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Bird Millman 002

Updated Jun 16, 2025
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Bird Millman 002
A photo of Bird Millman (1890-1940) Highwire Artiste born "Jenna Dean Engleman" 20 October 1890 in Canon City, Colorado to high wire performing parents Dyke Frank Engleman (1868-1943) and Genevieve Patton (1869-1941). In 1904 the Millman Family Trio of wire walkers toured the Vaudeville stages. By 1913 Bird became a solo premiere attraction with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

Bird Millman's first marriage with Harry Underwood in 1909 was annulled. Her second marriage to ticket agent Charles Thomas (1889-) in 1920 ended in a quick divorce. Her third marriage was to military veteran Joseph Francis O'Day (1893-1931) in 1925, who died in 1931 after losing his fortune in the 1929 stock market crash. Devastated and destitute Bird returned to Canon City, Colorado where she died of uterine cancer at the age of 49.

additional information:

Bird Millman appeared in The Ziegfeld Follies of 1916 and Ziegfeld's Frolics. In 1920, she performed a specialty number in 'The Deep Purple', a silent film directed by Raoul Walsh (1887-1980).
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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"Bird Millman" was her stage name and her entire life seemed like a high-wire act! She certainly was a lovely woman.
Photo of Nancy Thompson Nancy Thompson
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12/12/2017
Really beautiful but what a sad life.
Photo of Jeanne Walsh Heyworth Jeanne Walsh Heyworth
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12/12/2017
so beautiful and such a sad life
Photo of Shirley K. Brown Shirley K. Brown
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12/12/2017
You never see anyone with hair that beautiful any more but in the 50's when I was young all women had lovely hair.
Photo of Esther Evans Esther Evans
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12/12/2017
I'm not sure where you were living, dear......what I remember from the 50s were all those awful home perms....
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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12/12/2017
I remember a friend of my grandmother's who, in the 50's through 80's (until she died), had long, long, beautiful thick white hair that she coiled up in a bun. Now I'm in my 60's, have very thick hair, and keep it just to my shoulders. I don't want to fuss with all of that hair anymore!! :)
Photo of Shirley K. Brown Shirley K. Brown
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12/12/2017
AncientFaces I’m glad you still have thick hair. I don’t know why but I know no one in my part of Texas that still has really thick hair. You are blessed.
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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12/12/2017
Shirley K. Brown Except for all the hair that sheds everywhere! :)
Photo of Shirley K. Brown Shirley K. Brown
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12/13/2017
I grew up in Houston but we all had a thick and shiny hair, the ones I knew didn't do home perms.
Photo of Esther Evans Esther Evans
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12/13/2017
AncientFaces Yes....I have long thick hair, and I swear I shed worse than the cat....haha
Photo of Michele E. Lupe Michele E. Lupe
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12/12/2017
Beautiful.
Photo of Christina Glover Christina Glover
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12/12/2017
Beautiful x
Photo of Pam Long Pam Long
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12/12/2017
Beautiful!
Photo of Eva Legarra Eva Legarra
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12/12/2017
How did she get her hair to stay lile that????
Such a Beautiful Face!
Photo of Terri Allen Terri Allen
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12/12/2017
Pretty lady.
Photo of Leonor Balderrama Leonor Balderrama
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12/12/2017
PRETTY!!
Photo of Becky Kelly Becky Kelly
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12/12/2017
Beautiful. Love these old picture's.
Photo of Susan Hodges Caballero Susan Hodges Caballero
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12/12/2017
beautiful
Photo of Dan Mudflap Dan Mudflap
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12/12/2017
Cutie pie
Photo of Joan McCarty Joan McCarty
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12/12/2017
hard life.
Photo of LeeAnn Duke LeeAnn Duke
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12/12/2017
She was so lovely but seems to have had a rotten life
Photo of Sheridan Fenwick Sheridan Fenwick
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12/12/2017
BEAUTIFUL..BUT SAD
Photo of Bambi Harper Bambi Harper
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12/13/2017
So pretty
Photo of Terry Juhlin Terry Juhlin
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12/13/2017
What a difficult life she had with such a sad sad ending...
So terribly sad.
Photo of Laura Cater Laura Cater
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12/14/2017
Look at how pretty she is
Photo of Toni Gonzales Toni Gonzales
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12/14/2017
Beautiful lady
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Jenna Dean "Bird Millman" Engleman
Jenna Dean Engleman was born in 1890 at Canon City, Colorado, and died at age 50 years old in 1940 at Canon City, Colorado. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jenna Dean "Bird Millman" Engleman.
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