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Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association. Family Cemetery and Cemetery of the Enslaved. Background information about the cemetery and why repair and preservation is important. Benefits for the community. Make a tax-exempt donation. Image of archeaological survey team performing work in 2012 at the Bird Family Cemetery. HOLLYWOOD PLANTATION CEMETERIES ASSOCIATION * * HPCA is a Louisiana non-profit corporation with IRS tax exempt status per Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Our EIN#: 92-0321900 Preserving an important piece of Baton Rouge History This is the final resting place of a soldier of the American Revolution There are only nine (9) Revolutionary War Soldiers buried in East Baton Rouge Parish. Virginia Militia Captain Abraham Bird Sr. is one. He is buried in a heavily damaged grave. His descendants have been important contributors to the community. They include Mary Bird Perkins, and T. J. Bird, the first Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner to propose the creation of the LSU AgCenter. Scene from April 30, 2012 State Archeaologist Survey Update Click here to see the beautiful new professional artwork that depicts the future state of Bird Cemetery, below! News and Upcoming Events About Abraham Bird Sr. Notable Bird Descendants Cemetery of the Enslaved? Our Vision & Mission Future Plans New Painting of Future Vision Downloadable Files We've earned the 2025 Candid GOLD Seal! To Help: DONATE Current Conditions at Cemetery Many years ago, there was no fence to protect the graves and markers from the damage cattle can do, when they rub against things. There was tractor damage, too. There are deep scrape marks on the broken marble slabs and ledger stone pieces. During the period between the damage incurred and ten or fifteen years ago, we are not certain what happened. In the last ten to fifteen years the pieces and segments of broken ledgers, marble slabs from the tomb, markers and monuments have been piled atop the delicate tomb. The tomb has a slate roof with brick mortared upon it. The weather has been eating away at the tomb of Abraham Bird Sr. for decades. Its condition is unknown below grade. at least 42 inches of tomb's original height is buried below the surface - by soil being placed around it and from the tomb sinking into the soft river silt/soil it was originally built upon. If the tomb is not excavated and rebuilt within the next few years, it will likely collapse, making the job much more difficult and expensive. Our Plan for the Bird Cemetery Our projects for this cemetery may include: 2024: Secure the cemetery to assure undisturbed reconstruction & place signs at the gate to provide info about HPCA and the cemetery. COMPLETED! 2025: Perform Ground-Penetrating Radar to locate and document all graves (position, depth, etc.). 2026: Restore the tomb of Abraham Bird Sr. Reduce height of existing flat topped mound by about eight inches, if deemed practical by experts. 2027: Determine best location, then build new foundation for the monument for Abraham Bird Jr. & Mary Bowie and restore the monument. Determine best location and rebuild the monument for Mary Caroline Bird. 2028: Restore the graves of other family members as accurately as practical. Design & construct a durable information sign that includes a brief history of the plantation and cemetery and a listing of those interred. 2029: Create a trust or endowment to finance perpetual care of the cemetery, including lawn care. Beyond: Continue efforts to find the Cemetery of the Enslaved. Check out the NEW PAINTING below! Our Physical Vision for Bird Cemetery HPCA commissioned Baton Rouge professional artist Betsy Neely to create our future vision of Bird Cemetery. Working with Betsy over several weeks was an absolute pleasure. Her ability to convert our ideas into this image is a testament to her patience, talent and work ethic! The original painting - a meld of pen & ink and watercolor - is 16" x 20" and will be matted and framed to use at presentations, fundraisers, and other events. The point of view is the same as the photo above: looking toward the south southeast. As it was in the 19th Century, the little family cemetery still lies in the midst of a field one hundred years later! The existing chain link fence will remain for protection from cattle and other sources of potential damage, but the fence is intentionally excluded from the image in order to focus on the cemetery, and to emphasize the visionary aspect of the painting. The graves are shown partially exposed by "removing" some of the rectangular mound that currently exists. The original tomb and individual graves were all built to set the coffins above ground, because the water table is so near the surface. Historically, it is believed that the mound was initially installed by the Bird family as a reaction to flooding conditions perhaps before the Civil War. The mound is depicted about 24 inches above the land around it. This illustrates the concept of removing the soil, which was added to the site by LSU several decades ago. The primary reason for bringing the soil surface elevation down about 8 inches is to bring the cemetery back to what it looked like, while the Bird Family lived at Hollywood. The image displays new ledger slabs, repair and reassembly of the obelisk-style monument for Abraham Bird Jr. and his wife , Mary Bowie; repair of the marker for Mary Caroline Bird Daigre; as well as repair of the large tomb of Abraham Bird Sr. Placement of the obelisk and marker are for illustrative purposes only, as their original locations are unknown. Efforts will continue, however, to make their placement as logical as possible. Our Vision The vision of Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association is that the Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries are renovated and repaired in a manner, and to a level, agreed to by