Miriam Keys1

F, b. 26 February 1918
     Miriam Keys was born on 26 February 1918.1 She married John Light Napier, son of Dr. Charles D. Napier and Harriet Amelia "Hattie" Townsend, on 1 March 1946.2

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.
  2. [S583] Elizabeth Drake and Jacquelyn Rainwater, Marlboro SC Cemeteries, p. 207.

William Preston Napier

M, b. 6 November 1880, d. 21 March 1927
     William Preston Napier was born on 6 November 1880 at South Carolina, United States.1 He was the son of Dr. James L. Napier and Marietta Donaldson. He married Mary Ann Townsend, daughter of John Robertson Townsend and Catherine Jane "Kate" Rogers.1 He died on 21 March 1927 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States, at age 46.1 He was buried at Drake Cemetery, Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.2

Children of William Preston Napier and Mary Ann Townsend

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.
  2. [S583] Elizabeth Drake and Jacquelyn Rainwater, Marlboro SC Cemeteries, p. 207.

Mary Ann Napier

F, b. 25 February 1914
     Mary Ann Napier was born on 25 February 1914 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1 She was the daughter of William Preston Napier and Mary Ann Townsend.1 She married Ralph Ewalt Thomas on 18 August 1946 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

Ralph Ewalt Thomas1

M, b. 24 July 1917
     Ralph Ewalt Thomas was born on 24 July 1917.1 He married Mary Ann Napier, daughter of William Preston Napier and Mary Ann Townsend, on 18 August 1946 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

William Preston Napier Jr.

M, b. 26 May 1916
     William Preston Napier Jr. was born on 26 May 1916 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1 He was the son of William Preston Napier and Mary Ann Townsend.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

Corrie Elizabeth Napier

F, b. 24 October 1918, d. November 1967
     Corrie Elizabeth Napier was born on 24 October 1918 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1 She was the daughter of William Preston Napier and Mary Ann Townsend.1 She married John Caulder Mikell on 7 September 1940.1 She died in November 1967 at age 49.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

John Caulder Mikell1

M, b. 1 July 1916
     John Caulder Mikell was born on 1 July 1916.1 He married Corrie Elizabeth Napier, daughter of William Preston Napier and Mary Ann Townsend, on 7 September 1940.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

John Townsend Napier

M, b. 5 February 1921
     John Townsend Napier was born on 5 February 1921 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1 He was the son of William Preston Napier and Mary Ann Townsend.1 He married Mary Grace Swett on 3 December 1946.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

Mary Grace Swett

F, b. 21 February 1926
     Mary Grace Swett was born on 21 February 1926.1 She married John Townsend Napier, son of William Preston Napier and Mary Ann Townsend, on 3 December 1946.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

Dr. James L. Napier

M, b. circa 1835
     Dr. James L. Napier was born circa 1835 at South Carolina, United States. He married Marietta Donaldson.

Children of Dr. James L. Napier and Marietta Donaldson

Marietta Donaldson

F, b. circa 1846
     Marietta Donaldson was born circa 1846 at South Carolina, United States. She married Dr. James L. Napier.

Children of Marietta Donaldson and Dr. James L. Napier

Mary Terrel Rogers1

F, b. 14 July 1888, d. 3 March 1948
     Mary Terrel Rogers was born on 14 July 1888.1 She married John Rogers Townsend, son of John Robertson Townsend and Catherine Jane "Kate" Rogers, on 20 December 1915.1 She died on 3 March 1948 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States, at age 59.1 She was buried at Drake Cemetery, Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.2

Children of Mary Terrel Rogers and John Rogers Townsend

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.
  2. [S583] Elizabeth Drake and Jacquelyn Rainwater, Marlboro SC Cemeteries, p. 206.

John Rogers Townsend Jr.

