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Submitted: 11/21/12 • Approved: 12/4/13 • Last Updated: 3/31/18 • R736754-G0-S3
Aug. 24, 1815 - Oct. 15, 1890
Winford G. Townsend, one of the old and highly respected citizens of Barry County, Mo., was born in Logan County, Ky., in 1815. He is a son of William and Polly (Langstone) Townsend. William Townsend was born in 1794 in Logan County, Ky., and was a farmer. In 1832 he left his native county emigrating to Greene County, Mo. About 1854 he determined to make a trip to California. He went overland, taking about 500 head of cattle with him. He reached his destination after a journey of nearly four months and after a sojourn of thirteen years in the far West he returned to Missouri and passed the remainder of his life with his son, Winford G. He died in 1879. His first wife was also born in Kentucky, and after her death in July 1842, Mr. Townsend married Mrs. Emily Rainey, who died in California. When his parents removed to Missouri Winford G., who was their eldest child, was seventeen years of age. He was reared on the farm, making his home with his father until he was twenty years of age. In 1835 he married Eveline Shannon a native of Tennessee. She died in 1838, having borne two children, one of whom William f., a farmer of Barry County, is living. In 1839 Mr. Townsend married Mrs. Susan (Logan) Buchanan, the widow of Rev. Greenfield Buchanan a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, who died in 1837. Mrs. Townsend was born in Rhea County, Tenn., in 1812. Eight children have been born to this union: Mary E. (Mrs. William Burton), Nancy E. (Mrs. John Price), Levina (Mrs. P. R. Smith), Emma (Mrs. Argile Wynn), Penelope (Mrs. J. B. W. Bennington) and Samantha Jane (Mrs. Judge Cravens). His wife died April 26, 1879. Mr. Townsend resided in Greene County, Mo., until 1840, when he removed to Newton County. Remaining there one season, and not being satisfied with the location, he removed to Stone County. In 1844 he came to Barry County, settling five miles north of Cassville on eighty acres of land which he entered. After two years, he removed to Cassville, where he was proprietor of a hotel for two years, and about 1848, located on his present farm one-half mile north of Cassville His farm contains 210 acres, and he is considered one of the most substantial farmers of the county. In politics he has been a life-long Democrat having cast his first vote for Martin Van Buren. He has served as treasurer of Barry County, as justice of the peace for eight years, and as deputy sheriff for two years. He is a Mason, and both he and wife are consistent members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Contributed on 11/21/12 by tslundberg
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Record #: 736754