the Board of Directors, with input from the community; and to provide for the eternal care and maintenance of the cemeteries for future generations; and to provide the community with historical context, so that all who visit shall appreciate and revere the people, who are buried in these cemeteries as well as their historical contributions (both willing and unwilling). Our Mission To plan and execute, to the most reasonable extent possible, the security, renovation, repair, perpetual maintenance, and remembrance of the Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries and those buried there; and to provide information on the historical importance of these cemeteries to our community and to the larger community via the Internet. OUR VISION & MISSION STATEMENTS Pieces of the obelisk monument of Abraham Bird Jr. and Mary Bowie, which have been gathered at the Bird Cemetery, awaiting reassembly and repair. In 2014, Emily Ford, who holds a M.S. degree in Historical Preservation. was contracted to perform an evaluation of the Bird Family Cemetery. From the existing scattered segments (seen in the photo above) she "reconstructed", in words, the monument for Abraham Bird Jr and his wife, Mary Bowie. This drawing puts an image to that description. Not including the top portion of the obelisk that is broken and missing, the structure would still be nine feet tall! Existing Condition of Several Graves Desired Condition of Graves

Site Archaeology Coming Soon Scene from April 30, 2012 State Archeaologist Survey Update at the Bird Family Cemetery

Accessibility of the site content by impaired individuals is important to the board of directors of HPCA. We strive to make all content accessible and understandable. We are working on achieving some level AAA Success Criteria in the near future. We welcome feedback on the accessibility of Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association and ask that impaired users let us know if they encounter accessibility barriers Accessibility Statement for Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association This is an accessibility statement from Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association (HPCA). Measures to support accessibility: Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association (HPCA) takes the following measures to ensure accessibility of the website and social platforms of Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association: Included accessibility as part of our mission statement. Included accessibility throughout our internal policies. Appointed an accessibility officer and/or ombudsperson, the Vice President. Qualified persons with disabilities may be selected for future open positions on the Board of Directors. Conformance status: The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) defines requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. It defines three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 level AA. Partially conformant means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard. Additional accessibility considerations: The goal for accessibility of this website is WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance. We are working on achieving some level AAA Success Criteria in the near future. Images of distant text are only used for decorative purposes. Re-authentication after a session expires does not cause loss of data. Feedback: We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association. Please let us know if you encounter accessibility barriers on Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association: Phone: 2252686668 E-mail: info@hpcaebr.org Postal Address: 70810-6024 Instagram: @hpcaebr1, Facebook: ID# 209537638905489 We try to respond to feedback within 5 business days. Compatibility with browsers and assistive technology: Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association is designed to be compatible with the following assistive technologies: Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association is not compatible with: Content may not function properly if viewed with browsers older than three or four versions prior to the latest version. Mobile OS may not function properly if older than three or four versions prior to the latest version. Technical specifications: Accessibility of Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association relies on the following technologies to work with the particular combination of web browser and any assistive technologies or plugins installed on your computer: HTML These technologies are relied upon for conformance with the accessibility standards used. Limitations and alternatives Despite our best efforts to ensure accessibility of Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association , there may be some limitations. Below is a description of known limitations, and potential solutions. Please contact us if you observe an issue not listed below. Known limitations for Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association: Comments form website users, including emails, future blog content, etc.: Any uploaded images to the website may not contain text alternatives. because Quality of contributions by persons not part of HPCA cannot be ensured.. Comments by users are monitored and we can typically repair issues within 5 business days.. If you encounter an accessibility issue, please use the "Leave Us a Comment" section on the "Contact" page. Assessment approach: Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association (HPCA) assessed the accessibility of Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association by the following approaches: Self-evaluation Formal complaints: A formal complaint may be sent via email to info@hpcaebr.org , to the attention of the President, Paul Bledsoe. Date This statement was created on 20 November 2024 and edited on 29 January 2026 using the W3C Accessibility Statement Generator Tool .

