George Edward Townsend (1910 - 1987)

Born 26 Jan 1910 in Bay City, Bay County, Michigan, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 27 Oct 1987 at age 77 in Bassett, Henry, Virginia, United States

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Biography

George was born in 1910. He passed away in 1987.

In April 1910, the 1910 U.S. Census recorded George E. Townsend, 3 months old, in the household of his parents, 28-year-old George F. Townsend and his 30-year-old wife Minnie Townsend, in Bay City, Michigan. Others in the household were George's mother Jennie McKay, age 48; and George's step-father Duncan McKay, 73. According to the census sheet, George and Minnie had been married 3 years and it was their first marriage. Minnie had had one child, who was living. Jennie and Duncan McKay had been married 23 years; it was a second marriage for both. Jennie had had one child, who was living. George worked as a railroad accountant. George was born in Michigan to a father born in New York and a mother born in Canada. Minnie and her parents all were born in Michigan. Duncan and Jennie McKay, along with both of their fathers, were born in "Canada English." Duncan's mother was "Scot. English" and Jennie's mother was born in New York. ^[1]

The Townsend family moved to Detroit by 1918, when George Fraser Townsend registered for the World War I draft in Detroit, Michigan, on 12 September 1918. He lived at 48 Cameron in Detroit and worked as clerk for the Detroit and Macinac [sic] Railway, and he listed Mrs. Minnie Townsend, also at 48 Cameron in Detroit, as his nearest relative.^[2]

The 1920 U.S. Census (recorded on January 1st) recorded 9-year-old Edward Townsend and his parents, 39-year-old George F. Townsend and 38-year-old Minnie Townsend, in Detroit, Michigan, listed as roomers in the household of 57-year-old widow Jane F. MacKay (who apparently was Edward's grandmother). Others in the household included Jane MacKay's unmarried sister Helen P. Fraser, age 70. Jane McKay and Helen Fraser were born in English Canada to a father born in English Canada and a mother born in New York; they had immigrated to the United States in 1874. George Townsend, who was a railroad auditor, was born in Michigan to a father born in New York and a mother born in English Canada. Minnie Townsend was born in Michigan; her parents' birthplaces are marked out on the census sheet. Edward Townsend and his parents all were born in Michigan. ^[3]

George's father died in 1927.^[4]

The 1930 U.S. Census recorded George E. Townsend, age 20, in Detroit, Michigan, a boarder in the household of 68-year-old widow Jean F. Mackay (his grandmother). He worked as a salesman in a stove shop. Also in the household were Helen Fraser, age 77, unmarried sister of Jean Mackay, and two other male boarders. George was born in Michigan to parents born in Michigan. Jean Mackay and Helen Fraser were born in English Canada to fathers born in English Canada and mothers born in New York.^[5]

The 1940 U.S. Census recorded George E. Townsend, age 33, in St. Joseph, Michigan, with his wife Elise E. Townsend, 29, son Edward J. Townsend, age 5, and his mother, Minnie B. Townsend, age 63 and a widow. All were born in Michigan. George, Elise, and Edward had lived in the same place in 1935, but Minnie had lived in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. The census record indicates that George had completed a 4-year high school education; his wife Elise had two years of high school. George worked as a mechanic for Bendix Aviation and Elise did fountain work in a drug store.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ United States Census, 1910. Enumeration sheet for Bay City Ward 3, Bay, Michigan; Roll: T624_637; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 0040; FHL microfilm: 1374650. Accessed on Ancestry.com at https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/7884/31111_4330135-00178
2. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-G1H8-55X?cc=1968530&wc=9FCG-T3J%3A928310701%2C928727401 : 24 August 2019), Michigan > Detroit City; Tin, Louis D.-Uzyiski, W. > image 1986 of 5911; citing NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRXG-CR3?cc=1488411&wc=QZJR-NHW%3A1036472001%2C1037373801%2C1039755501%2C1589332637 : 11 September 2019), Michigan > Wayne > Detroit Ward 5 > ED 175 > image 21 of 32; citing NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ "Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1952," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KF43-DF5 : 13 March 2018), George F Townsend, 30 Jan 1927; citing Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing; FHL microfilm 1,972,981. Image of death certificate accessed on Ancestry.com at https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/60872/44471_354618-02575
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRHJ-D65?cc=1810731&wc=QZFQ-9J2%3A648805801%2C649542601%2C651507501%2C1589283048 : 8 December 2015), Michigan > Wayne > Detroit (Districts 0001-0250) > ED 133 > image 11 of 44; citing NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002).
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9M1-FQJ8?cc=2000219&wc=QZX1-3ZN%3A790103601%2C790668901%2C791351101%2C951093101 : accessed 13 February 2020), Michigan > Berrien > St. Joseph City, St. Joseph, Ward 1 > 11-72 St. Joseph City Ward 1 bounded by (N) city limits; (E) city limits, St. Joseph River, Main; (S) Pearl; (W) city limits > image 24 of 36; citing Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012.

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