Lewis Bailey Townsend ^{1 2 3}

   FamilySearch ID: LWFF-WXX.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Cause of Death: arteriosclerosis, 6 Jan 1927, Muncie, Delaware, IN. ³

2. Occupation: carpenter and contractor on 6 Jan 1927 in Muncie, Delaware, IN. ³

3. Residence: 1107 1/2 E. Adams St., Muncie, IN on 6 Jan 1927 in Muncie, Delaware, IN. ³

4. Obituary: Obituary of Lewis Townsend on 7 Jan 1927 in Hartford City, Blackford, IN. LEWIS TOWNSEND, RESIDENT HERE FOR YEARS DEAD
SUCCUMBS AT THE AGE OF 84 AT MUNCIE THURSDAY NIGHT

RELATIVES HERE

Mr. Townsend Was a Highly Respected Man
Funeral on Saturday

Lewis Bailey Townsend, 84, father of Morgan Townsend of this city, died, at his home in Adams street, Muncie, Thursday night after an extended illness. He was a former resident here, where he was well known.

Mrs. Emily Covault, widow of Phillip Covault, of West Washington street is a sister.

Mr. Townsend was a native of Fayette county and came to Blackford county with his parents at an early age. He made his home here until eight years ago, when he moved to Muncie. He had also resided three years in the west.

Mr. Townsend is survived by his wife and five children; M. P. Townsend, of this city; John Townsend of Muncie; Mrs. Bertha Ford of Albany; Fred Townsend at home, and Mrs. Wilson Poulson, of this city. He was a democrat and a member to the United Brethren church.

Mrs. Elisha Pierce and Mrs. Mary McDowell are sisters of Mrs. Townsend, as is Mrs. Bert Robbins, of Millville. There are also a number of nieces and nephews here. Sixteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren survive.

Mrs. Townsend's maiden name was Joanna Beecher, a daughter of Jesse Beecher, a pioneer resident of Blackford county.

The funeral will be held from the home Saturday afternoon with the burial in the union cemetery at Eaton.

