In 1776, there is a Petition of Patriots who signed from Albemarle and Amherst Co. These are dissenters from the Church of England. There are some familiar names who signed on this Dissenters Petition, including John Bird, Abner Bird and Bartlet Bird. In the 1782 Henry County Tax List, there appears a Benjamin BURD, Samuel BEARD and Abraham BYRD. It is likely that the Samuel BEARD is “my” Samuel BIRD, as he is noted to be “of Henry and the Parish of Patrick” in 1781. I don’t know Benjamin or Abraham. John and Samuel Bird, due to age and other incidental factors such as proximity to each other on Chestnut Creek, etc., seem to be brothers. All relationships need to be verified. So, we have John, Abner, Bartlet, Abraham, Samuel and Benjamin all living in the same area in 1776-1781. I can’t where even one of these men appear before the year 1776. A decade earlier, there are Joseph, Francis and Thomas conducting land transactions. All three of these men disappear from the area before1777. Am I missing anybody? Where did they go? Marla