Husband John Hill Townsend 1 2
AKA: John Henry Townsend 1
Born: 30 May 1819 - near Salina, Armstrong Co, PA 1
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Died: 5 Oct 1882 or 1885 2 3
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Father: Isaac Townsend (Abt 1789-1866) 1 2 4 5
Mother: Mary "Polly" Hill (Abt 1796-1846) 1
Marriage: 26 Jun 1849 4
Wife Eliza Burkett 4
AKA: Eliza Burkit 6
Born:
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Died: Aug 1895 3
Buried:
Father: John Burkett ( - ) 4
Mother: Polly Stout ( - ) 6
Children
1 M Newton E. Townsend 6
Born:
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Died: Aft 1906
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2 M Frank R. Townsend 4 6
Born: 15 Jan 1855 - Allegheny Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA 3
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Spouse: Phoebe H. George (1858- ) 3
Marr: 20 Sep 1883 7
3 M Eden Augustus Townsend 6
AKA: Eaton A. Townsend 2
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4 F Alice Townsend 6
Born:
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Spouse: William Adair ( - ) 6
5 M Barton Hill Townsend 6 8
Born: 23 Jun 1863 - Vandergrift, Westmoreland Co, PA 2
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Spouse: Ada J. Burkett ( - ) 9
Marr: 8 Mar 1886 9
6 M Grant Burkit Townsend 6
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7 F Florence Townsend 6
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General Notes: Husband - John Hill Townsend
He was raised on his father's farm, and first educated in the old-time subscription schools, but when a young man attended those of the free-school system just then established. In 1832 his father removed to a farm, located in the three-bottom tract of the "Horseshoe Bend" of the Kiskiminetas. It was then all in woods save a small clearing with a log house on it. A frame mansion was erected about 1840. The place was a part of the original Johnston tract, very early patented.
After his marriage he removed to Apollo, and with his brother Eden erected a flouring-mill, in which he was engaged until 1854, when he came to a farm where he thereafter resided.
In politics he was a pronounced Democrat, and active in the counsels of his party, of which he was a leading exponent in the county. Ever largely identified with the cause of education, he was for twelve years one of the township school directors, and greatly contributed to the efficiency of the schools in his jurisdiction by elevating the system and in the erection of new and commodious school-houses. In 1878 he was elected a county commissioner, and served for three years, with great acceptance to the people. During this period his colleagues were Henry Keely and William Taylor, while the clerk of the board was Darwin Musick. During his administration the large and elegant "County Home" was erected,-an enduring monument to the honor and judgment of the board,-and many other valuable public improvements made.
On the building of the Western Pennsylvania Railroad, in which he warmly enlisted, he gave to the railroad company the right of way through his lands, and also two lots, for the foreman's house and water-plug. The company on his ground built a station and named it, in his honor, "Townsend."
He was a member, with his family, of the Apollo Lutheran Church, to which he was a liberal contributor. His elegant seat, embracing some three hundred acres, was beautifully located three miles above Leechburg, on the banks of the Kiskiminetas, in a section rich in historic incidents and near the site of an old Indian town.