My own particular progenitor of interest is a James Townsend born about 1816-7. There is another researcher who has a Henry Townsend abt 1817-18. They appear in LeRay, but it is unknown if they are born there. Some family members believe they were born there. Others note later census responses suggest other locations. My own line is not unique in this regard. There are other researchers that have a similar degree of "stuckness." Baring the discovery of a spaceship that littered random Townsend males throughout the state of New York in the early 1800s, it seems there needs to be a shift in the research approach.
That means getting into the weeds and sorting the family lines out. In doing so, it means working on lines that may not be mine. It may mean that there are gleanings here for future researchers. For this reason, I have put this blog up, in the event that any of this information has some value for some future or current researcher. One never knows who in the future may have the other pieces of the puzzle, or who may have an ancestor that appears claiming to be from New York. New York is a big state, and Jefferson County certainly seems to be "Townsend Central." There is a bridge named Townsend Bridge, a creek named Townsend Creek.
Before there was a county government, there were Townsend men in the region. Before there was a USA, there were Townsend men reporting from the region. Townsend men made and lost fortunes in the region.
There are some historical documents that yield insight and there are genealogies from other families that do offer some tidbits for researchers. This blog is aimed at leaving that information for future researchers and applying it to genealogy research.
Today's posting is in looking at Townsend notes that are included in an old book written in 1895 by John Haddock, along with a followup discussion from the early census. In this book, Haddock discusses the local history of each part of the county, and includes names of those involved. He also includes tidbits on who married who and what children they had. It is rather interesting for anyone researching genealogy in the region and perhaps the most valuable genealogy find I have ever encountered for Central New York.
How accurate the book is, I have no idea. It was written in the 1890s, and many of the old original settlers lived into the 1860s, so there would be grandchildren who heard first hand about matters of history. Records that were later destroyed would still be in place and tombstones would still be readable. It is interesting reading and offers researchers clues to find their roots. For this reason, I am bothering with it.
No matter what surname you are researching in Jefferson County, you will find the book very useful.
The citation for the source is
Haddock, John A., The Growth of a Century : as Illustrated in the History of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894 Albany, N.Y. 1895.
Era of the American Revolution
One of the earliest Townsend persons noted by Haddock was a Townsend who "served" with Niles VonSchoultz. VonSchoultz was a Polish baron who had become part of the American cause. He organized a group of volunteers to "free Canada from Tyranny." The problem was that the Canadians didn't want to be freed from Tyranny. VonSchoultz was under the impression that Canadians would flock to his cause with his little force of invaders. Such was not the case and he was ill informed. They were seen as brigands robbing steamships. The British under Dundas counterattacked them, and the band held up in a mill after a 3 hour battle. They remained hiding in the mill surrounded for quite some time, in a state that Haddock calls "Polish Exile." They ended up surrendering and becoming British prisoners of war and were held at Kingston. One of them was named Abner B. Townsend. was among the group of volunteers. He was held as a POW. He is listed as being from Jefferson County, but since there was no Jefferson County at that time, it is difficult to ascertain where he was actually from.
Was this guy really from the area now known as Jefferson County? I don't know. Since there was no local government, I don't know that anyone could say for certain. There are no known colonial settlers, but that doesn't mean there wasn't any. He is clearly a character worth looking into.
The region was a sight of many battles during the American Revolution, and there is no question that people on both sides of the war effort became acquainted with the region through military service. It is unlikely they were "from" there, but merely settled there. The maps of the time show no white settlements in the region. There are no records of colonial settlement, and it seems the area was regarded as Indian County prior to the American Revolution.
There was also a Samuel Townsend who was awarded land in the military grant area in the 1790 time frame. He did show up to claim land, but a Samuel does not appear in the census in the region. There is a Samuel Townsend down in Chenango County. It seems a bit out of place for the region, but later descendants appear claiming to be from that County. Perhaps he claimed the land and left it as legacy land for his children? Perhaps he traded the land for land in Chenango? An examination of the land records would have to bear that out.
The gentleman who was influential in the development of the region was named Jacques-Donatien Le Ray de Chaumont. A wikipedia entry states,
The town of Teresa founded at a later date is apparently named for LeRay Jr's wife.
The real development in the region begins with LeRay and a group who head to the region. They are Quakers who build settlements in this area, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, and other places. Quakers are often referred to as "Friends." Somehow, Jacques-Donatien LeRay de Chaumont in New Jersey ends up being involved with the group of Friends in New Jersey and Bucks County. Along with LeRay, the Strickland family appears to be with them from New Jersey. The rest of the Friends are from Bucks County. They purchase a tract for development and that is where the story of the region really begins for the genealogist.
The Friends Purchase was a group of Quaker families from counties of Bucks, Philadelphia, and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania along with Quakers in Burlington, NJ (principally the Strickland and LeRay families). They acquired the land and decided to form a corporation to sell land for a Quaker settlement. The 7,040 acre region was subdivided and a few men were sent to sell the land at $3.00 per acre. For their efforts, the men received prime lands of their choosing, and some in the center of what was to become LeRay.
Spafford’s Gazetteer of 1813 states,
Next we learn from Haddock that the Townsend men also moved a block building and built a lumber mill. Haddock also states that the two, John and Thomas are brothers, and that they moved their families to the region. Therefore, the first winter the Townsend families spent in the area was 1805-6.
The first birth in the region was to John Townsend and his wife Asenath on February February 14, 1807. The next birth was a son Oliver to the Child family.
