Husband Robert Booth Townsend 1 2 3 4
Born: 9 Apr 1790 - near Brownsville, Washington Co, PA 1 2 3
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Died: Abt 1867
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Father: Benjamin Townsend (1742- ) 2 3 5
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Marriage:
Wife Deborah Colman 2
Born: - England
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Children
1 M William Penn Townsend 1 6 7
Born: Abt 1816 - Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA
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Died: 27 Sep 1894 6
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Spouse: Sarah A. Champlin (Abt 1819-Aft 1899) 6 8
2 F Mary Townsend 2
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3 F Sabina Townsend 2
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4 F Elizabeth Townsend 2
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5 M John M. Townsend 8
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6 F Caroline Townsend 8
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7 F Lydia Townsend 8
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8 M George Townsend 8
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General Notes: Husband - Robert Booth Townsend
Shortly before his birth, his father had removed from Chester County, Pennsylvania, to Washington County.
When sixteen years of age he repaired to Baltimore, Maryland, and there learned the trade of wire working, establishing himself, in 1816, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in that business. In 1828 he removed to Fallston, Beaver County, and erected a factory for the manufacture of iron wire, continuing this enterprise, as well as that in Pittsburgh, until 1861, when, owing to failing health, he retired from active business. His eldest son, William Penn Townsend, became associated with him in 1840, and he, with his two sons, Charles C. and Edward P. Townsend, continued the business, to which was added the manufacture of iron rivets, and of steel wire nails.
From western Pennsylvania, he was sent back east at an early age to acquire such education as could be more readily furnished there than in the west. After some years spent in school, he went from Philadelphia to Baltimore and was apprenticed in the foundry and machine shop of Hugh Balderson & Son to receive what he might of business instruction. After a few years spent in Baltimore, he returned to the western part of Pennsylvania, and in 1816 established in Pittsburgh a small business in the drawing and weaving of wire. It presently became necessary to provide himself with better facilities and he built a factory at Fallston in the adjoining county of Beaver where water power was available along the banks of the Beaver River. This decision was aided also by the fact that his cousin, David Townsend, had acquired a considerable track of land at that point, having thought very favorably of the possibilities in the development of water power on that stream. Thus it was that this branch of the Pennsylvania Townsends came to Beaver County.
He was born on a farm near Brownsville, Washington County, Pennsylvania. He was engaged in the wire business at Baltimore, Maryland, until 1816, and then established a similar business on Market street, between First and Second avenues, Pittsburgh. In 1828, he started the first wire plant west of the Alleghanies, at Fallston, Pennsylvania,-it also being the first iron business in Beaver County. The machinery of this plant was run by water, though a large part of the work was done by hand. In his latter years, he retired from active business, and erected a handsome residence on Third avenue, New Brighton. Mr. Townsend was of Quaker stock,-a very liberal and charitable man,-and enjoyed the friendship of a host of acquaintances. He passed from this life at the age of seventy-seven years.
General Notes: Wife - Deborah Colman
She was born in England, and came to the United States when a girl of sixteen years; she died aged eighty-five years.