05-29 Benjamin, Lt. Col.5 Nathan4, Benjamin3, Nathan2, Henry1
Benjamin Birdsall was born in Dutchess County on Aug 4, 1743, son of Nathan and Jane (Langdon) Birdsall. Benjamin married Elizabeth Akin. He died on Oct 8, 1828 in the town of Greene, Chenango County, NY.
Note 50 in The Birdsall Family, 1982 states:
Benjamin was a captain of the 5th Reg., Dutchess Co., and was commissioned first Major 10-17-1775, under Col. Morris Graham. Later he became Lt. Col. He was not Lt. Col. Benjamin of Long Island (05-16). That was his cousin. The family here compiled were taken from the D.A.R. Lineage Books, and the magazine that used to be published by the D.A.R. He is buried in the Canal Street Cemetery, Greene, N.Y., Chenango County.
Although Benjamin was born and educated a Quaker, he abandoned his Orthodox Quakerism to join the American Army. His obituary, as provide by Robi Green on “Find A Grave” website reads as follows:
Died,
at his residence in the town of Greene [Chenango Co, NY], in this county, on
the 14th instant, Col Benjamin Birdsall, in the 87th year of his age. Col
Birdsall was an early and substantial patriot of the revolution. He was born in
Dutchess county in the year 1743, and though educated a Quaker, yet when the
crisis came which tried the patriotism and the hearts of our fathers, he
abandoned the principles of non-resistance, and, in opposition to a majority of
his connexions and early friends, declared for his
country. His known ability and undoubted integrity at once procured him the
commission of a colonel in the militia, under which he was frequently called to
the defense of his country in the most perilous times, and suffered, in common
with the heroes of liberty, the privations and hardships peculiar to that
eventful period. Perhaps few individuals of that day suffered more from the
malicious ravages of the tories than did the subject
of this notice. They not only pillaged his stables, drove and butchered his
cattle to feed the enemy, but pursued his life with an avidity that required
his utmost vigilance to elude. A few years after the termination of that
struggle which eventuated in the establishment of our national independence, he
removed to Columbia county, where he was repeatedly honored by the suffrages of
his fellow citizens with a seat in the state legislature, and other offices of
trust, which he filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to his
constituents. about fourteen years ago he removed to the town of Greene, where
he lived beloved and respected until worn out by age and infirmities of nature,
he closed his active and useful life, leaving a progeny of children, grand children and great grand children,
amounting in all to about 120 souls.
Children of Benjamin Birdsall and Elizabeth Akin, surname Birdsall:
06-78 Lewis, b. Jan 22, 1770, m. Patience Lee (b. Feb 2, 1771) in 1790, d. 1843.
06-79 Mary P., b. July 10, 1772, m. Samuel Stark on July 7, 1794, d. Jan 22, 1827. They had one son, John Stark (07-183), b. May 29, 1812. Samuel Stark d. Sept 30, 1840.
06-80 Albert, b. 1774, m. ______
06-81 Maurice, b. 1775, m. 1) Ann Pixley (she d. June 12, 1828) and 2) Ann Purple (b. Mar 7, 1793, d. Nov 24, 1880, Greene, NY) Maurice d. Jan 7, 1852
06-82 Judith, b. 1778, m. Joseph Hagaman
06-83 Henry H, b. 1780, m. 1) Rachel Erwin and 2) _____ Abashaby
06-84 Benjamin, Lt. Col., b. 1781, m. Lydia Bushnell in Hillsdale and Greene, NY
06-85 James, b. 1783, m. Rizpah Steeere, Norwich, NY. Moved to Greene, NY, James was elected to Congress.
06-86 George A., b. 1785, m. Sarah Hagaman (she b. in Albany), lived in Greene and Watkins and Schuyler, N.Y.
Sources:
The Birdsall Family, George A. Birdsall, 1982, pg. 47, Notes 50 & 103
Link to Birdsall Home Page
Link to Index