It seems that the Townsend men sold their interests in the next year to Mr. John Strickland Sr. Strickland had 11 children and was looking for a place for the family to settle. Later, we learn that Strickland is married to John and Thomas's sister. He traded 300 plus acres in Bucks County, PA for land in this area. Remember the original settlement was slightly over 7,040 acres. Strickland bought 5,000. That places most of the settlement into his control. So where did the Townsend families go? If one has an 1895 map of the region, it appears that Thomas settled on land that was owned by Joshua Roberts at the time that Haddock was writing. We know that John Townsend removed "thence to his farm," suggesting that it was well known at the time that Haddock was writing.
The books of Mr. Child in the possession of Haddock at the time mention the Townsend men in some accounts that he kept. For example, Thomas pays a road tax in 1808.
The next mention we have of the Quaker Townsend families by Haddock is in the first town meeting. This meeting took place in the public house of Harvey Hamblin in Philadelphia Village on March 5, 1822. John Townsend is one of the three commissioners of the highway selected. Haddock details this as follows:
On first reading, one wonders where Thomas is in this business. On second reading knowing that Thomas is the older brother, it seems peculiar. Later, we learn that Thomas has left the region, and he is later found in Lowville, Lewis County, New York.
On February 15, 1840, James LeRay also donated a Quaker burial ground. Those placed in charge of overseeing the transaction and administering the grounds were Cadwallader Child, John Townsend, and Jason Merrick. Haddock also notes that the first person buried there was Jesse Smith's wife.
So, now what can we say about these two Townsend families? According to the records in Bucks County, Asenath's maiden name is Carver. Notes from Bucks County place John's birth in 1777. Data on Thomas is less certain from the census. All the Townsend surnamed families in Jefferson County in 1810 are as follows
While John and Thomas have LeRay listed, it should be remembered that LeRay was later split with part of it being Philadelphia and part of it being LeRay. Further the future town of Teresa was started by LeRay and he used some of his friends in LeRay to build the town, so researchers in both regions benefit by looking at the groups in LeRay. At this time, it was all LeRay, with Champion being connected to military veterans and Rodman an appropriated part of Lewis. What is apparent is that Thomas and John are there. In 1810, Thomas appears to be over 26 years old. Thomas also has a wife that is over 26. There is a female between 10-16, and female under 10. He has a male between 16-26 living with him and a male under age ten. This suggests he has at least one male and one female child was born before the family moved to the settlement.
In Haddock's section on Mr. Strickland (p. 668), more information can be gleaned about Thomas Townsend. Mr. Strickland and his wife Margaret Stout, were from New Jersey and their daughter Elizabeth Strickland was married to Thomas Townsend, apparently in Bucks, County. It also seems that John Strickland Jr. was married to a Rachael Townsend. Haddock doesn't offer additional details here.
Finding all three (John, Thomas, and Rachel) in the same census is informative and sets the matter straight. Having found John and Rachael Strickland in the 1855 census, Rachel Townsend Strickland reports age 74, born PA and implies a birth year of roughly 1781. That makes her more a contemporary of Thomas and John. The elusive Thomas is in the same census (discussed below) reports age 81 which means he was born in 1774 and John (across the page from Rachael in the census) is 76 years old born 1779.
Notice that the oldest child reported at home is named Thomas, and he also report born in Pennsylvania.
Haddock notes that Margaret Stout Strickland died in 1853. She does appear in the 1850 Census on the pages of Strickland family members. In 1850, she reports age 87, which implies a birth year of 1763. John Strickland Sr. died in 1849 at the age of 92 according to Haddock. That implies a birth year of 1757. Elizabeth Strickland Townsend died in 1864 according to Haddock. Haddock does not report a date of death for Thomas.
Haddock reports a story that is quite interesting and informative. Apparently, Mr. Strickland bought supplies for the troops during the War of 1812. He used a line of credit to do so. Apparently he overextended and was only able to recoup half the value of the supplies. To pay the debt, he was forced to sell nearly all of his lands except 200 acres. It is likely that the greater Strickland family would have moved and that would have included Thomas. This explains why Thomas has been so difficult to find in subsequent census periods.
Haddock is quite credible on this story. He could have known Strickland, and certainly would have known living people who knew them.
After some searching, it seems that Thomas and Elizabeth moved to Lowville, Lewis County, NY. They are there in the 1855 New York State Census. The problem isn't so much the family hiding as it is a transcription error on the index of the census; the person who indexed the census reported a French spelling variant of the name. (Tousant) However, when one looks at the census page and ignores the index with a sound-ex search, the couple is fairly obvious and the spelling is as expected. They are simply the next county over. Thomas age 81 reports and that he is from Pennsylvania, she reports she is 72 years old and born in New Jersey, which would make sense for someone born of the Strickland household before they arrived in Bucks County.
According to the 1855 NY State Census, they had lived in Lowville for 36 years, which means they moved there around 1819. That explains why they are not in the 1820 Census for Jefferson County and not listed in the notes for the first town meeting related by Haddock. It also fits the narrative told by Haddock about Strickland selling the land to pay the debts after the War of 1812.
Thomas and Elizabeth are also in the same structure as Solomon Phillips who is from Lewis County. However, Solomon's wife has lived in the county 10 years less than he has. The oldest Phillips children are named Thomas and Elizabeth, so it seems likely that Solomon's wife Ann is a child of Thomas and Elizabeth born in the Philadelphia Village settlement before their departure. She seems to be a daughter born subsequent to the 1810 census (implied birth year of 1819), and it is entirely likely that she is a daughter.
