Robina Venus (Hay) Bird (abt. 1803 - abt. 1864)

Born about 1803 in Northwest Territories

Wife of William Bird — married 28 Oct 1822 in St Johns Mission House

Descendants

Died about 1864 at about age 61 in High Bluff, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba

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Bennie (Hay) Bird was a Canadian First Peoples and member of the Metis Nation.

Biography

She was born about 1803 in Northwest Territories to uncertain parents and was supposed to be a Blackfoot Indian halfbreed.

Robina "Bennie" Venus Hay married on 28 Oct 1822 at St.Johns Mission House in Red River Settlement to William Bird (c1802-1885). ^{[1] [2]}

She was baptized as Venus HAY on 05 Jun 1823 at Red River Colony. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

She passed away about 1864 at High Bluff, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba

Two of her children referred to her as Metis.

In his scrip, her son Nicholas, named his mother as Beney Hays.

Her daughter Mary Smith, named her mother as Venus. ^[6]

Canada was formed by confederation on 01 July 1867.

Children

1. James Bird, b: 1824; d: 1892; m: 1848 Isabella Gibson
2. William Bird, Jr., b: 1826 ^[7]
3. Isabelle Bird, b: c1830
4. Jemima Bird, b: c1830
5. Charles Bird, b: c1832
6. Mary Hayward Bird, b: 15 Mar 1835; d: 1911; m: 1860 William Robert Smith, Jr. ^[6]
7. Sarah Bird, b: c1835; m: William Sharp
8. Letitia Bird, b: 1839
9. George Bird, b: 14 Nov 1841; d: 07 Apr 1872; m: 1864 Elizabeth Haywood
10. Henry Bird, b: 1843; m: Jemima Halcrow
11. Nicholas Bird, b: 1847; d: 1924; m: 1875 Mary Ann Halcrow
12. John Thomas Bird, b: 1850; d: 1946; m: 1880 Francis Elizabeth Campbell.

Research Notes

Further research needed.

One unsourced suggestion is that this profile may be the daughter of Martha (Perrin) and Joseph Grant HAY. ^[8]

Another unsourced suggestion is that this profile was the daughter of Mary (Muskegon - Cree Indian) and James Monkman (1775-1865) ^[9] who witnessed this profile's marriage to BIRD. However also witnessed a number of other events at the Red River Colony.

Sources

1. ↑ HBCA marriage record; Archives of Manitoba; Extracts from registers of baptisms, marriages and burials in Rupert's Land sent to the Governor and Committee 1820-1851; citing E.4/1b folio#205d; witness: James Monkman; m: 1822/Oct/28 Church Mission House for William Bird & Bennie Hay
2. ↑ "Red River Métis Genealogies" compiled by Norma J. Hall, Ph.D (Canadian History) published 31 July 2016 & revised to 2022; citing "Mothers of the Resistance 1869–1870"; BIRD family; b: 1801 to unidentified parents; reputedly Blackfoot, Hay First Nation; described as "halfbreed" in sons’ scrip affidavits; bpt: 05 Jun 1823 Red River as Venus HAY; d: 1864
3. ↑ HBCA baptism record; Archives of Manitoba; Extracts from registers of baptisms, marriages and burials in Rupert's Land sent to the Governor and Committee 1820-1851; citing E.4/1a folio#43d; bpt:1823/Jun/05 Red River Colony for Venus (Hay) Bird (wife of William Bird)
4. ↑ "Red River Métis Genealogies" compiled by Norma J. Hall, Ph.D (Canadian History) published 31 July 2016 & revised to 2022; citing "Mothers of the Resistance 1869–1870"; born 1801 to unidentified parents; reputedly Blackfoot, Hay First Nation; described as "halfbreed" in sons’ scrip affidavits; bpt: 05 Jun 1823 Red River as Venus HAY; d: 1864
5. ↑ Bennie Hay, bpt: 1824 as Venus
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} for daughter Mary (Bird) Smith, b: 15 Mar 1835 St.Paul's; Manitoba; res: Fort Vermillion; m: 28 Aug 1860 at Fort Simpson to William Robert Smith
7. ↑ for son, William Bird, Jr., b: c1826; m1: 1874 at Edmonton to Fanny; m2: 1885 at Winnipeg
8. ↑ ancestry.com
9. ↑ Red River Ancestry for James Monkman

• Red River Ancestry for husband, William Bird

• https://www.ancestrylibrary.ca/family-tree/person/tree/89325307/person/410067456357/story

• Dene of the Dehcho - unique First Nations Band