Biography of Abraham Bird Sr., Hollywood Plantation, house, family cemetery, burying ground, slaves, slavery, non-profit, Revolutionary Ward, soldier, veteran, pioneer, patriot Is there a Cemetery of the Enslaved? More About Hollywood Plantation Future Plans Historical Significance of the Bird Family Cemetery There are only nine (9) Revolutionary War Soldiers known to be buried in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA. Virginia Militia Captain Abraham Bird Sr. is one. His DAR Ancestor No. is A0100298. His SAR Patriot No. is P-126935. His Find-A-Grave.com Memorial No. is 202420467. He is buried in a damaged tomb in Bird Cemetery. He died in 1820 and was re-interred from a site two miles east of downtown Baton Rouge to the present location of the tomb sometime between 1823 and 1830. This was when his oldest son, Abraham Bird Jr. purchased all of the Hollywood Plantation, whereupon Bird Cemetery lies. Abraham Bird Sr. was a Captain in the Virginia Militia before and during the American Revolution. He took his family out of Virginia to Kentucky in 1791. The family moved to Cape Girardeau, Missouri in 1798. In 1800, he established Birds Point, Missouri, a significant trading post from 1800 to 1860 at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. He met Meriwether Lewis at Birds Point during the startup of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in November, 1803. Bird furnished the group with food, blankets he had traded with local Delaware Indians, and medicine. Bird was instrumental in the founding of Hannibal, Missouri. The Bird family, which was now composed of adult children arrived in Baton Rouge in 1815. The family became large land owners in East Baton Rouge Parish and Bird established himself as an influential member of the community. His Louisiana friends included Rezin Bowie Sr. (father of Jim Bowie), Armand Duplantier (primary aide de camp to General Lafayette - buried in Highland Cemetery, Baton Rouge), General Philemon Thomas, and Sargent John Randolph (two fellow Virginians of Bird who fought in the Rev. War and both buried in East Baton Rouge Parish). Bird's son, Abraham Jr. and wife Mary Bowie (sister of Jim Bowie) attended the reception dinner for General Lafayette at Armand Duplantier's home (Magnolia Mound) during Lafayette's visit 1825 to Louisiana. An older and larger cemetery, Historic Highland Cemetery in Baton Rouge, dates to 1813. The Cemetery ID No. of Bird Cemetery on find-a-grave.com is 2551974. Copyright © 2025 H. Paul Bledsoe Abraham Bird Sr. & the History of Hollywood Plantation Abraham Bird Sr. was born in the Shenandoah Valley and was a Captain in the Virginia Militia before and during the American Revolution. He is listed in several of the published rosters of soldiers of the Revolution. He left with his family for eastern Tennessee (a territory of North Carolina) in 1791. In 1793, they moved to Kentucky, where Abraham liquidated much of the land he inherited from his father. They set off to the "Illinois Country", down the Ohio River in 1798 and ended up at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. This was a temporary home, until he built a new estate and business center at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, called Birds Point. Here, he built a farm, trading post, steamboat landing and encouraged the development of a small community in the area. Recurring floods caused another move to the Ouachita River/Catahoula area of Louisiana in 1808. This was a few years before the tragic earthquakes of 1811-1812 in the New Madrid area. His final move was to East Baton Rouge Parish in 1815, where, he and his four sons created a partnership business, to enable his sons to have partial direct ownership in every transaction in the Baton Rouge Area. The family initially resided in the old Spanish Government house in town. A group of adjacent tracts two miles east of town resulted in a large estate, which included several houses that the family fully utilized. This was primarily a cotton farm and was, as some point, named "Eastwood". They also purchased five lots in Beauregard Town in 1815. Then, 999 acres on "the River" (Mississippi) north of town in 1816. In 1819, the partnership purchased an estate on Wards Creek four and one-half miles east of town. As the days went on, Abraham Sr. did less and his boys did more. It is possible he was ill in his last years. He died on 22 Dec 1820 at the age of 65. After their father's death, the brothers began selling various tracts of land north of Baton Rouge including