Person:Rowland Bird (1)

indicates Rowland Bird, b. Mass in 1793 settled in New York and then Michigan.

Enoch Bird household; Whately, Hampshire, Massachusetts
Enoch Bird - Males: 2 1 1 - 1; Females: 2 1 - 1 -

Ebenezer Bird household; Williamsburg, Hampshire, Massachusetts
Ebenezer Bird - Males: 1 - - - 1; Females - - 1 - 1

Record from the minutes of the laying out of a public highway an actual survey according as the needle of the old town compass now hangs, beginning in the center of a public highway leading from Colonel David White’s southerly to Farmington and directly opposite the southeast corner of Rowland Bird’s now dwelling house, thence east 8 ½ degrees, north 222256 rods to where it intersects a road leading from Barnhart’s mill to Farmington and 32 rods southerly from the northeast corner of Lot No. 2 now owned by George Crane. Dated: January 4th, 1819. Luman Harrison and Bernard Beal, Commissioners of Highways

Palmyra, Ontario, New York
Roland Bird Males: 1<10, 1 16<18, 1 16<26, 1 26<45 Females: 2 <10, 1 26<45

Looks like one or two of Rowland's brothers (1 male 16<18 & 1 male 16<26 could/should be the same person) may have been living with him. Probably just one because of the overlap but many enumerators got it wrong. This could have been Lydia's brother(s) but that is unlikely since Solomon was alive and living near the Birds in 1820.

PROFILE OF MACEDON, WAYNE COUNTY, NEW YORK From the 1824 Gazetteer of the State of New York, by Horatio Gates Spafford MACEDON, a Township in the SW corner of Wayne County, 20 miles W. of Lyons, 16 N. of Canandaigua, bounded N. by Ontario, E. by Palmyra, S. by Farmington of Ontario County, W. by Perrinton of Monroe. It is township 12, range 3, of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, has Mud creek across its SE corner, and the Erie Canal across the southern part, described as the W. township of Palmyra, in Ontario County, in the early part of this Work, and need not be again described. It was erected Jan. 20, 1823, from the W. part of Palmyra, Ontario County, and before the close of the same session became one of the townships of the new County of Wayne.

Received and recorded February 12, 1823. Minutes of survey of the alteration of certain roads on the lands of Calvin Bradish, Ethan Lapham, William Randall, and Benjamin Everett, which are as follows, viz., beginning in the center of the road running from David White's southeasterly to Manchester near the northeast corner of Rowland Bird's house, thence south 83 degrees, west 69 rods, thence south 72 degrees, west 210 rods, thence south 66 degrees, west 189 rods, thence north 82½ degrees, west 80 rods to the east end of the straight part of the road running the same course by William Jackson's until it intersect the road running from Darius Comstock's house to the Friends' Meeting House in Farmington. Also beginning in the center of the road against Ethan Laphams house, thence south 38 degrees, east 81 rods, thence south 68 rods where it intersects the first altered or laid road on William Randall's land. November 23rd, 1822. Ira Lapham and James L. Stoddard Commissioners of Highways (Margin notation: Same day posted) I certify the above to be a true copy of the original, a copy of which was posted on the meeting house door February 12, 1823. Frederick Smith, Town Clerk

Macedon, Wayne, New York
Rowland Bird Males: 1 5<10, 1 10<15, 1 30<40 Females:2 <5, 1 5<10, 1 10<15, 1 15<20, 1 30<40

Rowland Bird found in: U.S. Selected Counties, 1830 Census Index State: MI County: MONROE CO. Census/Enumeration year: 1834 Census type code: PETITION LIST

With the opening of the Erie Canal, many families in New York State and other eastern states felt the time was right to seek land in Michigan. The years 1835-1850 brought almost a flood of new settlers into the southern portions Michigan.

On March 8, 1836 the first white settler arrived in the area, by the name of Rowland Bird. He brought along his wife and seven children and a man by the name of Leander Candee, a man of all work.