While this has revealed one daughter, it is useful for our purposes to figure out who the sons are, to determine if there is a connection to my own line or any of the terminal Townsend lines. Thomas is not likely to be a progenitor. He left just as my progenitor is being born somewhere, and the sons reported in the 1810 census are too old to be James Townsend b 1816. While there is a chance there is another child born to the couple after the 1810 census, and certain that is possible given Ann's birth, that child would have left with them to Lowville, Lewis, NY. However, the older male child living in the 1810 census is a possible progenitor, so some effort should be made to figure out the sons.
So, there is a chance that Thomas is a grandfather to one of the "lost lines" and that means Thomas continues to be a person of interest. The older son of Thomas in the 1810 remains unknown at the time of this writing. There are suspects, but nothing solid. There are family genealogies about, but they don't seem to have references in what is publicly available, and they do not include the first generation of descendants. That makes "jumping the bridge" to era before the 1850 census difficult.
Looking at the 1810 Census for John and Asenath Townsend appear to have one female under ten, and one male between 10-16 and two males under 10. This suggests that at least one son was already born before the family arrived in the LeRay area. John, the first child born in the area would be 3 years old. It may be a baby was born after that or another baby arrived with them from Bucks County, PA. Three children under 10 is a lot of work, and it is certain that Asenath was a busy woman.
If Haddock's records and the Bucks County records are accurate, the 1820 census can be given some meaning. John Townsend should be 43 years old in the 1820 Census. His son, John born 1807, would be 13 in the 1820 census if he lived. That child clearly appears in the 10-16 male category. The older male that was born in Bucks County, PA is clearly in the 16-26 category.
In passing for this researcher but by no means unimportant, the female household members appears to have increased in number. It also seems that the female child under 10 in the 1810 census was at least 7 because there is no entry for the 10-16 year category for a female but there is a female 16-26. A 17 -20 year old would fulfill both census requirements. That implies a birth range for the older female between 1800-1803. This female, if consistent with Haddock's historical notes, would report born in Bucks County, PA. It also appears there is a new female.
Asenath Carver Townsend dies in 1845 per the records on the Jefferson County genealogy page, one would expect to see John Townsend without her in the 1850 Census. John dies in 1861 according to the county records, so there is an opportunity to observe him in a few more census when family members are listed.
He is there with some family members. There is a Robert, Hannah, Ezra, Eliza Ann, Abi, and an Allison Main. John, at 76, seems an unlikely father of Abi. It seems more likely that Ezra, Eliza Ann, and Abi are grandchildren to John rather than children, and it seems more likely that Robert and Hannah husband and wife and not siblings. It seems clear that Robert, the oldest son, was born about 1805 in Bucks County, PA. He reports born in Pennsylvania, so that solves the puzzle of the eldest son.
In the 1855 state census, John Townsend is living with another daughter, Abi Williams. Her husband reports that he owns the land, he is from Madison County, and has been in the region for about 4 years. To confirm that this is the right John Townsend, notice that he states he has lived in the county for 47 years. That places his arrival around 1808, which is exactly in line with what Haddock reports. Irrespective, Abi's birth places her after the 1820 Census.
Now, is Lyman a son, a nephew, or some other Townsend that wonders into the region and coincidentally lands next door to another Townsend? It is unknown, but he claims to be from Jefferson County, but has been in the region for 17 years. He doesn't fit the naming pattern for the John Townsend family based on John's family, but he could be named for the mother's father according to the old Quaker naming system. To determine if he is, one needs to discern if there was any of John or Thomas's sons that married a woman with a father named Lyman. There is an Orvil (corruption of Evan?) and a Henry there, so more inquiry needs to be made to connect him or reject him as part of this group or others.
His wife reports Chenango County as the county of origin. This is curious because George Williams who married James' daughter Abi is from Madison County. Madison and Chenango were the same county for a while. It and it is tempting to speculate that the Williams family group in Bainbridge are his relations, but it is clear that there is some kind of connection to that area. Recall at the beginning of this article, Samuel Townsend was granted lands in the area, and he did settle in Chenango. Perhaps this is his family? Maybe the families are connected? More work is needed to establish this relationship or reject it.
Given that he is about 46 years old, that would suggest a period of absence, and returning to the region in 1836. He reports owning the land, being from Jefferson County, and has a daughter Sarah A, b 1833, son Orvil b 1834, Henry E b 1840, and George b 1850. Henry E apparently grows up and has a wife that dies young. It appears that her name was Wealthy M and that she b. 1841 and died April 13, 1868. She is buried in Jefferson County and lists a Henry E Townsend as a husband. There is a marriage for a Henry E Townsend in 1869 to Alice Bosworth in Pamela, Jefferson County, New York. Thus it seems Henry E has at least two wives. Applying Quaker naming patterns to the family group, one could also make the case that this is Henry's children from the 1820 Census (discussed later). The secon son is typically named for the father's father. The problem is that one has to know if one has the second son. In this case, the second son is Henry E and a case could be made that Henry in the later 1820 census is the father of Lyman.
Back to old Quaker John.... In the last census before he dies, John Townsend appears to remain with his daughter Abi Williams. The family shows a new daughter, Mary.
So what can we say about the family group?
It appears that John Townsend and Asenath Carver arrive from Bucks County with at least one male child, who matches the Robert that John is living with in the 1850 Census. We know from Haddock that a child John is born 1807. He seems to have moved to Farmington, Waupaca, Wisconsin to settle. That still leaves two male children that were under the age of 10 in the 1820 census. Lyman could be one of those sons, or he could be a nephew, such as one of the sons of Thomas, or could be the son of Henry (most likely). Or Lyman could be a random person who wandered into Jefferson County from some other Townsend group.
