University of Virginia Library

DR. ROBERT M. BIRD - BEQUEST TO THE UNIVERSITY:

Mr. Perkins appeared before the meeting and read two letters from Mr. William S. D. Woods, who
is a son-in-law of the late Dr. Robert Montgomery Bird. One of these letters is addressed to President
John L. Newcomb, under date of January 15th, 1941, and the other to W. Allan Perkins under date of
January 24, 1941. In these two letters Mr. Woods calls attention to the will of Dr. Robert Montgomery
Bird which Mr. Perkins stated was drawn by Dr. Bird at a time when he thought that he would leave a very
considerable estate. The will is very complicated in its provisions and provides, among other things,
that Dr. Bird's estate shall be held by Trustees, and the income be paid to his widow, Mrs. Carrie Reid
Bird, during her life. Upon her death one-third of the estate is to be paid to Dr. Bird's son, Robert,
one third to be held in trust for the benefit of Dr. Bird's sister, Miss Mary Harrison Bird, and the
remaining one-third to be held in trust for the benefit of Dr. Bird's daughter, who is now Mrs. Page
Bird Woods, wife of the said William S. D. Woods. If either Robert or Page outlives Miss Mary Harrison
Bird, they or the survivor shall receive her share. If Robert and Page should both be dead at the time
of the death of Miss Bird, her share of the estate is to be paid to the University for the benefit of the
Library of the School of Chemistry, and if Bob should die prior to the time of Page's death, then on her
death her share is likewise to be paid to the University. The contingencies upon which the University
is to receive anything under this estate are exceedingly remote.

Dr. Bird's estate consists of four shares of stock of Peoples National Bank of Charlottesville,
and a house and lot, No. 41, University Place, upon which there is a lien of $16,500, also a number of
shares of stock of Cold Steam Corporation, a concern which is no longer in existence but which, at the
time Dr. Bird made his will in 1935, promised to be of very considerable value.

The will gives the Trustees power to sell real estate and also to apply such portion of the
principal or corpus of said fund as in their judgement may be proper for the comfort and needs of Dr.
Bird's widow, Mrs. Carrie Reid Bird. Mrs. Bird and Peoples National Bank of Charlottesville were
appointed Executors under said will. The Bank refused to qualify and Mrs. Bird qualified and is acting
alone.

The two children, Robert and Page, and Dr. Bird's sister, Miss Mary Harrison Bird, have all
agreed to transfer and assign all interest they may have in this estate to Mrs. Bird. Mrs. Bird now
offers to buy the contingent interest of the University and pay the sum of $50.00 therefor.

It was, thereupon,