaiah dies in Neshoba County, MS. The ages match on the 1830 and 1840 census for Jesse and Isaiah Francis to be their children. Isaiah's will only named Agnes N and his children, but did not name them individually.
Also, Jesse's wife's Bible states that Jesse was born in Perry County, AL. According to the Old Cahaba Land Office Receivers Ledger, Isaiah purchased land in April 1819, the year Jesse was born in February. So the family could have already been in Perry Co before Isaiah actually purchased the land.
Early Records of Neshoba County, MS, Vol II, by Janelle Burson Yates, Pioneer Publishing, lists the 1834 - 1859 Tax Rolls of Neshoba Co, MS, page 69 lists Jessee Byrd in 1841. There are no Birds or Byrds listed in 1834-1840, none in 1842, 1843 is missing and none through until 1852 lists Daniel Byrd and 1857 lists James D Byrd and 1859 lists James D Bird.
Daniel is also listed in the 1850 Census and James D in the 1860 Census.
1850 Census Harrison County, Texas, page 94, dwelling 721, family 726 lists
J Bird, 28 M, Farmer, $300, born Alabama
I Bird, 22 F, born Tennessee
O P Bird, 2 M, born Arkansas
I Bird, 21 M, born Alabama
Jesse's wife Isabelle's family living next door in 1850 Census.
1858: Texas Land Title Abstracts, Grantee: Isaiah F. Byrd; Patentee: Isaiah F. Byrd; Patent Date: 22 Jan 1858; Acres: 320; District: Robertson; County: Tarrant; File: 2833; Patent#: 264; Patent Volume: 17; Class Rob. 3rd.
He is listed, misspelled on Sarah's death certificate as Isaab Bird. He spelt his name Isaiah in the 1870 Tulare County Census, Tule River PO, page 268..
Oral history has it that he was shot by an Indian from the Porterville area, and died from the gunshot? or arrow wounds to his head, some time after the 1870 census. Tulare County Probate records list his death in 1877 His daughter Sarah rarely spoke of her parents, and according to Edgar's wife Catherine, often seemed sad when the topic of family came up.
Dot Moon told Clarine and Dallas that Philemon Bird was Isaac's grandfather/greatgranfather, but the name's of his mother's father/grandfather are lost at this time, and he is not related through his father's Byrd line.
The 1870 census records that he was born in Alabama, but Sarah's death certificate has him listed as being born in Texas.
4/99 Information received from Arleen Anderson, who got it from Barbara Baum indicates that Jesse, Isaiah and Joseph were brothers, but were not David's children. They are the children of one of David's brothers, possibly Richard. Will continue with this linkage until LDS records proven wrong. If they are another brother's kids then 6 of Pleasant's siblings are unknown instead of just three.
Arleen's records indicate that Isaiah was in Amador County by 2/4/1860. Sarah never mentioned a sister Abigail, who may have either been stolen by Indians on the way to California, or died as a young child (maybe on the trip?).
Funderbunk of James' descendents wrote a letter in 1977 to the Tulare County Historical Society in which she wrote that the brothers came to California in the Keener Wagon Train in 1857. He and the family were living in Amador County, where Olive was born, for a couple of years before they moved to Tulare County.
1869 Great Register of Tulare County, California
BYRD OLIVER PERRY 21 ARKANSAS TULE RIVER JUN 22,1869
BYRD ISAIAH FRANCIS 38 UNITED STATES TULE RIVER AUG 18,1866
BYRD JESSE ALBERT 47 UNITED STATES TULE RIVER AUG 18.1866
BYRD DAVID 28 MISSOURI VISALIA NOV 4,1866
BYRD WILLIAM 30 MISSOURI VISALIA AUG 18,1866
BYRD PLEASANT 43 TENNESSEE VISALIA JUL 26,1866
Notice that William, [James' son (David's younger brother)], Isaiah and Jesse all register the same day.
1870 Census Tule River, Tulare County, California, p 268
Isiah Byrd, 41, farmer, $1,000 real estate, $1,000 personal property
More About ISAIAH/ISIAH "ZEKE" FRANCES BYRD:
Cause of Death: Complications from gunshot or arrow wound to head?
Census: 1850, Harrison County, Texas
Fact 1: June 07, 1878, Tulare County Probate - Case # 249
Could this be Isaih's father? North Alabamians in the War of 1812, Valley Leaves, Vol2, No 4, June 1968, p 99, lists are from "Publications of the Mississippi Historical Society", Vol 4, pub 1921, Jackson, MS, shows Isaih Bird, private in the 16th Regiment (Burrus') of Mississippi Militia
