Harlan P. Bird

Harlan P. Bird
Harlan P. Bird
Member of the Wisconsin Senate; from the 1st district
	In office; January 5, 1903 – January 2, 1911
Preceded by	De Wayne Stebbins
Succeeded by	Herbert Peterson
Personal details
Born	August 2, 1838; Bradford County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	November 24, 1912 (aged 74); Wausaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Cause of death	Stroke
Resting place	Woodlawn Cemetery, Marinette, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Sara Jane Fairchild (m. 1869; died 1904); Laura D. Lamon (Mott) (m. 1906⁠–⁠1912);
Children	Harry Lewis Bird; (b. 1870; died 1923); Laura Edith (Dunham); (b. 1874; died 1951); Clarence Weston Bird; (b. 1880; died 1935);
Profession	Accountant, merchant, banker
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Volunteers; Union Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	1st Lieutenant, USV
Unit	12th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Harlan Page Bird (August 2, 1838 – November 24, 1912) was an American businessman and Republican politician. He served 8 years in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing northeast Wisconsin.

Biography

Harlan Page Bird was born on August 2, 1838, in Bradford County, Pennsylvania.^[1] He was educated in public schools, and in his early life engaged in school teaching, land surveying, and bookkeeping.^[2]

He left his father's homestead in 1858 and was employed for two years as an accountant for a contractor constructing a water pumping project in Brooklyn, New York.^[3] On the completion of this project in 1860, Page was employed by the same company for their lumber operations in northern Wisconsin, and went to live at Menekaunee.^[3]^[2]

Civil War service

At the outbreak of the American Civil War, he enlisted with the Union Army and was enrolled in Company F of the 12th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment.^[1]^[4] The 12th Wisconsin Infantry mustered into federal service in October 1861 and proceeded to Missouri for service in the western theater of the war. After the first year, he was promoted to sergeant major of the regiment, but served only a few months before being commissioned second lieutenant of Company G.^[4]

He was wounded while on the picket line at the Siege of Vicksburg, but was able to return to duty after just two months of recuperation.^[3] After which, he was detailed to work as assistant adjutant for the brigade, and was then assistant quartermaster of the XVII Corps. He was promoted to first lieutenant effective August 17, 1864, and went on to work as ordinance officer for the 3rd division of XVII Corps. He mustered out of the service with his regiment on July 16, 1865.^[4]^[3]

Postbellum career

After returning from the war, he returned to his duties for the Menominee River Lumber Co. and worked for several years as accountant and general assistant.^[3] In 1871 he opened a merchandising business across the border in Menominee, Michigan. In 1877 he ran into financial problems due to an investment in the construction of a mill in Stephenson, Michigan, and opted to relocate there to see to the successful completion and operation of the mill. He subsequently leased the mill and returned to Menominee and was heavily involved with lumber companies and other improvements on both the Wisconsin and Michigan sides of the Menominee River.^[3]

In 1892, he was placed in charge of the post office at Wausaukee, Wisconsin, due to financial irregularities under the previous postmaster.^[5]

In 1902 he was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate from Wisconsin's 1st State Senate district, running on the Republican Party ticket.^[2]^[6] He was re-elected in 1906 but suffered a stroke in 1910 and did not run for a third term.

He was in poor health following his stroke and remained in a feeble condition for the last two years of his life. He suffered subsequent strokes and died at his home in Wausaukee on November 24, 1912.^[7]

Personal life and family

Harlan P. Bird married twice. He first married Sarah Jane Fairchild in 1869. Sarah was the daughter of Marinette minister John Fairchild and the sister of state representative Hiram Orlando Fairchild. They were married 35 years and had three children before her death in 1904.^[3] He subsequently married Laura D. Mott (née Lamon), the widow of Harry Mott, in 1906. His second wife survived him.

Electoral history

Wisconsin Senate (1902, 1906)

Wisconsin Senate, 1st District Election, 1902^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 4, 1902
	Republican	Harlan P. Bird	6,042	59.25%	−1.94%
	Democratic	Charles Metzer	3,948	38.71%	−0.10%
	Prohibition	J. J. Sherman	208	2.04%
Plurality			2,094	20.53%	-1.83%
Total votes			10,198	100.0%	+6.67%
	Republican hold

Wisconsin Senate, 1st District Election, 1906^[8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 6, 1906
	Republican	Harlan P. Bird (incumbent)	4,995	59.92%	+0.67%
	Democratic	Leo J. Evans	3,125	37.49%	−1.23%
	Social Democratic	James Larson	216	2.59%
Plurality			1,870	22.43%	+1.90%
Total votes			8,336	100.0%	-18.26%
	Republican hold

References

^ ^a ^b "Bird, Harlan Page 1838 - 1912". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Erickson, Halford, ed. (1903). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 1077. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "History of Marinette County". The History of Northern Wisconsin. Western Historical Company. 1881. p. 604. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861–1865. Vol. 1. Office of the Adjutant General of Wisconsin. 1886. pp. 703, 721, 724. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^ "Short in His Accounts". Green Bay Press-Gazette. December 21, 1892. p. 2. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2007). "Feature Article: Those Who Served - Wisconsin Legislators 1848–2007" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 2007–2008 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 102. ISBN 978-0-9752820-2-1. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^ "Ex-Senator Bird Dies Sunday Night". Green Bay Press-Gazette. November 25, 1912. p. 1. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Beck, J. D., ed. (1907). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 1125. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by De Wayne Stebbins	Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 1st district January 5, 1903 – January 2, 1911	Succeeded by Herbert Peterson

[wihist-1] "Bird, Harlan Page 1838 - 1912". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

[1903bio-2] Erickson, Halford, ed. (1903). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 1077. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

[north-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "History of Marinette County". The History of Northern Wisconsin. Western Historical Company. 1881. p. 604. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

[roster-4] Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861–1865. Vol. 1. Office of the Adjutant General of Wisconsin. 1886. pp. 703, 721, 724. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

[5] "Short in His Accounts". Green Bay Press-Gazette. December 21, 1892. p. 2. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[6] Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2007). "Feature Article: Those Who Served - Wisconsin Legislators 1848–2007" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 2007–2008 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 102. ISBN 978-0-9752820-2-1. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

[7] "Ex-Senator Bird Dies Sunday Night". Green Bay Press-Gazette. November 25, 1912. p. 1. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[1907bio-8] Beck, J. D., ed. (1907). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 1125. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]