John Comly Birdsell (March 31, 1815 – July 13, 1894) was an American manufacturer and businessman from New York. He was known for inventing the

Birdsell Clover Huller The Birdsell Clover Huller was invented by John Comly Birdsell in 1855 in West Henrietta, New York (near Rochester). His machine both removed the hulls from the clover (threshing), removed the seeds from the hulls ( hulling), and cleaned the see ...

and founding the Birdsell Manufacturing Company.

Early life

John Comly Birdsell was born on March 31, 1815, in Westchester County, New York, to Charity (née Carpenter) and Benjamin Birdsell. In 1822, Birdsell moved to western New York. He attended the district school and the village academy in West Henrietta, New York. In 1836, Birdsell rented a farm near Mendon.

Career

In 1839, Birdsell purchased a farm of in

Rush Rush(es) may refer to: Places United States * Rush, Colorado * Rush, Kentucky * Rush, New York * Rush City, Minnesota * Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois * Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream * Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...

. In 1855, Birdsell invented the

, a machine for threshing clover. His machine received first prize at the 1857 New York State Fair. He also received awards at the Ohio State Fair and Michigan State Fair. He built a small factory for his machine at Quaker Hill in West Henrietta, but the business was not successful. By the end of 1858, Birdsell had sold 26 hullers. He attempted to sell his patent to C. Altman, a manufacturer of reapers in

Canton, Ohio Canton () is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, Ohio. It is located approximately south of Cleveland and south of Akron in Northeast Ohio. The city lies on the edge of Ohio's extensive Amish country, particularly in Holmes and ...

, but Altman declined. Birdsell built shops in South Bend, Indiana, in 1863. In 1864, his offices in West Henrietta burned down. Birdsell moved to South Bend in April 1864. Birdsell sold his farm in New York for in 1865. He incorporated Birdsell Manufacturing Company in 1870. In 1872, Birdsell built a new factory on South Columbia Street. In April 1874, Judge Noah Haynes Swayne of the Northern Ohio District Court upheld Birdsell's patent. Birdsell won a verdict against patent infringers, including Angus McDonald & Co. and the Ashland Manufacturing Company. By the 1880s, the Birdsell Manufacturing Company was successful. Birdsell was a Republican and later supported the Prohibition movement. He was one of the organizers and served vice president of the St. Joseph County Savings Bank.

Personal life

Birdsell married Harriet Lunt on June 7, 1838. They had five children, including Varnum Ogilvie (1841–1875), Joseph Benjamin (born 1843), Byron A. (born 1847), Harriet Elizabeth (1856–1863) and John "Jed" Comly Jr. (born 1859). His wife died in April 1869. In June 1879, Birdsell married Susan Snelling of Boston. In 1880, Birdsell and his wife traveled abroad to Europe, Egypt and the Holy Land. Birdsell was a

Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

and was a member of South Bend's

Knights Templar , colors = White mantle with a red cross , colors_label = Attire , march = , mascot = Two knights riding a single horse , equipment ...

. Birdsell died from a

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

on July 13, 1894, at the home of Mrs. Egbert in

New Carlisle, Indiana New Carlisle is a suburban village in Olive Township, St. Joseph County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 1,861 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the South Bend– Mishawaka, IN- MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area. History ...

. He was buried at South Bend City Cemetery.

Legacy

Following his death, Birdsell's sons continued the Birdsell Manufacturing Company until 1938. Birdsell Street in South Bend is named after Birdsell.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Birdsell, John 1815 births 1894 deaths People from Westchester County, New York People from Rochester, New York People from South Bend, Indiana 19th-century American businesspeople 19th-century American inventors New York (state) Republicans Indiana Republicans American Freemasons