There is a nice biography about his life in the book "History of Kent County, Michigan - Chas. C. Chapman & Co. 1881" page 565 and 566.

In the biography it says the family originated from England when in 1655 two brothers landed in New York. One of the brothers proceeded to Canada and the other stayed in New York. (It doesn't give names)


It says his grandfather was "Lemuel Birdsall, a native of Quaker Hill, Dutchess Co., New York, a farmer, whom lived many years at Harpersfield, Delaware County, New York, where he died, aged 99 years."

His father was William Birdsall was born in 1781. He married at Harpersfield, Delaware County, New York about 1802 to Mary Fuller. In 1816 William Birdsall moved the family to Erie County, New York; he died in 1869; and Mrs. Birdsall in 1873. Together they had 13 children, 11 of them are listed as Olive, Lydia, Sarah, William, Benjamin, Mary, Lucinda, Celinda, Oliver, Rebecca, and John - all of Erie County, New York.

William Birdsall was the oldest son and their fourth child born at Saratoga, New York on Sept. 11, 1814. The place of his birth was the well known Wilber farm, situated in a historic locality, it being a portion of the battle-field of Stillwater. On March 13, 1839 he was married at Evans, Erie Co., New York by Rev. Mr. Bliss, to Selina Hawley, daughter of Salma and Jane (Huson) Hawley, born on Nov. 18, 1822.

In March 1846 William sold his land in New York and with his wife Selina, and two adopted children (one was John Bowen) left with a team for Alpine Township, Kent County, Michigan the trip took 21 days. He settled on Section 33, but also bought acres in Walker Township. He later purchased his present (1881) homestead of 80 acres on Section 34. He built a frame house 18x26 feet and a large frame barn. The family moved into the house on Jan. 1, 1849 and still lives there although it has been remodeled and enlarged, and now consists of 200 acres. He has fine orchards and fruitful gardens. Altogether he owns about 2,000 acres of lands.

Together they had 14 children; Alonzo, John Bowen (adopted son), infant twins (deceased), Salma, Oliver, Albert, William, infant (deceased), Charlotte, Ira, infant (deceased), Martin, and Jena.

They were members of the Congregational Church. William Birdsall was on the steamer "Atlantic" lost on Lake Erie in 1852, when 450 of 600 passengers were lost.