5. Newspaper: Hartford City News-Times: Gilbert Townsend Sr., Came to Washington Township in 1839, 8 Mar 1941, Hartford City, Blackford, IN. ⁴ Gilbert TOWNSEND Sr., who came to Washington Township, Blackford county, Indiana, in 1839, first settled on a
farm now owned by John STOLL, later moving to what is known as the SCOTT farm, north of (illegible) station.
His oldest son, Charles, married Harriett BENNETT. They were the parents of four children whose names were
Gilbert W., Amanda, James B., and Lida Ann. Gilbert W. married Catherine WILLIAMS, and to this union four
children were born - George, John, Lillie and Elizabeth. Amanda married John MILLER. Their children were
George, John J., Lillie and Elizabeth. James B. married Julia LOUEENE. Their one child was named John. Lida
married John VAN HORN and they were the parents of Clem VAN HORN.
John TOWNSEND, Gilbert Sr.'s. second oldest son, married Temperance HOUSEHOLDER, daughter of William
and Elizabeth HOUSEHOLDER, by whom he had ten children - Mary E., Emily T. Lydia, John W., Henry H.,
Louis B., Ira L., Charles M. Halstead, and George O. Mary E. married John HEDGE and were the parents of two
children - Chauncey and David, now prosperous farmers in western Nebraska. Emily T., married Phillip
COUVALT. Their children were Mollie who married Dell THOMAS and Cora who married Clay TUTTLE. Lydia
married Aaron CASTERLINE and moved to Nebraska. They were the parents of three children namely John Mate
and Frank. John W. married Margaret GOODIN and their children were Otis and Cora. Henry H. moved to Lincoln,
Nebr. He married and had two children whose names were Andrew and Nettie. Louis B., married Johanna
BEECHER and they were the parents of five children - Morgan, John, Bertha, Fred and Florence. Ira L. married
Laura O. CANTWELL and to this union six children were born, three of whom are living - Winnie, Blanche and
Gertrude. The three youngest sons of John TOWNSEND died in early manhood and were never married.
Gilbert TOWNSEND Jr., third son of Gilbert TOWNSEND Sr., married Rachel HESS and to them were born four
children, whose names were David, Maria, Sarah and Calvin. David married Lydia GLANCY and they were the
parents of two children, M. Clifford, who became Governor of Indiana, serving from January 1937 to January 1941,
and Myrtle who married Frank HOOVER. Maria married a man named STUDEBAKER, but the writer has not been
able to get any information in regard to her family. Sarah married Hiram LEFFINGWELL and they were the parents
of nine children whose names were, Samuel, Hiram, Leonidas, Lawrence, Dollie, Laura, Emma, Lucy and Rose.
Clavin married Ruellen SMITH, their children were John T., William, Rose and Lydia.
Lucy Ann TOWNSEND, daughter of Gilbert TOWNSEND Sr., married Allen K. GADBURY. They were the
parents of two children, Henry and James. Lydia married Henry OREN and their children were, Joseph, Louie,
Edward and Ethel. Gilbert TOWNSEND Sr.'s daughter Sarah, married Thomas ASHIN, settled in Delaware county
and died when in middle life.
His son James S., married Mary LEFFLER and they were the parents of seven children - Lydia Ann, Absolom,
Mary, Jay L., Susan, Gim, and Cynthia. Lydia married David VAN HORN, their children were - William, Mary,
Carey and Rollie. Absolom never married. Mary married Eilhu OREN, they were the parents of ten children - Jason,
Otto, Bertha, Jasper, Warren, Bruce, James, Stella, Charles and Fletcher. Jay L. married Mary OREN, they had two
children whose names were Hay and Nellie. Susan married Lee NEAL; Gim married Dolly LEFFINGWELL and
were the parents of three children - Edith, Ralph and Mildred. Cynthia died in infancy.
Many incidents of the pioneer days were vividly recalled by James TOWNSEND. One in particular happened in
March 1839, when he had been but a short time in this country. While in search of his cow he became lost and
decided to remain all night in the woods, making a bed of moss and leaves. Scarcely had he become reconciled to
the situation when howls told him of the presence of wolves. He had but time to climb a friendly tree, till it seemed
as if there were thousands of the brutes beneath him. Not having a coat he was about to freeze, when by lusty
hollering he, as good luck would have it, attracted the attention of John BUSH, who just happened to at his cabin
and in a short time he was released from his perilous position.
Alva TOWNSEND, youngest son of Gilbert TOWNSEND Sr., was a soldier in the Civil war. He was assigned to
the Thirty-first Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry and joined his regiment at Bridgeport Alabama. He then
returned to Nashville and was in the battle at that place where his regiment lost heavily. He was also in the Battle of
Franklin. He accompanied his regiment as far as Duck River in pursuit of General Hood, at which place he was left
sick in a hospital. He then returned to Nashville where he lay sick five weeks then he joined his regiment at
(illegible) Alabama, which he accompanied to Greenville Tennessee, (several illegible words) returned to Nashville,
then proceeded to Green Lake, thence to San Antonia were Mr. TOWNSEND was again unable to proceed. He had
fallen out of line on the way and crawled to a house where he was taken in and doctored by a rebel surgeon for five
weeks. He then started for home driving a team and doing what he could to pay his expenses. He arrived at his
destination on March 29, 1866, his regiment reaching home October, 1865.
Mr. TOWNSEND was married to Elzara SHIELDS, a native of Virginia, daughter of Adam and Martha (MILLS)
SHIELDS. Peter SHIELDS, father of Adam SHIELDS, was of Irish decent and came to America with the British
Army, which he deserted and enlisted under George Washington and witnessed the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at
Yorktown. The parents of Mrs. Adam SHIELDS, John and Agnes MILLS. were both natives of South Carolina.
John MILLS enlisted in the War of Revolution when but fourteen years old, serving through the entire war. He and
his father were members of the same regiment and were both pensioners.
Mr. and Mrs. TOWNSEND were the parents of eleven children, whose names were Elijah, Elmira, Andrew Jane,
Martha L., Almeda, George W., Samuel, Minerva, Wilson and Nellie. Elijah married Rachel Ann FARMER and
they were the parents of Olie. Charles, William, Fred, Adam and Orna. Elmira married Junius MILES. Their
children were James, Ella, Carey and Harry. Andrew married Rebecca MILES and they were the parents of the
following children, Lucy, Elmore, George N., Gertrude, Frank, Trepoloa, Thomas and Mary - Jane was the wife of
Joseph WALKER and they were the parents of six children namely, May, Arthur, Dean, Nora, Inscoe and Roll.
Martha married William LONG - Homer, Clayton and Vaughn were their children. Almeda became the wife of
Milton ROTH. Their children were, Sam and Bertha. George W. married Clara HUNT and they were the parents of
six girls - Almeda, Jessie, May, Ella, Ora and Dorothy. Nellie was the wife of George PERSINGER. They had the
following children, Claude, Alfred, Delmer, Russell and Ruth.
Elizabeth TOWNSEND, daughter of Gilbert Sr., married Daniel LEFFLER. Their children were George, Alva,
Mary and James. Mary, the youngest daughter married Fantley L. FOY and they were the parents of four children,
whose names were James, Clem, Sarah and Cynthia.

Lewis married Joanna Beecher, daughter of Jesse Beecher and Elisabeth Trostle, on 29 Aug 1868 in , Blackford, IN. (Joanna Beecher was born on 5 Feb 1853 in Hartford City, Blackford, IN,^{5 6} died in 1949 in Eaton, Delaware, IN ⁶ and was buried in Eaton: Union Cemetery, Delaware, IN ⁶.)