M, b. 19 January 1917, d. 20 December 1979
     John Rogers Townsend Jr. was born on 19 January 1917 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1 He was the son of John Rogers Townsend and Mary Terrel Rogers.1 He married Mary Opal Copeland on 31 August 1946.1 He died on 20 December 1979 at age 62.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

Mary Opal Copeland1

F, b. 28 July 1926
     Mary Opal Copeland was born on 28 July 1926.1 She married John Rogers Townsend Jr., son of John Rogers Townsend and Mary Terrel Rogers, on 31 August 1946.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

Carlos Rogers Townsend

M, b. 17 April 1920
     Carlos Rogers Townsend was born on 17 April 1920 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1 He was the son of John Rogers Townsend and Mary Terrel Rogers.1 He married Caroline Dyches Turkett on 5 June 1943.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

Caroline Dyches Turkett1

F, b. 11 April 1919
     Caroline Dyches Turkett was born on 11 April 1919.1 She married Carlos Rogers Townsend, son of John Rogers Townsend and Mary Terrel Rogers, on 5 June 1943.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

Carlotta Patti Townsend

F, b. 31 August 1921
     Carlotta Patti Townsend was born on 31 August 1921 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1 She was the daughter of John Rogers Townsend and Mary Terrel Rogers.1 She married James Russel Mobley on 31 August 1948.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

James Russel Mobley1

M, b. 4 October 1919
     James Russel Mobley was born on 4 October 1919.1 He married Carlotta Patti Townsend, daughter of John Rogers Townsend and Mary Terrel Rogers, on 31 August 1948.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

Ida Marie Townsend

F, b. 20 June 1924
     Ida Marie Townsend was born on 20 June 1924 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1 She was the daughter of John Rogers Townsend and Mary Terrel Rogers.1 She married James Preston Butler on 17 April 1948 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

James Preston Butler1

M, b. 9 April 1921
     James Preston Butler was born on 9 April 1921.1 He married Ida Marie Townsend, daughter of John Rogers Townsend and Mary Terrel Rogers, on 17 April 1948 at Marlboro, South Carolina, United States.1

Citations

  1. [S136] Marie Townsend Butler, Townsends of Marlboro,.

Thomas Townsend

M, b. circa 1735, d. before 20 May 1796
     Thomas Townsend was born circa 1735 at "Millfield", Broadkill Creek, Sussex, Delaware, British Colonial America.1 He was the son of Benedictus Townsend and Lucilla Light. He married Anaphilda Watson, daughter of John Thomas Watson and E. Alice (--?--), circa 1758 at Orange, North Carolina, British Colonial America. He died before 20 May 1796 at Greenville, Greenville, South Carolina, United States.1
     Biography of Thomas Townsend:
Thomas Townsend (1735-1796) has long been suspected to be brother to John Townsend (1740-1786) and Light Townsend (1745-1817) of Marlboro County, South Carolina. This suspicion was due to the occurrence of common names like Benjamin, Jabez, Thomas, and especially Light in the descendants of these Townsend men. However, there has been very little other evidence to support this relationship. Recent findings that Benedictus Townsend, the father of John and Light, was in Granville and Orange County, North Carolina during the period 1751 to 1764 provides additional evidence to support Thomas Townsend (1735-1796), being a son of Benedictus Townsend and brother to Light and John.

In 1751, Benedictus Townsend and his family were living in the western portion of Granville County, North Carolina between Country Line Creek on the south and the Dan River on the north as shown by his name being on "A List of Tythables on Dan River for the Year 1751”2 on the Granville County North Carolina tax lists. “John Watson, Senor” (the father of Anaphilda Watson) and “John Watson, Junor” are also listed as paying tithes on that very same list. Benedictus Townsend’s name is eight households distant from that of John Watson, thus clearly inferring that the Townsend and Watson families were neighbors in North Carolina in 1751. This area became Orange County, North Carolina in 1752 and bordered Halifax County, Virginia at that time. We surmise that the Benedictus Townsend family was in that same area of Orange County until 1764 when they removed to South Carolina. The dates of birth and place of birth of the children of Thomas Townsend and Anaphilda Watson (as will be discussed below) suggests Thomas and Anaphilda married about 1758 and lived in North Carolina until the mid 1760’s when they moved into Virginia. This evidence shows the Watson and Townsend families were neighbors or at the very least knew of each other, and the very close proximity of these families likely provided plenty of opportunity for Thomas Townsend (1735-1796) to meet, court and marry Anaphilda Watson. We were also not able to find any other Townsend’s families in this area at that time thus inferring that Thomas could only be a son of Benedictus.