near Bayou Sara. In 1822 the brothers purchased the first parcel of what would become Hollywood Plantation, ten miles south of town on the River. It was only 10 arpents wide and 40 arpents deep. They continued buying adjacent tracts up-and-down river of the first one. By 1829, they had accumulated 29 arpents along the riverfront. Thompson died in 1830. Soon after, John Bird moved permanently back to Birds Point, Missouri. In early 1837 Abraham Bird Jr purchased the entire accumulated adjacent tracts on the Mississippi south of Baton Rouge from his brothers. The partnership was dissolved. Abraham Jr. moved into the house near the river and named the plantation "Hollywood". Abraham Jr., took ownership and direct control of the nearly 1,600 acre facility and its 100 slaves. He began planting sugar cane nearly exclusively, built a brick sugar house, and a brick storage building for cut cane in about 1838. In the 1840's power for the sugar refining equipment changed to steam power. Abraham Jr’s sons, Thompson William, and John Abraham began working on the plantation after completing formal schooling and later owned their own plantations in East and West Baton Rouge Parish, respectively. Abraham Bird Jr. died in 1860 at age 76. The sugar mill operated between about 1838 and 1890. The brick cane storage building still stood in 1928. After Abraham Jr. died, Hollywood came under numerous owners, including Duncan Kenner, James D. Houston, and Capt. Thomas A. Womack. In 1893, William & Abraham Adler purchased Hollywood and the adjacent "Mulberry Grove" (founded and owned by the Daigre family) plantations, and named it Ben Hur. From 1894 to 1929 Ben Hur changed ownership five times. Louisiana State University (LSU) purchased 664 acres of Ben Hur, then another 1,858 acres in early 1936. The two tracts enabled the development of land for plant and animal research, managed by the new LSU College of Agriculture. The LSU AgCenter Doyle Chambers Central Research Center operates on this same land today. Copyright © 2025 H. Paul Bledsoe There is a display about Hollywood Plantation at the new Great River Road Museum at Houmas House , Darrow, LA. About this painting..... The above painting is entitled "Far Beyond the Settlements" (Copyright David Wright 2023). It captures the personality of Capt. Abraham Bird so well! It was originally created by Tennessean David Wright. David has graciously allowed us to use this digital image in association with the story of Capt. Abraham Bird Sr. Paul Bledsoe sent a request to David asking for permission to use the image in the book he is about Capt. Bird and his family. The request included a brief synopsis of Capt. Bird's life. David was so taken by it that he not only provided permission, but also waived the charges usually attached to such permission. Take a look at his work at the beautiful website . Where was Hollywood? This is a small segment of the 1858 Persac Map, showing the area along the Mississippi, south of Baton Rouge. Hollywood is at left. In 1885 Hollywood & Mulberry Grove were both purchased by the Adler brothers and the combined tracts were named "Ben Hur". Hollywood Plantation Structures - 1869 This is a segment of the 1869 E. Courier map of Hollywood Plantation. Text was added to the image for clarity. When the levee was enlarged in 1927/8, the River Road ended up immediately in front of the main home. By the early 1940's the main home, and most of the structures behind it, were demolished for the most recent levee expansion. Copyright © H. Paul Bledsoe 2025 Main Home of Hollywood Plantation One of three photos taken in 1928 of the Hollywood Plantation home by Adelia Bird Laycock. Only poor photocopies were found at the State Historical Society of Missouri Museum & Library, Rolla, Missouri. The location of the original photos is unknown. Copyright 2025 H. P. Bledsoe Is There a Cemetery of the Enslaved? Most Antebellum plantations had a cemetery or two. Census records indicate a relatively large slave population at Hollywood and Mulberry Grove Plantations. This indicates that if a slave cemetery exists, it could be substantial. These graves would range from 150 to 200 years old. Wooden markers were the customary way to mark a slave's grave in this area, as large stones are not readily available, so the markers would have rotted and withered in a few decades. Some souls may have even been interred above older graves - a common practice. At this time, no trace of a slave cemetery has yet been found. If it is found, HPCA will pursue memorializing it in some way.

