Townsend

 Townsend cousins, Mary Kay Ross and Sue Downey.  I think that Milton Cook also is a Townsend descendent through Elizabeth Townsend Cook.

Kim Townsend Spangrude who was unable to attend the Homecoming sent the following information:

I recently was able to correct some DAR records on John and Elvira (Cain) Townsend and the brief military role he and his brothers had in the Revolutionary War.  They were the sons of John and Elizabeth (Pearson) Townsend, and because they "took up arms in a war-like manner", they were di-united with the Bush River MM.  They later became reunited/reinstated when the war was over.  

John and Elvira Townsend and family eventually made their way through Ohio and down to Wayne, Indiana, with the other Bush River members, where they stayed.  Born in 1763, John died in 1853, and is buried in Fountain City, Indiana, in the Willow Grove Cemetery. His wife Elvira died at the age of 102 in 1870, and is buried in Friends Cemetery, West Elkton, Preble County Ohio.

Some major errors in the very first applications for John Townsend as a patriot,were made by DAR members in the early 20th Century.   The biggest error found by contemporary researchers of the DAR and SAR, was that the earliest applications for John Townsend as patriot stated that he and his family were in Burke County, North Carolina.  (This John Townsend who lived there is actually a very distant cousin to our John Townsend).  Because there was inadequate documentation that they served under Nathanial Greene and later received land for their military service, my initial application to the DAR was denied; all the earlier applications and members who had applied through this John Townsend with the very same information would be able to remain as members, although the information given was found to be inaccurate.  And all future applications based on this information would also be denied membership.   I had to prove that he actually was in South Carolina at Padgets Creek MM (which reported to the Bush River Friends Meeting) having come from Pennsylvania (including the Pearsons, Cains, Chandlers, Cooks, Wrights, Jones and of course many other family names), and that he and his brothers fought in the Revolutionary War when Charlston was under seige.  They served under Col. Thomas Brandon, a militia leader in Union County, South Carolina, a neighbor of the Townsends – John Jr., William and James.

Mary Kay recently contacted me with the following question.  Please get in touch if you have any answers for Mary Kay:

I am currently addressing an old question, but trying new avenues for the answer. My ancestor, William Townsend, 1759-1824 is my mover. He was born in PA and died in Greenville, Ohio. He lived in the Bush River area and he along with his brother were disowned by the faith for "going out in a warlike manner"in 1781. It is documented in Hinshaw.

 Records show he had children in SC before leaving for Ohio in the early 1800's. I simply cannot find the maiden name of  Margaret, his wife. He must have been

married in SC probably some time before his war service..(1778 - 1780) (first child was born  about 1780).

I have researched Margaret (William's wife),  even have her "will". No mention of a maiden name. In an effort to follow up on our Ohio trip, I called Guilford College and spoke to someone in the research library. She simply gave me the information from Hinshaw, nothing more. Any clue where I go from here??

Obviously they met and married in SC. The couple moved to Waynesville and then on to Greenville, Ohio. After William's death, she moved to Allen County, Indiana. She died there in 1845

If you have any further comments or suggestions re: Margaret Townsend, I would be forever grateful. For instance, are there records of Quaker marriages in the Bush River groups? I think they were married before his service. Are there records of members of the Quaker Meetings? I wonder if she sought a widow's pension which might have her maiden name.