The earliest record we have found on Thomas Townsend (1735-1796) is “Thomas Townsen” witnessing a 20 November 1757 Halifax County Virginia deed wherein John Watson of Halifax Co. deeds 100 acres to Thomas Watson also of Halifax.3 This shows that Thomas Townsend (1735-1796) was at least 21 years of age at that time and probably living in the area of Halifax County, Virginia in November 1757. His witnessing of this deed involving John and Thomas Watson (his father-in-law and brother-in-law as will be shown below) also suggests he had likely already married, or was soon to marry, Anaphilda Watson by November 1757. The next record is in the Old Survey Book 1, 1746-1782 located in the Clerk’s Office in Chatham, Pittsylvania County Virginia. Pittsylvania County was formed out of Halifax County in 1766-67. On Page 126 is a survey recorded as follows: “30 June 1766 Survey for Thos. Townsend 92 acres of land on the long Branch of Great Cherry Stone Creek … Transferred to Daniel Lowell”. 4 The next record is a Pittsylvania County deed dated 14 July 1767 [reported by Riely Leon Townsend below] wherein John Loving sells Thomas Townsend 151 acres “on the Little Branch of Cherrystone Creek” also “being the land said Thomas Townsend lives on”. Thus by 1767 Thomas is physically living near the town of Chatham in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. It should be noted that Cherry Stone Creek is about 10 miles in length and starts at its headwaters five miles northwest of the Town of Chatham, flows south and then east before joining the Banister River two miles east of Chatham. Cherry Stone Creek acts as the western and southern border of the Town of Chatham. We would surmise that the “long Branch of the Great Cherry Stone Creek” is what is now called Cherry Stone Creek and that the “Little Branch of Cherrystone Creek” is what is now called “Little Cherrystone Creek” which is about 2 miles to the east of Chatham, flows south until it joins Cherrystone Creek just before both streams flow into the Banister River. The Cherrystone Creek area is located some 20 miles north of the Country Line Creek-Dan River area of North Carolina where the Townsends and Watsons lived in 1751. These deeds, their timing and the location of Cherrystone Creek being distant from North Carolina support our conclusion that Thomas is a son of Benedictus, as well as, provide a more complete picture of Thomas Townsend (1735-1796) that is consistent with other evidence reported.

The birth places of the children of Thomas and Anaphilda as reported by Riely Leon Townsend below shows that three of his older children, Benjamin, Jabez, and Elizabeth appear to have been born in North Carolina rather than Virginia as one might infer from Thomas being found witnessing a deed in Virginia in 1757 and living there by 1767. As there are no extant deeds or marriage records in Orange County North Carolina from this period one can only surmise based on the birth of his children in North Carolina that Thomas Townsend may have lived in North Carolina until 1767 when he clearly was living in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. From the above, we surmise Thomas moved from North Carolina to Virginia in the mid 1760's. It is interesting to note that this move coincides with Benedictus Townsend and his sons, William and Light’s move to South Carolina about 1764. These moves being quite normal as the family grows and the children marry and move on.

Thomas Townsend (1735-1796) names his first-born son, Benjamin, probably after his father, Benedictus Townsend, following typical child naming patterns used by this family. He also names his third son, Light, possibly after his brother, Light, or possibly from the maiden name of Lucilla Light, his mother. He names his fourth daughter Lucy, perhaps after his mother, Lucilla Light. These naming patterns are supportive of Thomas being the son of Benedictus.

By 1800 the family of Thomas Townsend (1735-1796) is in Logan County, Kentucky and the family of Light Townsend (1745-1817) is in adjacent Warren County Kentucky. Each of these families came to the Warren/Logan County Kentucky area at the same time, Anaphilda Watson in 1797 and Light Townsend in 1800. Each came by a different route, Light via Marlboro County, South Carolina and Thomas’s widow, Anaphilda and sons via Greenville County, South Carolina. Their living near each other in Kentucky suggests they are closely related. This further supports our conclusion that Thomas is the son of Benedictus.

It is our conclusion from the above tax list, showing the Watsons and Townsends as neighbors, no other Townsends being found in the immediate area, children being born in North Carolina, rather than Virginia, the naming patterns, and these families again living near each other in Kentucky in 1800 that Thomas Townsend (1735-1796) is a son of Benedictus Townsend.