Quaker families took naming patterns very seriously. Typically, the first born son received the name of the mother's father. The second son would take the name of the father's father. The third son would often be named after an older brother or the father. For girls, the oldest daughter is named for the father's mother; the second daughter was named after the mother's mother. The third born might be named after a living grandmother of the mother. Middle names often gave lines "distinction" and sometimes a person would be given two middle names. Names were a serious matter and they defined the family line.
The problem with the John line for naming is that his wife's father is also named John. The result would be two brothers named Johns in a single family, and most families would opt for an alternative. When that happens a grandfather's name, a brothers name (often the same), or some other name might be selected.
Based on what is known thus far, the group takes a this form:
3) Rachael Townsend b 1781 Bucks County, PA
married John Strickland, Jr. of New Jersey in Bucks Co
Thomas Strickland b 1807 m Philadelia Child Eber
But the Quaker Settlement Townsend folks are not the only Townsend family groups in Jefferson County.
There is a Henry in LeRay in the 1820 Census. It appears to be a young couple: one male between between 16-26, one female between 16-26, and one male under ten. Many in my own line of James Townsend of LeRay b 1816 have speculated that this is the progenitor of the James line. There is a Henry Townsend that appears in later (1860, 1870, 1880) non-population agricultural census, but he may be the Henry Townsend son of Lyman Townsend in these later census and may not be this Henry.
There appears to be nothing in the existing record about this Henry. He obviously isn't Thomas. He could be the older male child of Thomas, or he could be from another group that moved to the area, such as the Samuel group.
There are a couple of others, but I will want to discuss them separately from this post on the "general groupings."
It is worth taking a moment to discuss the other two groups.
There is also a Haris Townsend in Rodman, who presents as a younger man with 3 boys under 10 and two girls under 10. The 1866-7 Gazetteer of Jefferson County notes that Rodman was formed a piece of Lewis County. It was originally called Harrison because of a proprietor there, but renamed in honor of a local clerk. It may be that there are records from Lewis County on this family. He is no longer in Rodman in the 1820 Census, but there is a Horace Townsend. It is interesting because Harrison's children would surly show as if the family had remained. Perhaps Horace is one of the children? He has 4 young boys under ten in the 1820 census is may be worth a second look in the future if one is committed to the notion of a local progenitor for James Townsend born in 1816.
There is a Joseph/Josiah Townsend in Champion. He has a male age 16-26 in his household. He is apparently the older man, between 16-45, along with 5 males age 10 and under. There is a female over 45, and there are females in each age group under 26. Champion was started by a General Champion from Connecticut. This doesn't mean that Joseph/Josiah were from Connecticut, but it is possible. There is also a Joseph/Josiah Townsend in Pennsylvania who received a land grant for service in the Revolutionary War, so he could have traded those acres for lands near the Quaker settlement. However, if the later was so, one would expect Joseph to appear with the rest of the Quakers, so it seems more likely that the person listed in the 1820 census was part of General Champion's group.
The Champion group in the 1820 census also shows an Alanson Townsend between 26 and 45 with 3 little boys under 10, a 10-16 year old boy, a female between 10 and 16, and a female in his age group. He had served as a private in the War of 1812 under Captain Isaac Miles in the Regiment of Col Rudolph Shoemaker. The historical record shows that Alanson ends up in St. Lawrence and it seems most of the family group is with him in the 1840 census. Alanson is appointed as a postman in Herkimer in 1836, and is still in Litchfield, Herkimer County New York in 1847. Since he leaves the area, it is unlikely that any of his young children stayed behind. It is possible an older child stayed.
There is also a Josiah Jr. as his own Household. who appear to be a young couple (a male and a female between 26 and 45), and the older Josiah is still present, 3 boys between 10 and 16, 2 between 16 and 26, and himself over 45, a female of the same category, and a female under 10. There is a James Townsend age 26-45, and he has a female in the household and no children. Now, what is of interest for this writer is a progenitor who has a male child under 10. The James in this 1820 census is too old to be the progenitor of interest; he also does not have an eligible male child to be the father of the progenitor. The only one of the Champion group who could be of interest in Alanson Townsend, and he leaves the area.
In other words, the Champion group is of limited interest for determining a progenitor at the present time. The Josiah Townsend group does migrate over to the Philadelphia area of the county by 1860. The census for the group consumes most of the page, and it is very difficult to read because it is faded. The elder Josiah lists his origin as New York, his wife Dolly is from Connecticut, and that is probably the social/familial connection to General Champion. The younger Josiah's wife is reported as Betsey. Strangely, there is a Lucinda Potter age 10 from Prince Edward County, Ontario Canada and an Emelia Potter from Michigan age 6 living with the family. Perhaps this is Betsy's second marriage.
There is also a Timothy Townsend listed in Pamela, Jefferson County who has 4 males under 10 in his family. The group in Pamela also has an older Johnathan, over 45 and alone, and Johnathon Jr. with one young male under 10. In the 1810 Census, Timothy and his contingent were in Lewis, New York. It seems pretty likely that Johnathan Townsend is the same one with a will probated in Oneida. There is one son Johnathan Jr and a large number of daughters. It appears that Timothy's group drifts in that direction as well.
It appears that Josiah/Joseph and Thomas have older males in their household that would present with a birth date between 1800 and 1775 if they were still in the area during the 1850 census. They could both be fathers of households in the 1820 census.