Donate, send money, support, street address, enter your name, provide email address Donate Now! CREDIT CARD CHECK More ways to donate coming soon! Secure Credit Card Donation Please note that 2.9% of your credit card donation is withheld by the card processing service. Alternately, you can donate using PayPal or with a check, mailed to the address above. (see below) Donate Now We are now a PayPal-confirmed charity, meaning the transaction fee is reduced to 1.99% + $0.49. Donation by Check Make checks payable to: Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Assoc. or: HPCAEBR Mail to: Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Assoc. 19318 N. Trent Jones Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70810 If you wish to make an anonymous donation, note it on the check: "Anonymous". No matter how much you donate, it will count. Any amount is appreciated. You will receive an email receipt. Image by FreePik.com

non-profit, tax-deductible, community history, revolutionary war soldier, donations, board of directors, biography, Paul Bledsoe, Derrick Spell MD, Natalie Truax ABOUT HOLLYWOOD PLANTATION CEMETERIES ASSOCIATION* *A Louisiana non-profit corporation with IRS tax exempt status per Section 5 01(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Our EIN#: 92-0321900 Turning Interest into Action The Directors of Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association (HPCA) want to be a catalyst for making the last remaining feature of Hollywood Plantation - its cemeteries - a place of history, respect, reflection and inspiration for everyone. By making repairs to the graves and informing the community of the historical importance of the site, we hope to instill a sense of history, place, perspective, and purpose. We created this non-profit tax-exempt corporation to enhance our community's history in all respects, not just to repair a cemetery Dealing with the challenges of the times requires problem-solvers who bring different perspectives and individuals who are willing to take risks. HPCA emerged out of interest in history, a desire to inspire and to support the community, and a vision to create a place to visit and learn more about the difficult and imperfect beginnings of Louisiana and Baton Rouge. The Board of Directors Get to Know the People behind Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association PAUL BLEDSOE Founder & President Paul is an engineer by profession, receiving his BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1974. He spent most of his work life in engineering and maintenance management roles at aluminum and steel manufacturing plants across the U.S. and Caribbean. He takes pride in his expertise as a consultant in Change Management and achieving world-class industrial maintenance performance. Paul is a President of the Philemon Thomas Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution , a member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas, Alamo Chapter, the Louisiana Historical Association, the National Genealogical Society, and the West Baton Rouge Parish Genealogical Society. He has been a resident of Louisiana for more than 20 years and is fascinated with the history of the state and of Baton Rouge. He has been working on the genealogy of his own family since 1995. Paul is a 6th generation Texan. He is a descendant of Romani settlers of Colonial Post du Rapide, Louisiana – via The LaPrairie and Castel families of the early 1700’s. His Louisiana ancestors include Adam Huffman Sr., one of the earliest Anglo settlers of the Catahoula district of Rapides Parish – before 1788. He became aware of the abandoned cemeteries at Hollywood Plantation in 2019 and has thoroughly researched the genealogy of the Bird family and the history of the plantation. Paul (not a Bird descendant) is writing a book about Abraham Bird Sr. and his descendants originating from Missouri and Louisiana. Concerning the HPCA non-profit endeavor, Paul said, "HPCA provides a powerful mechanism to channel our historical interests into positive change. I am proud to be a part of it." Get in Touch with Paul DR. DERRICK SPELL Secretary - Treasurer Dr. Derrick Spell is a breast medical oncologist in Baton Rouge. He graduated summa cum laude from McNeese State University in Lake Charles with a degree in biological sciences. He then earned his medical degree from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Dr. Spell completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the Earl K. Long Medical Center. He then completed a medical oncology fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He has been in private practice with the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center since 2004. He currently practices full-time at the Woman’s Hospital Cancer Pavilion. He has published several manuscripts and abstracts in distinguished journals. He also published a book regarding his own personal weight loss experience entitled The Bite-Sized Guide to Getting Right-Sized. Dr. Spell is very active in the Baton Rouge community. He has served on the Institutional Review Board at Woman’s Hospital since 2007. He served on the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board from 2007-2010. He was named to the “Top 40 Under 40” list by the Baton Rouge Business Report. