Lloyd C. Bird

Lloyd Campbell Bird (August 1, 1894 – April 20, 1978) was a pharmacist, businessman and Democratic politician who served as a Virginia State Senator for 28 years and helped found Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.[1]

Lloyd C. Bird
Member of the Virginia Senate from the 29th district
In office January 12, 1966 – January 12, 1972
Preceded by	Leslie D. Campbell Jr.
Succeeded by	H. Selwyn Smith
Member of the Virginia Senate from the 32nd district
In office January 8, 1964 – January 12, 1966
Preceded by	Victor P. Wilson
Succeeded by	William B. Hopkins
Member of the Virginia Senate from the 33rd district
In office January 11, 1956 – January 8, 1964
Preceded by	Victor P. Wilson
Succeeded by	Edward E. Willey FitzGerald Bemiss
Member of the Virginia Senate from the 34th district
In office January 12, 1944 – January 11, 1956
Preceded by	Hunsdon Cary
Succeeded by	Edward E. Haddock Eugene B. Sydnor Jr. Edward E. Willey
Personal details
Born	Lloyd Campbell Bird August 1, 1894 Highland, Virginia, U.S.
Died	April 20, 1978 (aged 83) Chesterfield County, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Lucille Crutchfield
Alma mater	Medical College of Virginia

Early and family life

He was born in Highland County, Virginia to George Anson Bird and his wife Mary Susan Campbell. Bird graduated from the Medical College of Virginia in 1917. He married Mrs Lucille Crutchfield (1894-1970), and they had a son and daughter who survived them.[2]

Career

After graduation, Bird began teaching at what is now the Medical College of Virginia. In 1925, he partnered with Morris Phipps to start Phipps & Bird, a business that provided laboratory apparatus, chemicals and other products for scientific education.

From 1952 to 1953, he was the president of the Virginia Academy of Science, which in 1972 elected him as a "Fellow".

A Democrat, Bird began his public career as a member of the Byrd Organization. Voters first elected him to the Virginia Senate in 1944, and he represented Charles City, Chesterfield, Henrico, James City, and New Kent counties as well as the city of Williamsburg. Bird replaced fellow Democrat Hunsden Cary, who resigned during the 1942 General Assembly, but the vacancy was not filled for the special session that fall.[3] Despite multiple reorganizations of his senatorial district, Bird was continually re-elected (generally for four year terms) more than seven times. During his long tenure, redistricting occurred several times, both due to federal census results and court orders pursuant to the instructions of the United States Supreme Court concerning one-man, one-vote.

In 1955, a major reorganization of the Senate renumbered his district the 33rd, and limited it geographically to Charles City and Chesterfield counties, part of Henrico county and the city of Colonial Heights; the 34th district at that time was redrawn to include only the city of Richmond, and was represented by three state senators.[4] Another reorganization in 1963 renumbered Bird's district the 32nd and it included Charles City, Chesterfield, James City and New Kent counties, as well as the cities of Colonial Heights and Williamsburg; the 33rd district was redrawn at that time to encompass Richmond City and the 34th district to include Henrico County.[5] A further reorganization in 1965 renumbered Bird's district the 29th, and it included Charles City, Chesterfield, Amelia, New Kent Counties and the city of Colonial Heights.[6] Bird retired after the massive Republican victories in the 1970 elections, and subsequent redistricting after the 1970 census split his district into three districts, each with a veteran Democratic senator whom he would thus have to defeat in the party's primary. Charles City and New Kent counties were added to the 4th senatorial district (which also included Gloucester, Goochland, Hanover, King and Queen, King William. Louisa, Mathews and Middlesex counties) which was represented by Leslie D. Campbell, Jr.; Chesterfield County was combined with Henrico County and Richmond City as the 11th senatorial district, which continued to be represented by Byrd Organization stalwart Frederick T. Gray and Colonial Heights was added to the 16th senatorial district (which included Prince George, Surry, Sussex counties and the cities of Hopewell and Petersburg) and represented by Elmon T. Gray.[7]

While many now regret Bird's involvement in Massive Resistance, as it ended pursuant to adverse court decisions and voter antipathy, Bird headed a legislative commission worked with fellow Byrd stalwart and Virginia Governor Mills E. Godwin as well as former Richmond mayor (turned member of the Virginia House of Delegates) Eleanor P. Sheppard to form Virginia Commonwealth University by merging his alma mater, the Medical College of Virginia and Richmond Professional Institute.[1]

Death and legacy

Bird retired from the senate shortly after his wife's death, but lived an additional eight years before his own death and burial in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery. Survivors included his son (George C. Bird of Monterey, Virginia) and his daughter (Susan Blanchard of Richmond), as well as his step-daughter (Mrs. Charles Brown of Waukegan, Illinois).[2]

Lloyd C. Bird High School in Chesterfield County, Virginia is named after him.

External links

• L. C. Bird High School
• Phipps & Bird Company
• Political Graveyard
• Fellows of the Virginia Academy of Science
• Virginia Academy of Science Presidents

References

1. "Bird and Wayne commissions · Making VCU · VCU Libraries Gallery". gallery.library.vcu.edu. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
2. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=38387475
3. Cynthia Miller Leonard, Virginia General Assembly 1619-1978 (Richmond: Virginia State Library 1978) pp. 677, 683
4. Leonard p. 715
5. Leonard p. 739
6. Leonard p. 745
7. Leonard p. 763