My Genealogy Hound

John E. Townsend, whose fine farm of 160 acres is located in sections 27 and 28, Addison township, Oakland County, belongs to one of the prominent early families of this section. He was born in Oakland township, Oakland County, Michigan, September 2, 1835, and is a son of Peter and Sarah (Huyck) Townsend, the family being of English and Dutch extraction.

Peter Townsend was born in 1805 in the State of New York and came to Oakland County, Michigan, from Greene County, New York, in 1832. He located first in Oakland township and when it was first organized was elected justice of the peace. He was a man of sound judgment and exemplary life and had much to do with public matters in the early days. He secured a fine farm in Oakland township and then removed to Addison township, where he improved another farm of 160 acres, lying partly in sections 26 and 35. There his death took place in 1860. In politics he was an active Whig. He married Sarah Huyck, who was born in New York State, in 1810, and died at the home of our subject in 1880. They reared three children, viz: Ann, who married Ransom Odell, and died in Lakeville, Oakland County, in 1895, leaving two children, — George, of Addison township, Oakland County, and Maria, who married Henry Huyck, of Oxford township, Oakland County, and has two children, Howard and Hattie; John E., of this sketch; and Charles W., who is farming near Sibley, Osceola County, Iowa, and has four children, — Frank, Julia, Clara and William.

John E. Townsend was but 18 months old when he was brought by his parents to Addison township, and there his home has been ever since. Until his marriage he remained with his father, removing then to his present fine farm of 160 acres which he has been continually improving ever since. He has made of it one of the finest farms of a township noted for its valuable property, and carries on general farming.

In 1860 Mr. Townsend was married to Matilda Bates, who was born in Addison township, Oakland County, in 1836, and is a daughter of the late Stillman and Juliette (Babcock) Bates, early pioneers from New York. Mr. and Mrs. Bates reared these children: Gilbert, deceased; Albion, a farmer of Addison township, Oakland County; Dennis, deceased; Matilda (Mrs. Townsend); Lucy, wife of Orson Sutphen of Lakeville, Oakville County; and William, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Townsend have one son and one daughter, namely: John C., born in 1861, residing with his father and assisting in the operation of the farm, who was married to Alvira Albertson; and Orpha, born in 1874. Mrs. Townsend attends religious services at the Baptist Church.

Mr. Townsend belongs to that wing of the Republican party which is known to its detractors as “Black Republicans;” he has never consented to accept official position. He is one of the good citizens and reliable men of Addison township, belonging to that class which gives a section its honorable standing before the world.