Carl Frederick Townsend (1903 - 1998)

Born 30 Jan 1903 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Gladys (Land) Townsend — married 29 Jan 1921 in Flint, Genesee, Michigan, United States

Descendants

Died 9 Aug 1998 at age 95 in Manistee, Manistee, Michigan, United States

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Biography

Carl’s father, George Townsend, was a streetcar conductor in Chicago, IL - one of the things he remembered about his father’s job was that George would bring home his change and Carl was allowed to play with the pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.

Another incident that Carl remembered clearly took place shortly before the family moved away from Chicago that involved a young bully who had been harassing him. The bully had previously threatened Carl with a rock; Carl had kept the rock and finally one day when the boy came after him, he threw the rock and struck the boy in the head. Unfortunately, the boy was the son of a policeman. When asked how it ended up Carl would only reply "my father and his father worked it out."

Carl was six years old when his family prepared to move from Chicago, Illinois to Wellston, Michigan. For the next year the family lived in a tent, the lower part boards and the top part canvas, on the farmland George had bought. During the winter the snow was quite deep and built walls around their temporary home. Over the following summer a home was built on the land.

1910 US Federal Census
Carl was living in Stronach, Manistee, MI North East of Wellston with his parents, George and Amanda, sister Viola M. and Jasper C. Schnopp whose relationship is given as 'Hired Man'. Carl was age 7 and was attending school.

In about 1915, age the age of 12, Carl ran away from home and returned to Chicago. When he arrived on the train he was looking to visit some friends he remembers, but once off the train could not remember how to find their home. He found a police officer, gave him location, and the officer put him on the correct streetcar to get there.

During these years Carl’s father was working for the railroad as a switchman at the crossroads where the regular rail lines went and a new line that went to a large project where a Dam was being build. Carl’s first job, at around age 15, was working at the Dam where he would carry water to the people who were building the Dam. Later he worked at a nearby fish hatchery.

In 1918 Carl tired of those jobs and left home to seek his fortune. With no specific destination in mind his travels on the train took him to Flint, Michigan where he began to look for work. The entrance to the Buick plant had a guard shack so Carl stopped to ask the security guard if the company was hiring - the guard was his future father-in-law Alfred Land.

Alfred advised the young man that the plant was closing for the day and asked if he had anywhere to stay. When Carl said no, Alfred sent him to his own home, where he rented out room, and had a spare one available. When he got there, he met Blanche, Alfred’s second wife and settled into his new home.

Carl soon obtained a job at the Buick plant where he was sanding fenders. He lasted about two months before he got tired of doing that and then found a job at Chevrolet plant, where he lied about his age saying he was 19 (he hadn’t shaved and said the beard was heavy enough to make him look older) and got a job in their parts department.

1919 Flint, Michigan, City Directory
Carl Townsend, address: 116 E 13th, occupation: Autowkr

The next year his landlord’s daughter, 15-year-old Gladys Land, arrived with the plan to attend high school, she had been living first with her grandparents and then on her Aunt Lena and Uncle Harry’s farm where she had been helping them out. Unfortunately, there was only the basic schoolhouse there that went up to the eighth grade - which she had graduated from.

1920 US Federal Census
The first entry for Carl in this census shows him living in Marilla, Manistee, MI with his parents George and Amanda. His occupation was 'Laborer', in the industry of 'Motorworks' and he could read and write.

A second entry for him in the 1920 census confirms that he had in fact already left home. That entry has him living in Flint Ward 6, Genesee, MI on 13th St where he is a lodger with his occupation 'Foreman' in the industry of 'Auto Mfg Co'. In the same home were Alfred and Blanch Land, his daughter Gladys Land and other lodgers Julia Tromley and Walter Knies.

At some point during 1919-1920 Carl decided he wanted to learn to dance and signed up to take lessons at a school that had recently opened. After he had taken the first two lessons he and Gladys talked, and she decided to take lessons too. They were in different buildings for their lessons as he was two ahead of her, but the couple considered these there first dates together. What followed was described by the couple as a very typical courtship with the two going around together, doing things like renting a canoe and going out in it together.

At some point earl in 1920 while Carl was talking with Glady’s cousin, Russel Land (Glady’s referred to him as ‘Dad’s brothers' boy’, but her father had no surviving brothers, but he did have a half-cousin Russell Land who was the son of Dad’s half-brother George Land), when Russell asked him when he was going to ask her to marry him. Carl answered, "well, I guess I'll go ask her now," and went into the house to see her. She said yes, but the young couple were not destined to a quick marriage. The 1918-1920 Spanish flu pandemic that had been racing across the world delayed and nearly ended their marriage plans when both became ill. Carl was so ill that he nearly died and was forced to return to his parent's home to recover. It would be nearly a year before the couple saw each other again and were able to marry. This probably explains why Carl was reported twice in the 1920 census records at two different places.

Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1953
No. 1602, Jan. 29, 1921
Carl Townsend, age 18, white, Residence: Wellston, Mich, Birthplace: Chicago IL, Occ.: farmer, Father: George Townsend, Mother: Amanda Derry, not previously married; Gladys Land, age 17, white, Resident: Flint, Mich, Birthplace: Everett, Mich, Occ.: housework, Father: Alfred Land, Mother: Ora Snyder, not previously married. Date of Marriage: Jan 30 1921, Place: Flint, Mich, Official: Howard A Field, Minister of the Gospel, Witnesses: Russel M. Land and Ella Land both of Flint, Mich. [They were married in the living room of Glady’s father’s home and Carl remembers paying the preacher $5 - a lot of money at that time.]

Russell made a sign for their trip to the train station that said, ‘Two Blockheads Got Married’. The got off the train at High Bridge where Carl’s dad, George Townsend, met them with a carriage and Gladys, the city girl, asked her new husband when they were going to get out of the woods, only to find out that the home they were going to live in, George’s farm, was in the woods. They later moved to another farm where Gladys’ Aunt Lottie had lived, and Gladys encountered a cow who hated women and chased her whenever she went out.

During this time Carl had a job on a farm near Hastings. The growing family eventually moved to Grand Rapids, MI where Carl began working at bakeries such as National Biscuit and A & P Bread. It was at National Biscuit that Carl had an accident where a heavy bar on a machine he was operating came down on his foot and he lost a toe.

1927 Grand Rapids, MI City Directory
Carl F. Townsend, male, Occupation: Baker, Spouse: Gladys Townsend, Address: 935

1928 Grand Rapids, MI City Directory
Carl F. Townsend, male, Occ.: Assembler, Spouse: Gladys Townsend, Address: 935 Jerome Av SE

1929 Grand Rapids, MI City Directory
Carl F. Townsend, male, Occ: Baker, Spouse: Gladys Townsend, Address: 935 Jerome Av SW

1930 US Federal Census
Carl was living in Grand Rapids, Kent, MI in the third ward of the city, block 1783, house number 1935 - he owned his home that was valued at $3,000. Carl was employed as a baker working at a bakery. Living with him was his wife Gladys, their children Charlotte, Geraldine and Shirley, a housekeeper Lottie Healey and boarder Virgil Healey (my guess is that Lottie did housekeeping to help pay for their lodging).

And then the Great Depression struck, and times became even harder for the young family as Carl was laid off work and he moved his family back to the Wellston farm where they stayed during the depression years. Carl took whatever jobs he could find (which were not many) and he did a great deal of (not quite legal) hunting and fishing to feed the family. Carl had been using a gun since he was young and was a good shot, and they managed to trick the game wardens often enough that they did not get caught fishing when and where it was not allowed. As Carl put it ‘his family always had something to eat’.

When the W.P.A. (Works Progress Administration) was started Carl worked on projects like building a road and the construction of a bridge.

Shortly after this, around 1935, the family moved into the town of Manistee and made the decision to move the Wellston home there. This involved taking the house apart piece by piece and moving the material all into town to put back together again. According to daughter Jeri, the process or rebuilding took almost 16 years, and they started out just living in the partially finished first floor with no bathroom.

And the discussion of the bathroom brought up another interesting story from the time the family was living on the Wellston farm and prohibition was enforce. Apparently, there was a small operation of ‘moonshining’ that took place with the resulting beer being stored in the shed that was brought into Manistee to be used as an outhouse. The operation came to a stop when a visit from the federals (that failed to find the booze) took place and the family dumped all of the beer that was in the shed.

My, my poaching deer, illegal fishing, moonshining - the things we learn about our ancestors.

The unfinished house that had the second floor and attic wide open for several years was the source of stories that involved my father, youngest child Milo or Mike. Apparently, when he was still only a baby, he managed to crawl all the way up into the rafters of the house, forcing his Grandpa George, who was living with the family, to crawl up after him and bring him down. On another occasion when Grandpa George had been left in charge of the children, and was working on building some of the cabinets, Mike disappeared. After a frantic search they found him asleep on the shelf of one of the cabinets that George had recently finished. Everyone agreed as they told these stories that my father was a climber and prone to getting into trouble.

In 1936 Carl found permanent work on the large oar carriers on the Great Lakes. He started out working in the galley as a dishwasher, after about a year became a porter and about a year later when the ship’s steward fell ill, he took that position on a temporary basis. The captain of the ship liked his work, and he was moved permanently to the position of steward. He worked as a cook of the Great Lakes for the next 31 years.

1940 Manistee, Michigan City Directory
Carl F. Townsend (Gladys; 5), Occ: steward, Address: 515 Davis

US, WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1898-1929
Carl Frederick Townsend, male, white, 39, head of household, Birthdate: 30 Jan 1903, Birthplace: Chicago, IL, Residence Place: Manistee, Manistee, MI, Registration Date: 16 Feb 1942, Employer: Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Height: 5'6, Weight: 160, Complexion: Dark, Hair: Black, Eyes: Brown, Next of Kin: John B. Wallace.

