William Barkley Townsend (abt. 1718 - 1782)

Born about 1718 in Worcester County, Maryland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1782 at about age 64 in Worcester County, Maryland, USA

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Biography

He was born about 1718 in Somerset County, Maryland and his parents were Comfort (Barkley) and Jeremiah Townsend (c1693-1733).

(William) Barkley Townsend married about 1745 in Worcester County, Maryland to a Jemima (of uncertain maiden surname, c1725-c1791) and their children were born in Coventry Parish, Somerset County, Maryland.

As early as 1761 he acquired land in Sussex County, Delaware.

He was named in the settlement of his mother's estate on 31 October 1766 in Somerset County, Maryland. He was shown as William Barkley Townsend when he filed the inventory for the estate of Comfort Atkinson. ^[1]

By 1768 he resided in Laurel, Sussex County, Delaware. The house he built there still stands.

He was a notorious Tory during the American Revolutionary War.

By the standards of the day, he was a wealthy man.

On 26 Mar 1782 he made his last Will and died soon after in Worcester County, Maryland, USA.

On 19 Apr 1782 his Will was in the probate court of Worcester County, Maryland, USA. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

His estate was valued at $5,053.96, not including the 587 acres of land that he owned.

By 1789 the town he founded was laid out with 32 lots to be called Laurel Town.

On 15 Mar 1789 his widow Jemima made her last Will and it was probated on 22 Feb 1791 in Worcester County, Maryland, USA. ^[1]

Children

1. Bartley=Barkley Townsend, b: 06 Jan 1745/46; d: 04 Feb 1802; m: Joanna HEARN, d: bef.1806
2. Comfort Townsend, b: c1747; d: aft.1789; m: Isaac COOPER
3. Luke Townsend, b: 26 Jun 1747/48; d: bef:1810; m: Margaret GEORGE, d: aft.1812
4. Thomas Townsend, b: 13 Jul 1750
5. Eleanor Townsend, b: c1751; d: aft.1791; m: ??? STEVENS
6. William Townsend, b: c1752; d: bef.1789
7. Levi Townsend, b: 06 Feb 1753; d: c1814
8. Levin Townsend, b: 02 Aug 1755; d: c1799; m: Elizabeth ???.

Research Notes

A source is needed to confirm his wife's maiden surname ...

Jemima Selby ? ^[5] OR

Jemima Riggin, daughter of Mary (Ward) and John Riggin ?

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Townsend Family of Maryland" by Ruth T. Dryden in 1993; p14, 27; citing Last Will of Mrs. Jemima Townsend, dated: 15 Mar 1789; probate: 22 Feb 1791 Worcester County, Maryland
2. ↑ Maryland Wills, dated: 26 Mar 1782; probated: 19 Apr 1782 Worcester County, Maryland.
3. ↑ Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum
4. ↑ Colonial Families of the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 15 volumes compiled by Henry C. Peden Jr., Ralph A. Riggin, Vernon L. Skinner Jr., and F. Edward Wright; Publication: Colonial Roots in 2009.
5. ↑ http://espl-genealogy.org/milesfiles/site/p798.htm#i79751

• "Colonial Families of the Eastern Shore of Maryland" by Henry C. Peden Jr. & F. Edward Wright; v9 p257 (John Townsend Family)

• http://espl-genealogy.org/milesfiles/site/p795.htm#i79418