Just to make it interesting, there is an old James in the 1855 Census (shown below). Some have suggested him as a progenitor for my own James Townsend. He claims to be from Herkimer County. This suggests that he may not be from the Bucks County group, but the group that was in Champion that went to Herkimer. There is a James Townsend in Champion in the 1840 Census and the 1820 Census in Champion. There is a Fanny Townsend buried in Hoover Cemetery in the region of LeRay that has her death recorded as b. 1795 died 1849 and that she was the wife of James. The death implies he would have been in the area in 1850, but does not appear to be so; if he is there he is well hid by a transcription error or he is elsewhere. Amusingly, while James is well hidden, it appears that Fanny is in the 1850 Federal Census living with Levi Murphy of Herkimer County who is in LeRay. That is quite a feat for a dead woman. Creepily enough, she does disappear after the 1850 census and old James appears in the 1855 State Census.
Tis a curious group.
The Herkimer connection does cause one to speculate if this is a member of the Champion group that came back, perhaps for the sake of the wife's family or some other reason.
Then there also a James Townsend in Onadoga County in 1850. He is the same age as the "Old" James in Le Ray in 1855. He is with a William age 23 who could be a son, grandson, or a nephew. Is this the same James as the one in the 1855 census? Or is he a different guy?
Was this guy really from the area now known as Jefferson County? I don't know. Since there was no local government, I don't know that anyone could say for certain. There are no known colonial settlers, but that doesn't mean there wasn't any. He is clearly a character worth looking into.
The region was a sight of many battles during the American Revolution, and there is no question that people on both sides of the war effort became acquainted with the region through military service. It is unlikely they were "from" there, but merely settled there. The maps of the time show no white settlements in the region. There are no records of colonial settlement, and it seems the area was regarded as Indian County prior to the American Revolution.
There was also a Samuel Townsend who was awarded land in the military grant area in the 1790 time frame. He did show up to claim land, but a Samuel does not appear in the census in the region. There is a Samuel Townsend down in Chenango County. It seems a bit out of place for the region, but later descendants appear claiming to be from that County. Perhaps he claimed the land and left it as legacy land for his children? Perhaps he traded the land for land in Chenango? An examination of the land records would have to bear that out.
The gentleman who was influential in the development of the region was named Jacques-Donatien Le Ray de Chaumont. A wikipedia entry states,
Jacques-Donatien Le Ray de Chaumont'son named Le Ray (1760–1840) went to America in 1785. There, he acquired a property in Otsego county, New York where he built the first saw-mill. Known in America as James, the English translation for Jacques, Le Ray Jr. also made large land purchases in the State and, in 1790, he married a girl from New Jersey and became an American citizen. The towns of Le Ray, New York, Chaumont, New York and the borough of LeRaysville, Pennsylvania are named after him.
The town of Teresa founded at a later date is apparently named for LeRay Jr's wife.
The real development in the region begins with LeRay and a group who head to the region. They are Quakers who build settlements in this area, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, and other places. Quakers are often referred to as "Friends." Somehow, Jacques-Donatien LeRay de Chaumont in New Jersey ends up being involved with the group of Friends in New Jersey and Bucks County. Along with LeRay, the Strickland family appears to be with them from New Jersey. The rest of the Friends are from Bucks County. They purchase a tract for development and that is where the story of the region really begins for the genealogist.
The Friends Purchase
The first real group that appears is a group in the LeRay-Philadelphia region.This is the era after the American Revolution, but before the War of 1812. This is a time period that still pre-dates the formation of government in the region.The Friends Purchase was a group of Quaker families from counties of Bucks, Philadelphia, and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania along with Quakers in Burlington, NJ (principally the Strickland and LeRay families). They acquired the land and decided to form a corporation to sell land for a Quaker settlement. The 7,040 acre region was subdivided and a few men were sent to sell the land at $3.00 per acre. For their efforts, the men received prime lands of their choosing, and some in the center of what was to become LeRay.
Several names are on the list. Among them are two Townsend men: Thomas Townsend and John Townsend. They arrive with the Friends group to facilitate the development of the settlement. According to Haddock, the only settler who remained the whole winter of 1804-5 was a John Petty. The rest of the group went back to Pennsylvania for the first winter. During the winter in Pennsylvania, at the home of Israel Knight, more decisions were made regarding the settlement. Thomas and John Townsend were among the group sent back to further develop the region if they build a mill for everyone to use.
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It appears that the two Townsend men return in 1805 with a group and begin building. As Haddock describes,Spafford’s Gazetteer of 1813 states,
“In the spring of 1805 the Townsends arrived upon the lot, prepared to commence operations. With them came Robert Comfort, Josiah Walton, Thomas Coxe,Benjamin Gilbert, Thomas Gilbert, and Daniel Roberts. Walton and the two Gilberts were in the employ of the Townsends, as were also Warren Foster and his brother Andrew, who had arrived about the same time. With this force they set to work, made a clearing, commenced work on the dam, and built a bridge across the river, some 20 rods below where it is now spanned by the iron bridges. During the summer and fall they completed the saw-mill and grist-mill, ---both being under the same roof, ---and also built a log house for John Townsend, nearly where the Eagle Hotel now stands."
Next we learn from Haddock that the Townsend men also moved a block building and built a lumber mill. Haddock also states that the two, John and Thomas are brothers, and that they moved their families to the region. Therefore, the first winter the Townsend families spent in the area was 1805-6.
The first birth in the region was to John Townsend and his wife Asenath on February February 14, 1807. The next birth was a son Oliver to the Child family.
For a genealogist, there is a clear gem here. The name of John's wife is very helpful, particularly given the number of John Townsend people living at that time in America. Further the name of the child, a son named John is also helpful. Knowing there is a close association with the Child family is also helpful.
