| Date of Conference Journal Memoir/Obituary | March 24-25, 1898 |
|---|---|
| Deceased Person | Benjamin Oliver Bird |
| Birth | 8/14/1855 in Loudon county, Va. (not far from Harper's Ferry) |
| Death | 4/26/1897 in Princess Anne, Md. Funeral service held in Metropolitan Church there; 41 yo. He rests "under the spreading oak" per his request. |
| Church Service, Charges Served, Affiliated Locations, and Other Biographical Information | The area he lived was devastated by war & lacked educational opportunities. His father moved to Pennsylvania, near Gettysburg. Benjamin learned the alphabet at 14 ; studied during winter months, attending district school of 6 & 8 year old white children. Entered the Centenary Biblical Institute (Morgan College) in 1877, finishing the course the next year. Although of Baptist parentage, he joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church Zion. Became a teacher at Centenary B. I. until in 1886 the Princess Anne Academy was opened & he was elected its first principal. He cleared the land, renovated the house on the property and fostered the growth of the Academy in many ways including navigating financial issues and adding to the buildings. The first class graduated in five years. Several had gone on as graduate teachers before Bird's death. |
| Family and Other Information | Spouse: Portia E. Lovett of Berryville, Va. md. 9/29/1880. Surviving him: widow & 9 children. |
| Online PDF Page Number (if available) | pdf pg 28 |
| Photo availbility? | – |
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[Author (if known)], Delaware Annual Conference Methodist Episcopal Church Memoirs 1865-1950, [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.
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