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the ARC of Baton Rouge Chapter, the Hospice Foundation of Greater Baton Rouge and the Children’s Charter School. Dr. Spell is descended from five American Patriots, but is not a Bird descendant. He is the Registrar for the General Philemon Thomas Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and is an officer of the Louisiana State Society of the SAR. He also volunteers as the Southern district publisher and reviewer for the online National SAR Patriot Research System. These volunteer activities with SAR help fuel his passion for preserving American history and studying genealogy. Dr. Spell and his wife Sharon are founders of E.J. Caire & Co. Store - a non-profit focused on restoring, preserving, and maintaining the Caire’s Landing buildings, antiques and properties in Edgard, St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana on River Road - part of the National Historic District in that includes Edgard, Louisiana. Get in Touch with Derrick NATALIE TRUAX VICE PRESIDENT Natalie Truax has worked in many roles in the information technology department for the State of Louisiana for more than 20 years. She is currently the Enterprise Architecture infrastructure manager which serves as the technical foundation for major state computer applications. Natalie graduated with cum laude honors from Louisiana State University with bachelor’s degrees in mass communication and history. While at LSU, she was also inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society. Before Natalie began her career in information technology, she had a brief stint at The Daily Review in Morgan City, La. She also covered the local school board as a freelance newspaper reporter for 20 years for the Livingston Parish News in Denham Springs, La. Natalie serves as second vice president of the Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana Chapter 1. She was also a member of The HIVE Band Boosters for Denham Springs High School, the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts Parents Council, the costume sewing crew for the Baton Rouge Ballet Theater Nutcracker and as a parent volunteer for the Louisiana Youth Orchestras. Natalie's passion for cemeteries began in elementary school when she was captivated by a visit to a plantation home with a family cemetery on the grounds. Her fascination grew during a visit to her great-grandparents' grave in Grand Coteau, Louisiana, where the French inscriptions on the tombstones enchanted her. Every cemetery visit offers her a unique glimpse into the history and people of the locale, revealed through the monuments and epitaphs. This love has led her to explore cemeteries across the Southeast, particularly in Louisiana, where she has visited most of the Baton Rouge cemeteries and frequently explores the historic cemeteries in New Orleans. For Natalie, each monument at a final resting place tells a story, and she always uncovers something new. Though she is not a Bird-Byrd descendant, she eagerly looks forward to working with the HPCA to revive the local cemetery and bring the stories of those interred there to the community. Get in Touch with Natalie

Send a message, subscribe to site for updates, provide your email address, download files, web links for external websites DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? OR LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFO TO GET YOU ON OUR EMAIL LIST. First name* Last name* Email* Short answer Long answer Submit The mobile version of this website can be accessed on your phone by scanning this QR Code Downloadable Files Viewing PDF files requires having Adobe (R) Acrobat (R) on your computer. IRS Letter - HPCA's Tax-exempt status List of Who May be Buried in Bird Family Cemetery Web Links for External Websites Mentioned LSU Ag Center Central Station Great River Road Museum Findagrave - Bird Family Cemetery Sons of the American Revolution Caire Store Historic Project

family tree diagrams, Mary Bird Perkins, Billy T Brown, Abraham Bird, Andrew Bird, Mounce Bird, Byrd, Lobdell, Pipes, Von Phul, Ruddell, Vail, Daigre, Bowie, James Bowie, Rezin Bowie, Esnard, Laycock, Birds Point, Hawkins Bird Genealogy If you have a Bird genealogy question or comment email us at info@hpcaebr.org Signature of Abraham Bird Sr. on a 1816 document in East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court Archives Notable Louisiana Bird Descendants Noted descendants of the Bird family: Paul D. Perkins , Baton Rouge attorney and benefactor of what became the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, named for his daughter, who received her law degree from LSU. Mary's great grandfather was Thompson Joseph Bird (1827-1902), who was the grandson of William Thompson Bird (1791-1830). LSU Olympian & track star Billy Brown , who competed in the 1939 Olympics in Berlin. He descends from Abraham Bird Jr.; Thompson Joseph ("TJ") Bird (1827-1902) who was the 12th Sheriff, EBR