It seems that the Townsend men sold their interests in the next year to Mr. John Strickland Sr. Strickland had 11 children and was looking for a place for the family to settle. Later, we learn that Strickland is married to John and Thomas's sister. He traded 300 plus acres in Bucks County, PA for land in this area. Remember the original settlement was slightly over 7,040 acres. Strickland bought 5,000. That places most of the settlement into his control. So where did the Townsend families go? If one has an 1895 map of the region, it appears that Thomas settled on land that was owned by Joshua Roberts at the time that Haddock was writing. We know that John Townsend removed "thence to his farm," suggesting that it was well known at the time that Haddock was writing.
The next mention we have of the Quaker Townsend families by Haddock is in the first town meeting. This meeting took place in the public house of Harvey Hamblin in Philadelphia Village on March 5, 1822. John Townsend is one of the three commissioners of the highway selected. Haddock details this as follows:
On first reading, one wonders where Thomas is in this business. On second reading knowing that Thomas is the older brother, it seems peculiar. Later, we learn that Thomas has left the region, and he is later found in Lowville, Lewis County, New York.
On February 15, 1840, James LeRay also donated a Quaker burial ground. Those placed in charge of overseeing the transaction and administering the grounds were Cadwallader Child, John Townsend, and Jason Merrick. Haddock also notes that the first person buried there was Jesse Smith's wife.
Assembling the Family Lines
So, now what can we say about these two Townsend families? According to the records in Bucks County, Asenath's maiden name is Carver. Notes from Bucks County place John's birth in 1777. Data on Thomas is less certain from the census. All the Townsend surnamed families in Jefferson County in 1810 are as follows
In Haddock's section on Mr. Strickland (p. 668), more information can be gleaned about Thomas Townsend. Mr. Strickland and his wife Margaret Stout, were from New Jersey and their daughter Elizabeth Strickland was married to Thomas Townsend, apparently in Bucks, County. It also seems that John Strickland Jr. was married to a Rachael Townsend. Haddock doesn't offer additional details here.
Finding all three (John, Thomas, and Rachel) in the same census is informative and sets the matter straight. Having found John and Rachael Strickland in the 1855 census, Rachel Townsend Strickland reports age 74, born PA and implies a birth year of roughly 1781. That makes her more a contemporary of Thomas and John. The elusive Thomas is in the same census (discussed below) reports age 81 which means he was born in 1774 and John (across the page from Rachael in the census) is 76 years old born 1779.
Notice that the oldest child reported at home is named Thomas, and he also report born in Pennsylvania.
Haddock notes that Margaret Stout Strickland died in 1853. She does appear in the 1850 Census on the pages of Strickland family members. In 1850, she reports age 87, which implies a birth year of 1763. John Strickland Sr. died in 1849 at the age of 92 according to Haddock. That implies a birth year of 1757. Elizabeth Strickland Townsend died in 1864 according to Haddock. Haddock does not report a date of death for Thomas.
Haddock reports a story that is quite interesting and informative. Apparently, Mr. Strickland bought supplies for the troops during the War of 1812. He used a line of credit to do so. Apparently he overextended and was only able to recoup half the value of the supplies. To pay the debt, he was forced to sell nearly all of his lands except 200 acres. It is likely that the greater Strickland family would have moved and that would have included Thomas. This explains why Thomas has been so difficult to find in subsequent census periods.
After some searching, it seems that Thomas and Elizabeth moved to Lowville, Lewis County, NY. They are there in the 1855 New York State Census. The problem isn't so much the family hiding as it is a transcription error on the index of the census; the person who indexed the census reported a French spelling variant of the name. (Tousant) However, when one looks at the census page and ignores the index with a sound-ex search, the couple is fairly obvious and the spelling is as expected. They are simply the next county over. Thomas age 81 reports and that he is from Pennsylvania, she reports she is 72 years old and born in New Jersey, which would make sense for someone born of the Strickland household before they arrived in Bucks County.
According to the 1855 NY State Census, they had lived in Lowville for 36 years, which means they moved there around 1819. That explains why they are not in the 1820 Census for Jefferson County and not listed in the notes for the first town meeting related by Haddock. It also fits the narrative told by Haddock about Strickland selling the land to pay the debts after the War of 1812.
Thomas and Elizabeth are also in the same structure as Solomon Phillips who is from Lewis County. However, Solomon's wife has lived in the county 10 years less than he has. The oldest Phillips children are named Thomas and Elizabeth, so it seems likely that Solomon's wife Ann is a child of Thomas and Elizabeth born in the Philadelphia Village settlement before their departure. She seems to be a daughter born subsequent to the 1810 census (implied birth year of 1819), and it is entirely likely that she is a daughter.
While this has revealed one daughter, it is useful for our purposes to figure out who the sons are, to determine if there is a connection to my own line or any of the terminal Townsend lines. Thomas is not likely to be a progenitor. He left just as my progenitor is being born somewhere, and the sons reported in the 1810 census are too old to be James Townsend b 1816. While there is a chance there is another child born to the couple after the 1810 census, and certain that is possible given Ann's birth, that child would have left with them to Lowville, Lewis, NY. However, the older male child living in the 1810 census is a possible progenitor, so some effort should be made to figure out the sons.
So, there is a chance that Thomas is a grandfather to one of the "lost lines" and that means Thomas continues to be a person of interest. The older son of Thomas in the 1810 remains unknown at the time of this writing. There are suspects, but nothing solid. There are family genealogies about, but they don't seem to have references in what is publicly available, and they do not include the first generation of descendants. That makes "jumping the bridge" to era before the 1850 census difficult.