Thomas Townsend (1735-1796) is the progenitor of the Townsend family described by Riely Leon Townsend in his 1973 work Genealogy of the Townshend-Townsend Family.1 The following excepts, with editorial comments, from that work are reproduced below for the readers further information:

“THOMAS TOWNSEND (b. Nov. 1732-d.ca May 20, 1796) arrived in what is now Pittsylvania County, Virginia about the year 1752, coming, as some persons think, from Tidewater or the Northern Neck of Virginia, and settling near the present village of Chatham on the waters of Cherrystone Creek. It is the county seat and is truly a "one-street” town with a population of about 1800. When the author visited there in October 1964, he was fascinated with the little town. It had only one business street about two blocks long with the court house at one end. Located on the crest of a hill of considerable length, it was surrounded by green, tree covered, rolling hills(n-4).”1 [Ed. Comment: Thomas, as the son of Benedictus Townsend, was likely born in Sussex County, Delaware, moved with his family to Granville County North Carolina by 1751and then moved to Chatham in the mid 1760’s. Riely Leon Townsend indicating that Thomas was born in “Nov. 1732” conflicts with the “1751 Dan River” Granville County, North Carolina tax list that shows that Benedictus Townsend did not have any sons 16 or older in his household in 1751. That tax list thus indicates Benedictus had no sons born prior to 1735. We were not able to determine the source or rationale for Riely Leon Townsend’s indication of the 1732 birth date and thus are unable to include that information as credible evidence. That being the case we have elected to change the birth date of Thomas to after 1735 as this is what the evidence we have cited suggests.]

“Here at Chatham Thomas Townsend apparently met and married Anaphilda Watson, daughter of John Thomas Watson, "The Old Scotchman", a neighbor.” [Ed. Comment: They likely were neighbors and met and married in Orange County, North Carolina]. There is a tradition that Watson was a Presbyterian and came to the Hanover County area of Virginia when so many members of that faith came over. He was in search of his brother, so the story goes, an admiral in the British Navy. Not finding him, John Thomas married a widow in Hanover County. They moved to Pittsylvania County, Virginia soon after the first white men arrived there during the l740's and settled on Cherry stone Creek. The town of Chatham is built on their land. No record has been found of the marriage of Watson in Hanover County nor of Thomas Townsend in Pittsylvania County.”1 [Ed. Comment: That may be because Thomas Townsend (1735-1796) was likely married in Orange County, North Carolina where marriage records for that time period did not survive.]

“According to his will, dated November 15, 1802, John Thomas Watson and his wife, E. Alice Watson, had six children, three sons and three daughters. The former were: Thomas, who inherited the plantation; John, who settled on Harpen Creek some twelve miles northwest of Chatham near the present village of Red Eye and William, who "went west". The daughters were: Grisell Farthing, Keziah Hughes and Anaphilda Townsend (n-5).”1

“It is believed the family of Thomas Townsend (1732-1796) may have lived in Halifax County, Virginia for a time. There also lived John and William Light, descendants of a John Light of England, so the families may have intermarried (n-6).”1 [Ed Comment: It would appear that Riely Leon Townsend might not have been aware that Pittsylvania County was formed out of Halifax in 1766-7. Also the presence of Lights in the area may further support Thomas being a son of Benedictus.]

“Many persons believe that Thomas Townsend (1732-l796) was a brother of Light Townsend who settled in Marlboro County, South Carolina in the 1760's or before, and whose son, Thomas, married Elizabeth Stapleton in 1794. A Benidictus Townsend and a John Townsend, living near Light, were most certainly his brothers.”1

“The first record found in Pittsylvania County, Virginia of land purchased by Thomas Townsend (1732-1796) was dated July 14, 1767. This land was bought from John Loving and was located "on both sides of Cherrystone Creek, being the land said Townsend lives on", which implies that Thomas evidently rented for a number of years. Cherrystone Creek heads close to the land of John Watson on Harpen Creek. It first runs east and then generally south until it passes near the western edge of Chatham, then turns east again to empty into the Banister River. About a half mile before reaching the river, Cherrystone Creek is joined from the north by Little Cherrystone Creek, their junction being about three miles southeast of Chatham. Since the legal description states that the 151 acres bought by Thomas Townsend joined the land of John Thomas Watson" on the Little Branch of Cherrystone Creek", it was evidently located just above' the intersection of the two streams. The transaction is recorded in Deed Book 1, 1767-1770 of Pittsylvania County, Virginia.”1

