Seelyville James C Birdsall was born in Carbondale, the second son of James and Hannah Stott Birdsall. James started a carding mill at Lackawaxen Falls in Seelyville in 1846. The Birdsall Mill operated for 100 years and was known for the manufacture of fine woolen blankets, flannel cloth, yarns, and clothing. In 1863, James C. married Margaret Woodward and five years later purchased the land on which this large Victorian house was built. Ten children were born to the couple. Only Alice, Emma, Isabel, and Willard survived to adulthood. James was active in the family business, a director of the Honesdale National Bank, a school director, and elected Associate Judge in 1886. The house stayed in the Birdsall family until 1945 when it was bought by Alfred and Silvia Sheard Robinson Jim and Gail Schell purchased the property in 1996 and are in the process of restoring the house as they raise their five children The three story building has the steeply pitched roofs, front corner tower. asymmetrical porch and the gable ornamentation typical of the Queen Anne style. Historic Preservation Award given in 1998 to Mr. & Mrs. James Schell for restoration of this property. From 1993 through 2008 the Honesdale National Bank published an annual wall calendar, each featured 13 historic sites. The sites were chosen and researched by a committee of the historical society and artwork was commissioned to Judy Hunt and William Amptman by the bank.

This page was one month of the calendar and was made possible through the Wayne County Commissioners and a Tourism Promotion Committee’s Tourism Grant.