Born in the USA - Town(s)end

[KathyM]

Any help would be appreciated on this family in USA -


Reuben Townsend married to Elizabeth Lodge (in England1847)

They had a daughter Mary (3 Mar 1851) in Poughkeepsie, NY.

The next two children, Hannah & Sarah were both born back in England - 1853 & 1855...... then Reuben disappeared.

Elizabeth stayed in England and had other children (with a different father) - family legend says Reuben died in the Crimean War or shortly afterwards......this is not confirmed .......

We believe his brother George may have stayed in USA - any info. ?

[grub]

Any help would be appreciated on this family in USA -


Reuben Townsend married to Elizabeth Lodge (in England1847)

They had a daughter Mary (3 Mar 1851) in Poughkeepsie, NY.

The next two children, Hannah & Sarah were both born back in England - 1853 & 1855...... then Reuben disappeared.

Elizabeth stayed in England and had other children (with a different father) - family legend says Reuben died in the Crimean War or shortly afterwards......this is not confirmed .......

We believe his brother George may have stayed in USA - any info. ?

Hi Kathy
Took a look at the 1850 census, but did not see any of them.
Found on a couple of passenger list sites:

TOWNSEND,
Ruben, age 26
Elizabeth, age 22

Arrived: New York, on November 18, 1850
leaving from Liverpool on board ship " Columbia "

Did not see a George arriving the same year,  but one arrived in May 21, 1851. He was 23 at the time.

If the above Ruben and Elizabeth are yours, they would be too late for the 1850 census.

If not, I'm sorry I couldn't help more

Valerie

[KathyM]

Thank you for that ....it certainly looks like them.  I don't know for sure about his brother.....

I have jusr heard from a distant rellie rhat he may have fought in the civil war.  Elizabeth was back in England in 1861 with her children.  It is possible that he returned to USA....is it possible to look for him in the 1860 census ?

[grub]

this site will give you the names of CW soldiers.
There is one Reuben Townsend from NY. Have no idea if he is yours.
Not showing on 1860 or 1870 census in New York.

http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/

Valerie

[KathyM]

Thank you for that !  I can't believe how many Reuben Townsends there are !  I think the NY one could be him......but who knows !  Do you know - If I send for the details - am I likely to get much more information ?  Such as date of birth or anything ?

I have done this with the medal rolls in WW! and it has told me virtually nothing more than was on the index.

[kccjf]

Hi

I know this post is years old but I have recently started researching my family tree and have discovered that the mary Townsend born in Poughkeepsie was my great great grandmother. Any info on the family would be greatly appreciated.

Kate

[KathyM]

Hi....nice to hear from you.

It is a long time since I researched this family - I will need to look out the file - will be in touch asap!

[kccjf]

Thanks = look forward to your reply. I would be particularly interested to find out why the family where in New York State, what they did there and how long they stayed but any info you have will be very much appreciated.

Kate

[KathyM]

I did research on the Townend family quite a long time ago - for a friend of the family - so am not directly connected I'm afraid.  The information was on an old computer - so I had to look out the files.  I hope what little I have is of help to you.

I have Joseph TOWNEND and his wife Mary ?
children baptised at St. Michael's Church, Emley :
Reuben - 8 July 1827
Susan  -  2 May 1830

(There is also a baptism for Geoffrey Townend son of Joseph & Ruth??? on 23 Apr 1837)  (Incidentally - there is also a baptism I noted of a Joseph Townend on 16 Nov 1800, son of David & Susannah...but not confirmed as being the same Joseph).

Joseph's occupation given as 'weaver' on Reuben's marriage cert.

It may now be possible to go back further than this - this research was done pre-ancestry!

Reuben Townend - married Elizabeth LODGE 27th June 1847 at High Hoyland

Their children : 
Mary born 3 March 1851 at Poughkeppsie, N.Y.  Christened 12th Dec 1852.
Hannah : born 23 July 1853 at Skelmanthorpe, Cumberworth Hall (her birth was registered by her father, so we know that he returned from US with family) christerned 11 th Sept. 1853
Sarah : born 30th Aug 1855 also at Skelmanthorpe (birth reg. by mother)
Reuben's occupation given as weaver on all documents.

Another daughter, Jane Townend was born in 1859 - but I believe to have been the daughter of Ephraim Lawton.

In 1861 census - Elizabeth is living at Green Lane, Skelmanthorpe (now with an added S in her surname - Townsend) - with her four daughters and Ephraim Lawton (lodger)

Ephraim Lawton had married Henrietta Walton at Stanley in 1854 - but they obviously had problems! - Henrietta was with a George Dinsdale in 1881 - she died in 1889 which is possibly why Ephraim and Elizabeth didn't marry.

Family legend says that Reuben was a soldier - but he is shown everywhere as a weaver.  They say he died in the Crimean war, or just after this - which I doubt, as it ended in 1856, and although I have searched many records cannot find his death.  I think it is more likely that he returned to the USA.

Elizabeth went on to have three more children - boys - Joe Willie, Harry & Walter.

When Harry was born (20th July 1865) his father Ephraim Lawton registered his birth....on the certificate his mother was notes as "Elizabeth Lawton late Townsend formerly Lodge"

In 1871 -  Ephraim & Elizabeth Lawton are at Woodhouse with Hannah & Sarah Townend & Jane, Joe W, Harry & Walter Lawton.

1881 - Ephraim is shown as Head, with Elizabeth 'Townend' as a boarder! and Housekeeper.  Sarah Townend also a boarder....

By 1891 they had split up!  Ephraim was living alone and he died the same year - his daughter, Jane (by then Jane Rigg) registered his death.  Elizabeth Townend (63) was at Blue Bell Hill, Almondbury with Sarah and Walter (now listed as Walter Townend!) and a lodger Robert Lyall (21)  Elizabeth died in 1899.  She was 66 and died from cancer at Elmfield Terrace, Morley.  her death was registered by her son Walter of Greenfield Terrace, Morley.  (Strangely, he seemed to have no knowledsge of her first husband Reuben.....he listed him as being Samual Townsend, Wool Sorter.  When I was researching this, I was a little thrown, as I thought I had got the wrong family somewhere.....but haveing checked so many details I can be pretty sure that it is Herry's mistake and not mine.

When Harry married, in 1890, to Sarah Hannah Haigh, he left the space for the father's name blank! The witnesses were - Joe William Townsend & Sarah Townsend....with the S.

The research I did was for a grandson of Harry....the family uses the TOWNSEND spelling of their name.

I don't know what you think - but I feel that maybe Elizabeth didn't realise that Henrietta was still alive - it could have come to a head when she did finally die.....as for the trip to USA.....well, there was the gold-rush in the late 1840s....maybe that encourage them to go.....perhaps it didn't turn out as they had hoped - with a baby arriving and then another on the way - perhaps Elizabeth was homesick.....

I have no longer got copies of the certificates I'm afraid as I passed them all on.....just kept my notes on the PC.

Hope there is something here to help you...Kx