TOWN EIGHT SOUTH, TWO WEST. The town described in the title to this section was first a part of the town- ship of Moscow, 1835, of Adams, 1836, and of Florida, 1837-40. Rowland Bird was the first settler in the town, his advent to its wilds bearing date March the eighth, 1836, while the town was yet a part of Moscow, but it is fair to presume the authorities of Moscow knew nothing of his coming. Mr. Bird was a native of Massachusetts. In 1832, after a sojourn in the State of New York, he came to the Territory of Michigan and settled in or near Sylvania. During the Toledo war he determined to be an inhabitant of Michigan at all hazards, removed from the disputed territory, and settled in town eight south. Mr. Bird's family consisted of his wife and seven children,--three sons and four daughters,-- and a young man named Leander Candee. The next family settled in the town was Orrin Cobb, on the west line. Thomas Burt, family and brother, settled in 1837 or '38 probably, as he speaks of stopping over night at the Medina tavern and with Augustus Finney at Lanesville. The Burts were English people. Thomas, when he first came to America, settled on the Maumee river, near Perrysburgh. A few years after, he returned to England, and then his wife and brother came over with him. Having sold his Ohio posessions, he sought a home in the wilderness of Michigan. When they came to Medina, on their way in, they were penniless. Mr. Burt explained his situation and was cared for as well as though he had money. At Lanesville the same course was pursued with like results. The family carried their own provisions, and only needed shelter for themselves and shelter and provender for their beasts. Near the northwest corner of Pittsford the family were left while the men pushed on to build a cabin, and very soon they were settled on their own land. A few years later they were able to repay the worthy landlords for their kindness. The way having been opened, the town was settled quite rapidly, and some settlers found their way into town nine south. The first school was taught in a shanty on the northwest quarter of section eight, by Lucinda Bird, in the summer of 1838. Three families sent to this school,-- Orren Cobb, Israel S. Hodges and Rowland Bird. The same year, Mr. Bird built the first frame barn. Some of the men who helped at the raising came from Jonesville for that purpose. Indeed, the settlers of that town know what hardships and privations mean. One of them desiring sash for the windows of his new log house, walked to Jonesville, bought five sash, paid all his money, lashed the sash to his back, and returned without having a mouthful to eat. Another man desiring some seed oats, started out, accompanied by his thirteen-year-old boy, in search of some; he bought three bushels three miles west of Hudson. Two bushels were put in one bag and one bushel in the other. The bags were shouldered respectively by father and son, and carried the whole distance home. In the year 1839 a child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Babcock,--the first birth in the township. March the eighth the first death occurred. It was Allen Bird, aged sixteen years. He died just three years after the arrival of the family in the town. The Rev. Jacob Ambler, of Osseo, preached the funeral sermon,--the first sermon in the town. In March, 1840, occurred the first marriage in the territory now embraced within the limits of Ransom. Leander Candee and Miss Lorinda, eldest daughter of Mr. Rowland Bird. It is said to be the first because, although Miss Drake, of town nine south had been married the year previous, yet as both towns were then Florida, and the scene of the marriage is now in Amboy, it is difficult to see how it can be credited to Rowland or its successor, Ransom. The inhabitants having become numerous,--about one hundred,--the Legislature of Michigan, at its session in the winter of 1840, was petitioned to organize towns

Index indicates Rowland Bird of Massachusetts settled in New York then in Michigan. Cites two books: The Bean Creek Valley. Incidents of its early settlement. (New York?) and History of Hillsdale County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches. Philadelphia, Everts & Abbott, 1879. 334 p. (L. C., Y. S.)

Grant signers found in pre-1908 Michigan Cash & Homestead Entries on the Cadastral Survey Plat of Township 8 South, Range 2 West (roughly Ransom Twp. - Hillsdale County) These documents were signed between 1837 and 1839. ROWLAND BIRD BRONSON 255.05 August 02, 1837 ROWLAND BIRD BRONSON 84.1 August 02, 1837 ROWLAND BIRD BRONSON 80 August 05, 1837 ROWLAND BIRD BRONSON 160 August 05, 1837 ROWLAND BIRD BRONSON 160 November 07, 1837

The first town meeting was held at the Duryea home in April 1837. The following is a list of every voter in the township at the time: John Perrin, John Perrin Jr, S.W. Perrin, J.H Thorn, Peter Failing, James Bullard, R. McNeil Jr. Rev. Jacob Ambler, Chauncey Leonard, W.S. Coon, Rowland Bird, J.H Springer, James Howell, H.P Adams, H. Hadley, William Heacox, O.B. Coffin, William Green, Frederick Duryea, H. Bullard, R. McNeal Sr. Fourtelett O. Anderson, H. Black, Perez Dimmick, A Orcutt, and John Duryea.

Chapter on Ranson Township indicates Priscilla Bird married Nelson Doty April 4, 1843 so she must have been alive during 1840 census.

Rowland Bird
Males: 1 <5, 2 20<30, 1 40<50
Females: 1 10<15, 1 15<20, 1 40<50

This seems to indicate that Allen, who was age 20 in 1840, was still alive for the census. This is not consistent with the "Historical highlites of Ransom" webpage which indicates he died in 1839.

On January 28, 1840 the Township was named "Roland" in honor of its first settler. On March 9th. 1848 the Township was renamed, Ransom due to the influence of "certain parties" living in the Township, Who these people were has been lost in time but the residents of the Township believed the pioneer of the Township should be honored so on April 2, 1849 the name was changed to "Bird Township". The final act which named the Town and Township, Ransom was adopted March 28, 1850.