Byrd, Rebecca

Byrd, Rebecca an English minister of the Society of Friends, was wife of William Byrd, and made her first appearance in the ministry in 1784, in the twenty-sixth year of her age, having been converted two years previously. Soon after, she was engaged to travel abroad, and accompanied Deborah Darby in a visit to Wales. From that time until the death of Deborah, in 1810, they were employed, with little intermission, in the same service in various parts of Great Britain. In 1793 they embarked for North America, and continued to labor in this country for three years. In 1800i she was married, and, after the decease of Deborah Darby, her husband accompanied her throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland. While attending the Yearly Meeting of 1829 she suffered from an attack of apoplexy, but was so far restored that she frequently afterwards ministered in her own meeting at Marnhull. She died May 24, 1834. See The Friend, viii, 357.