“Thomas Jefferson Townsend (1780-1851), the youngest son of Thomas Townsend (1732-1796), listed in the 1850 U. S. Census of Logan County, Kentucky, gives his state of birth as "North Carolina"; Allen Townsend (1809-1897), son of Jabez Townsend (1762-1817) and grandson of Old Thomas, states in Goodspeed's History of Southern Arkansas, 1888, that his father was born in North Carolina and J. E. Nowlin, in his "Nowlin-Stone Genealogy", states that Elizabeth Townsend (1768-1860), who married Bryan W. Nowlin, was also born in North Carolina. If it is true that these three children of Old Thomas, and perhaps others were born in North Carolina, then it appears quite likely that he owned land and shared his place of abode between the two states, North Carolina and Virginia, or that his parents or other relatives still lived there and with whom he visited. The home near Chatham,Virginia was only about 35 miles from Person County, North Carolina.” 1 [Ed. Comment: These children being born in North Carolina supports our conclusion that Thomas Townsend lived in North Carolina until the mid 1760 ‘s when he moved to Pittsylvania County, Virginia.]

"After the estate of her deceased husband was settled Anaphilda Townsend went with the majority of her family to Logan County, Kentucky. This was probably during the summer of 1797, since she signed her will in that county on August 9, 1798. The party was evidently made up of the following: Light and Mary Townsend, who sold land on Horse Creek on February 2, 1797, and bought land in Logan County on November 3, 1798; Delilah, and her husband, Henry L. Smith(?), if she was still living; Didamia, and her husband, Jesse Webb; Lucy, and her husband, Rev. Peyton Nowlin and Thomas Jefferson Townsend, youngest son of Anaphilda.”1 [Ed. Comment: The moving of Anaphilda Townsend and her family from Greenville, South Carolina, where the family was living when Thomas Townsend died, to Logan County Kentucky supports Thomas Townsend and Light Townsend being brothers. Light Townsend was living in adjacent Warren County Kentucky at that time.]

The children of Thomas and Anaphilda listed below were taken from Riely Leon Townsend’s Genealogy of the Townshend-Townsend Family. 1 Additional information on these children and several generations of their descendants as they migrate west through Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma and points west can be found in this well researched book.

Children of Thomas Townsend and Anaphilda Watson

Citations

  1. [S676] Riely Leon Townsend, Townshend-Townsend Family,.
  2. [S662] "Granville County, NC Tax Lists".
  3. [S677] Marian Dodson Chiarito, Halifax VA Deed Book 1, p. 33.
  4. [S677] Marian Dodson Chiarito, Halifax VA Deed Book 1, p. 126.

Anaphilda Watson

F, b. circa 1730, d. 1818
     Anaphilda Watson was born circa 1730.1 She was the daughter of John Thomas Watson and E. Alice (--?--).1 She married Thomas Townsend, son of Benedictus Townsend and Lucilla Light, circa 1758 at Orange, North Carolina, British Colonial America. She died in 1818 at Logan, Kentucky, United States.1

Children of Anaphilda Watson and Thomas Townsend

Citations

  1. [S676] Riely Leon Townsend, Townshend-Townsend Family,.

John Thomas Watson1

M
     John Thomas Watson married E. Alice (--?--).1

Child of John Thomas Watson and E. Alice (--?--)

Citations

  1. [S676] Riely Leon Townsend, Townshend-Townsend Family,.

E. Alice (--?--)

F
     E. Alice (--?--) married John Thomas Watson.1

Child of E. Alice (--?--) and John Thomas Watson

Citations

  1. [S676] Riely Leon Townsend, Townshend-Townsend Family,.

Benjamin Townsend

M, b. 30 August 1759, d. 1825

Citations

  1. [S676] Riely Leon Townsend, Townshend-Townsend Family,.