Parish, & Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner between 1884-1890. While Commissioner, he wrote the first proposal by a state official to establish an agricultural research facility at LSU and championed aggressively for it. Virginia Adelia Lobdell Jennings , author of The Plains and the People, a history of Upper East Baton Rouge Parish and The Rezin Bowie Family of Louisiana. Virginia Lobdell Jennings was a 3X great Granddaughter of Abraham Bird Sr. Mary Bird Perkins William Tennant Brown Click on a LOGO to learn more about Billy Brown! Virginia Adelia Lobdell Jennings T.J. Bird was Superintendent of Construction for the reconstruction for the Louisiana State Capitol. This 1880 photo shows the controversial cast iron turrets, added in 1880, at top, which were later removed. ANCESTOR CHART - Abraham Bird Sr. Bird Family Charts Select persons have a narrow color stripe at the bottom of their box. The colors designate the following: RED: Buried at Bird Family Cemetery, Hollywood Plantation BLUE Buried in St. Joseph Catholic Church Cemetery, Baton Rouge GREEN: Buried in Magnolia Cemetery, Baton Rouge LIGHT BLUE: Buried in Bird Cemetery, Bir ds Point, Mississippi Co, Missouri PURPLE: Descendant of Amos Byrd (1737-1818) YELLOW : Buried at St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Brusly, Louisiana

typical questions and answers, information, how much supports the cause, volunteering not required, membership not required COMMON QUESTIONS Useful Information HOW MUCH OF MY DONATION DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE CAUSE? An estimated 95% of your donation will be directly applied to archeological, repair, preservation, development, informational materials, and events associated with the cemeteries of Hollywood Plantation. We will be happy to work with you, if you prefer to designate that a part or all of your donation be applied to a specific defined element of the overall project. Just let us know! CAN I VOLUNTEER MY TIME? Absolutely! There are many tasks that must be accomplished over the next several years. Money will not get some of these things done. Your valuable time would be applied to clear and defined work for a specific amount and/or period of time. Our project plan is very large and there is a place for you - that is certain. DO I HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF YOUR ORGANIZATION? No, Membership is not required. There are no subscriptions, annual dues, or fees. We only ask for donations as you see fit. We will keep every person informed and up to date on what the association is doing, That will include plans, upcoming events , reminder emails, and news of major accomplishments. All you have to do is sign up and provide your name and email address. We will keep your info anonymous, if you wish.

Get the latest news about Hollywood Plantation Cemeteries Association, Bird Family Cemetery, what board members are doing, events, articles, large donations, progress reports, activities News & Events Tobacco Humidor dates to mid-1800's Owned by Abraham Thompson Bird (1824-1906) Recently, Paul Bledsoe was able to visit James Safford of Grosse Tete, Iberville Parish. James is the brother of Margaret Safford-Canella, an active member of the West Baton Rouge Genealogical Society. They are descendants of Sidney Levert Sr. of St. Delphine Plantation at Brusly. Levert married Mary Bird, daughter of Abraham Thompson Bird (1824-1906), and granddaughter of Thompson Joseph Bird, son of Abraham Bird Sr. James Safford owns a family heirloom, said to have belonged to Abraham Thompson Bird (1824-1906). He graciously invited Paul and his wife Linda into his home to see the item. It is a hand carved wooden tobacco humidor, designed to hold loose tobacco for pipe smoking or rolling cigarettes. It is of the "Black Forest" style and carved from a single piece of Poplar. It was probably created between 1835 and 1860 in Switzerland. It may have been purchased in New Orleans as a gift to Abraham Thompson Bird. We've earned a 2025 Candid Gold Seal of Transparency!! Candid provides potential Donors and Supporters the latest information on our nonprofit. It validates that we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and that we are in current compliance with IRS law. After you sign up, it will give you access to any non-profit profile that is within their database. We rely on our profile to gather support; it enables funders and donors to find us and learn about our impact. We’ll keep our profile up to date so you can see what your donations help us accomplish. But you will also be able to learn about our accomplishments on this website - on this "News" page and on the Home page. Bledsoe Named SAR Chapter President Paul Bledsoe was recently inducted as the new President for 2025 of the General Philemon Thomas Chapter Louisiana Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. He is looking forward to an active year as we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution. See the chapter's Facebook page for information about their activities. Below is an image from the 2024 ceremony observing the Battle of Baton Rouge, which was recently designated a National