Laura Eliza (Payne) Birge was educated at private schools and in the Academy at Seneca Falls, N. Y. One winter was spent at school in Hamilton, N. Y., where she lived at her grandfather Payne's home, under the care of her Aunt Esther. Upon a visit to relatives, Dr. and Mrs. Dunning, in Buffalo, she met Daniel 0. Birge, a young merchant of that city. The following year, 1841, they were married. They became members of the First Presbyterian Church while in Buffalo. Mr. Birge's business was completely destroyed by fire during the first year of their married life. As there were no insurance companies, it was a difficult matter for him to re-establish himself. They left Buffalo for Seneca Falls, where he became interested in other business until 1846, when through failure of health he was forced to seek another climate, and went west to Southern Illinois. Their younger child, Edwin, being ill at the time, their home was broken up, Eliza and her children staying in her father's home until Edwin died. Her father then accompanied her and her little daughter to her husband in Illinois. Six weeks after reaching Greenville, the husband died, and was buried there. The next year, 1847, Eliza and her daughter removed permanently to Dayton, Ohio, where her father and his family had already settled. Here she opened a private school for girls, which for fifteen years was very successful. At length she allowed her school to become merged with Cooper Seminary. She and her sister Melenia, who had been her assistant, became teachers in the latter school. Mrs. Birge was a little woman of great energy and cheerfulness. For years, she had charge of the Infant Department in the Third Street Presbyterian Church at Dayton. During the later years of her life, she had entire care of her mother's household. Her quiet, neighborly life made her many friends.
--Posted on ancestry.com 29 Aug 2008 by ThomasColwellPayne