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| Source: New York Genealogy website NNYGenealogy.com |
Looking at the 1810 Census for John and Asenath Townsend appear to have one female under ten, and one male between 10-16 and two males under 10. This suggests that at least one son was already born before the family arrived in the LeRay area. John, the first child born in the area would be 3 years old. It may be a baby was born after that or another baby arrived with them from Bucks County, PA. Three children under 10 is a lot of work, and it is certain that Asenath was a busy woman.
In passing for this researcher but by no means unimportant, the female household members appears to have increased in number. It also seems that the female child under 10 in the 1810 census was at least 7 because there is no entry for the 10-16 year category for a female but there is a female 16-26. A 17 -20 year old would fulfill both census requirements. That implies a birth range for the older female between 1800-1803. This female, if consistent with Haddock's historical notes, would report born in Bucks County, PA. It also appears there is a new female.
Asenath Carver Townsend dies in 1845 per the records on the Jefferson County genealogy page, one would expect to see John Townsend without her in the 1850 Census. John dies in 1861 according to the county records, so there is an opportunity to observe him in a few more census when family members are listed.
He is there with some family members. There is a Robert, Hannah, Ezra, Eliza Ann, Abi, and an Allison Main. John, at 76, seems an unlikely father of Abi. It seems more likely that Ezra, Eliza Ann, and Abi are grandchildren to John rather than children, and it seems more likely that Robert and Hannah husband and wife and not siblings. It seems clear that Robert, the oldest son, was born about 1805 in Bucks County, PA. He reports born in Pennsylvania, so that solves the puzzle of the eldest son.
His wife reports Chenango County as the county of origin. This is curious because George Williams who married James' daughter Abi is from Madison County. Madison and Chenango were the same county for a while. It and it is tempting to speculate that the Williams family group in Bainbridge are his relations, but it is clear that there is some kind of connection to that area. Recall at the beginning of this article, Samuel Townsend was granted lands in the area, and he did settle in Chenango. Perhaps this is his family? Maybe the families are connected? More work is needed to establish this relationship or reject it.
Given that he is about 46 years old, that would suggest a period of absence, and returning to the region in 1836. He reports owning the land, being from Jefferson County, and has a daughter Sarah A, b 1833, son Orvil b 1834, Henry E b 1840, and George b 1850. Henry E apparently grows up and has a wife that dies young. It appears that her name was Wealthy M and that she b. 1841 and died April 13, 1868. She is buried in Jefferson County and lists a Henry E Townsend as a husband. There is a marriage for a Henry E Townsend in 1869 to Alice Bosworth in Pamela, Jefferson County, New York. Thus it seems Henry E has at least two wives. Applying Quaker naming patterns to the family group, one could also make the case that this is Henry's children from the 1820 Census (discussed later). The secon son is typically named for the father's father. The problem is that one has to know if one has the second son. In this case, the second son is Henry E and a case could be made that Henry in the later 1820 census is the father of Lyman.
Back to old Quaker John.... In the last census before he dies, John Townsend appears to remain with his daughter Abi Williams. The family shows a new daughter, Mary.
So what can we say about the family group?
It appears that John Townsend and Asenath Carver arrive from Bucks County with at least one male child, who matches the Robert that John is living with in the 1850 Census. We know from Haddock that a child John is born 1807. He seems to have moved to Farmington, Waupaca, Wisconsin to settle. That still leaves two male children that were under the age of 10 in the 1820 census. Lyman could be one of those sons, or he could be a nephew, such as one of the sons of Thomas, or could be the son of Henry (most likely). Or Lyman could be a random person who wandered into Jefferson County from some other Townsend group.
Quaker families took naming patterns very seriously. Typically, the first born son received the name of the mother's father. The second son would take the name of the father's father. The third son would often be named after an older brother or the father. For girls, the oldest daughter is named for the father's mother; the second daughter was named after the mother's mother. The third born might be named after a living grandmother of the mother. Middle names often gave lines "distinction" and sometimes a person would be given two middle names. Names were a serious matter and they defined the family line.
The problem with the John line for naming is that his wife's father is also named John. The result would be two brothers named Johns in a single family, and most families would opt for an alternative. When that happens a grandfather's name, a brothers name (often the same), or some other name might be selected.
Based on what is known thus far, the group takes a this form:
Townsend Parents in Bucks County.
1) Thomas b 1774 Bucks County, PA
1) Thomas b 1774 Bucks County, PA
Married Elizabeth Strickland
of NJ in Bucks Co., PA
One son born 1784-1794 born Bucks Co, PA
One son born 1800-1810
Bucks Co or LeRay if after 1807
One daughter born
1794-1794 in Bucks, PA
One daughter born 1794-1800 in Bucks, PA
(Missing Children)
Ann b 1819, LeRay,
Jefferson County, NY, married Solomon Phillips of Lowville, NY
(Children: Thomas,
Elizabeth, Mathew, Ellen, others?)
2) John b 1779 Bucks County, PA
married Asenath Carver of Bucks County PA in Bucks County
married Asenath Carver of Bucks County PA in Bucks County
Robert b.
1805, Bucks County m Hannah
(Ezra, Eliza Ann, and Abi
and others)
Abi b 1808
m. George Williams
(Elizabeth, Mary, other sons and daughters?)
John, Jr marries and goes
to Farmington, WI
Two boys born between 1800-1810
One girl born between
1800-1803
One girl born between 1804-1820
One girl born between 1804-1820
Other children?