Event by the National society of the Sons of the American Revolution! https://www.facebook.com/SARGPT Use this QR Code to go to the chapter's Facebook page on your phone. New Board Member & Vice President! We are so pleased to announce the addition of Natalie Truax to the Board of Directors of HPCA!. Natalie is a native Louisianan and an active contributor to her community. She is an LSU cum laude grad with degrees in history and mass communication. Her leadership background with Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana Chapter 1 and her involvement with the schools in her community are notable and continues today. Natalie has worked for the State of Louisiana in the information technology department for more than 20 years. She is currently the Enterprise Architecture infrastructure manager. This serves as the technical foundation for major state computer applications. Natalie worked as a freelance newspaper reporter for 20 years for the Livingston Parish News in Denham Springs, La. Aside from her work, she spends time traveling, exploring history, and visiting interesting cemeteries. Welcome Natalie! Notice of Restricted Entry In agreement with the management of the LSU AgCenter, Doyle Chambers Research Station, the gate to the Bird Family Cemetery is now locked, effective 27 Sep 2024. This action complies with Louisiana Title 8, Chapter 10-A; Title 8, Section 903; and Title 14 (desecration). The cemetery is covered by the regulatory authority of the Louisiana Division of Archaeology by virtue of Chapter 10A of Title 8. Because the cemetery must be protected from further damage and theft, and until most planned repairs are completed, entrance to the cemetery requires an appointment to be made with a member of the HPCA Board. Admittance is limited to between 11:00am to 2:00pm daily. Please call at least one day ahead of your requested visit date. To schedule entry call 225-268-6668 (no texting), or email to info@hpcaebr.org. After the majority of grave repairs are completed, the gates will then be normally open, except when the AgCenter crew is moving cattle from grazing field to research building and vice versa, in order to prevent cattle from entering the cemetery. DID YOU KNOW? We have posted family trees of Capt. Abraham Bird and each of his children on the Genealogy page! Bird Family Trees Presentation Well Received On 15 Jan 2023 Paul Bledsoe presented the story of Captain Abraham Bird, Revolutionary War veteran who is buried in an unmarked grave in Baton Rouge, along with the story of the little cemetery where he is buried. It captivated the audience and produced many questions. Nearly everyone who attended patiently waited their turn to meet Bledsoe and discuss their impressions. Several present were descendants of Bird and shared information with Bledsoe. He said: "I knew there were descendants living in West Baton Rouge Parish. I was impressed with how many knew about him and their links to him! It was a great meeting! My thanks to Debbie Martin for inviting me and arranging everything!" Our Plans and Future State Images have moved! We have moved the "future state " items to the Home page. It includes our future plans for the Bird family cemetery, photos, a beautiful new visionary painting , and sketches that will help you understand what the cemetery is like today and what it may look like some day. Big Surprise - Small Package! 15 Jan 2023 - Paul Bledsoe got a surprise at his presentation on Sat.,13 Jan 2023 at the WBR Museum. The museum was able to pull from their archives the personal secretary that once belonged to Mary Jones Bird. It was displayed by the Museum on a table in the meeting room. What was more surprising was how small it is - less than 12" wide by 8" deep by 10" high! The images were affected by the acrylic box placed over it. Our thanks to Lauren Hawthorne, Curator of Collections! Another photo of the secretary can be found at the bottom of this page. Paul Bledsoe's presentation on Captain Abraham Bird Sr.: A Forgotten Pioneer and Patriot is listed in the calendar of the January, 2024 edition of Country Roads Magazine. Check it out! "Far Beyond the Settlements" - (c) 2023 David Wright Paul Bledsoe to Give Talk on Abraham Bird and his Burial Site, Sat., Jan. 13th, 2024 When: 13 Jan 2024 at 10:30am Event Sponsored by: West Baton Rouge Museum and West Baton Rouge Genealogical Society Duration: 1 hr. 30 min. Open to the Public Join the West Baton Rouge Genealogical Society at the West Baton Rouge Museum on Saturday, January 13, 2024 from 10:30am - 12 Noon for a talk on: Captain Abraham Bird Sr.: A Forgotten Pioneer & Patriot with guest speaker, Paul Bledsoe By Famed Surveyor & Mapmaker, E. Courier Title Block of the 1869 Map of Hollywood Plantation, commissioned by Henry Von Phul Jr. The original is in the archives of the Special Collections Library at the LSU main campus, Baton Rouge. This 230-year-old c hest is the only known artifact belonging to Mary Jones, wife of Abraham Bird Sr. Travel/Secretary chest (dated ca. 1795) owned by Mary Jones, wife of Abraham Bird Sr. Donated by Paul Dorsey Perkins to the West Baton Rouge Museum, Port Allen, Louisiana.