3) Rachael Townsend b 1781 Bucks County, PA
married John Strickland, Jr. of New Jersey in Bucks Co
Thomas Strickland b 1807 m Philadelia Child Eber
There is quite likely others.
Richard Strickland Jr. had 10 siblings. The Strickland group is of less interest to this writer, but certainly they have left quite a mark on the region.
But the Quaker Settlement Townsend folks are not the only Townsend family groups in Jefferson County.
The Other Townsend Groups
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| Source NNYGenealogy.com |
There is a Henry in LeRay in the 1820 Census. It appears to be a young couple: one male between between 16-26, one female between 16-26, and one male under ten. Many in my own line of James Townsend of LeRay b 1816 have speculated that this is the progenitor of the James line. There is a Henry Townsend that appears in later (1860, 1870, 1880) non-population agricultural census, but he may be the Henry Townsend son of Lyman Townsend in these later census and may not be this Henry.
There appears to be nothing in the existing record about this Henry. He obviously isn't Thomas. He could be the older male child of Thomas, or he could be from another group that moved to the area, such as the Samuel group.
There are a couple of others, but I will want to discuss them separately from this post on the "general groupings."
It is worth taking a moment to discuss the other two groups.
There is also a Haris Townsend in Rodman, who presents as a younger man with 3 boys under 10 and two girls under 10. The 1866-7 Gazetteer of Jefferson County notes that Rodman was formed a piece of Lewis County. It was originally called Harrison because of a proprietor there, but renamed in honor of a local clerk. It may be that there are records from Lewis County on this family. He is no longer in Rodman in the 1820 Census, but there is a Horace Townsend. It is interesting because Harrison's children would surly show as if the family had remained. Perhaps Horace is one of the children? He has 4 young boys under ten in the 1820 census is may be worth a second look in the future if one is committed to the notion of a local progenitor for James Townsend born in 1816.
The Champion group in the 1820 census also shows an Alanson Townsend between 26 and 45 with 3 little boys under 10, a 10-16 year old boy, a female between 10 and 16, and a female in his age group. He had served as a private in the War of 1812 under Captain Isaac Miles in the Regiment of Col Rudolph Shoemaker. The historical record shows that Alanson ends up in St. Lawrence and it seems most of the family group is with him in the 1840 census. Alanson is appointed as a postman in Herkimer in 1836, and is still in Litchfield, Herkimer County New York in 1847. Since he leaves the area, it is unlikely that any of his young children stayed behind. It is possible an older child stayed.
There is also a Josiah Jr. as his own Household. who appear to be a young couple (a male and a female between 26 and 45), and the older Josiah is still present, 3 boys between 10 and 16, 2 between 16 and 26, and himself over 45, a female of the same category, and a female under 10. There is a James Townsend age 26-45, and he has a female in the household and no children. Now, what is of interest for this writer is a progenitor who has a male child under 10. The James in this 1820 census is too old to be the progenitor of interest; he also does not have an eligible male child to be the father of the progenitor. The only one of the Champion group who could be of interest in Alanson Townsend, and he leaves the area.
In other words, the Champion group is of limited interest for determining a progenitor at the present time. The Josiah Townsend group does migrate over to the Philadelphia area of the county by 1860. The census for the group consumes most of the page, and it is very difficult to read because it is faded. The elder Josiah lists his origin as New York, his wife Dolly is from Connecticut, and that is probably the social/familial connection to General Champion. The younger Josiah's wife is reported as Betsey. Strangely, there is a Lucinda Potter age 10 from Prince Edward County, Ontario Canada and an Emelia Potter from Michigan age 6 living with the family. Perhaps this is Betsy's second marriage.
There is also a Timothy Townsend listed in Pamela, Jefferson County who has 4 males under 10 in his family. The group in Pamela also has an older Johnathan, over 45 and alone, and Johnathon Jr. with one young male under 10. In the 1810 Census, Timothy and his contingent were in Lewis, New York. It seems pretty likely that Johnathan Townsend is the same one with a will probated in Oneida. There is one son Johnathan Jr and a large number of daughters. It appears that Timothy's group drifts in that direction as well.
It appears that Josiah/Joseph and Thomas have older males in their household that would present with a birth date between 1800 and 1775 if they were still in the area during the 1850 census. They could both be fathers of households in the 1820 census.
Late Returns
Tis a curious group.
The Herkimer connection does cause one to speculate if this is a member of the Champion group that came back, perhaps for the sake of the wife's family or some other reason.
Then there also a James Townsend in Onadoga County in 1850. He is the same age as the "Old" James in Le Ray in 1855. He is with a William age 23 who could be a son, grandson, or a nephew. Is this the same James as the one in the 1855 census? Or is he a different guy?
James Townsend b 1795
married to Fanny Ensign b.1796
Possible Children George b 1827 (antwerp farmer, m Francis M, daughter Fanny b 1850)
William b. 1828 (appears with James)
Louisa (married to Levi Murphy)
Hannah ( Married Martin Reese, 2nd Amos Gardner)
Laura
So, it seems that there are four groups that are evident thus far: There is a Quaker group from Bucks County, PA who has clear ties to other Quaker settlements in Lewis County, New York as well as settlements in Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin. There is a Townsend family group that appears to have ties to Connecticut through General Champion as well as Herkimer County, NY and Canada, and a group in Pamela that appears from Lewis, NY and then drifts into Oneida, and a group that is part of the general "drift" of the population to the western part of the state.
This should give those of us with "random Townsends" who have been distributed by space aliens throughout Central New York a start.
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