I have not been able to find Carl in the 1940 US Federal Census as he was probably at sea when the census was taken - he did not get listed in his family’s household. But I was able to find his WWII Draft Card that was from 16 Feb 1942, and it listed his residence as Manistee, Manistee, MI and his employer as Pittsburgh Steamship Co. He had black hair, brown eyes, was 5'6 tall, weighed 160 and had a dark complexion - he listed his next of kin as John B. Wallace.

From 1936 to his retirement in 1967 Carl was away from home 10-11 months out of every year, older son Jay/Sonny says he only remembers seeing his father and green grass at the same time and that was when he came home for his college graduation. But Carl kept his family fed and was able to sometimes send home perks, especially during the war years when he sent home a bicycle for one of the kids (although someone along the way stole the grips off the handles) and bags of sugar and other hard to find items.

Things around the house often changed when he was home, and his daughters remembered a couple of stories that stood out. The house had only one bathroom that was on the main floor, the girl’s bedroom was on the second floor - used to having their father away they would often run down in the morning in their slips to use the bathroom. Shortly after Carl returned one year, after watching his daughters run up and down in the slips he declared ‘no more running round this house in slips.’

The other story the girl’s remembered was their father’s frustration at being interrupted whenever he wanted to take a bath. So, one day he called everyone in the house together and told them they should all go use the bathroom now because he was going to take a bath, and no one could come in and bother him. They all obediently took turns and went in to use the facility and he went in and started his bath. A short time later, Melba, a friend hurried into the house begging to use their bathroom. The family advised her that Carl was in there and could not be disturbed, but she was desperate, and they knocked on the door and told him it was Melba who had to use the bathroom. Soon Carl emerged grumbling that it looked like in the future he was going to have to call the whole neighborhood in to use his bathroom before he could get some peace in it.

1945 Manistee MI City Directory
Carl F. Townsend, male, Occ.: Sailor, Spouse: Gladys Townsend, Address: 515 Davis

1947 Manistee MI City Directory
Carl F. Townsend, male, Occ: Cook, Spouse: Gladys Townsend, Address: 515 Davis

1949 Manistee MI City Directory
Carl F. Townsend, male, Occ: Marine Steward, Spouse: Gladys Townsend, Address: 515 Davis

1952 Manistee MI City Directory
Carl F. Townsend, male, Occ: Steward, Spouse: Gladys Townsend, Address: 515 Davis

Michigan Passenger and Crew Lists
Carl F. Townsend, Arrival Date: 19 Apr 1953, Port of Arrival: Marquette, MI, Port of Departure: Little Current, Ontario, Canada, Ship Name: Peter White, Position in Crew: Steward

1954 Manistee MI City Directory
Carl F. Townsend, male, Occ.: Steward, Spouse: Gladys Townsend, Address: 515 Davis

1957 Manistee MI City Directory
Carl F. Townsend, male, Occ: Steward, Spouse: Gladys Townsend, Address: 515 Davis

1959 Manistee MI City Directory
Carl F. Townsend, male, Occ.: Steward, Spouse: Gladys Townsend, Address: 515 Davis

Carl's Social Security records show that he began collecting his social security on 31 Mar 1967 which is just about the time when he retired. He and Gladys then moved to Florida where they lived for 22 years, returning to Manistee, MI in 1990. Carl passed away in 1998 with the cause of his death given on his death certificate as Aspiration of Gastrointestinal Contents. He was buried in The Oak Grove Cemetery, Manistee, Michigan.

US Public Records Index, Volume 1
Carl F. Townsend, Birthdate: 30 Jan 1903, Address: 18 Grizzard St, Fruitland Park, FL, 34731

US Phone and Address Directories, 1993-2002
Carl F. Townsend, male, 1996-1998, Address: 273 6th Ave, Manistee, MI, 49660, 616-723-9406

Social Security Death Index
SS#: 377-16-0456, Birthdate: 30 Jan 1903, Issue year: before 1951, Issue State: Michigan, Last Residence: Manistee, MI, Death Date: 9 Aug 1998.

Carl's Obituary
"Carl F. Townsend, 95, of Manistee, died Sunday, Aug. 9, 1998, at West Shore Hospital.

Carl was born January 30, 1903 in Chicago, IL, the son of George and Amanda (Derry) Townsend. The Townsend family moved from Chicago to Wellston area in 1909. He married Gladys Land in Flint on January 30, 1921. The Townsends celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary this past January. They were recognized recently as Manistee County's longest married couple.

Carl was chief cook on Great Lakes freighters of the Pittsburgh Steel and Cleveland Cliff Lines for 31 years until his retirement in 1968. After his retirement he and his wife, Gladys, lived in Fruitland Park, FL, for 22 years. They returned to Manistee in 1990. Carl attended the First Baptist Church in Manistee.

He survived by: his wife, Gladys; daughters and sons-in-law, Charlotte Norkus of Muskegon, Jeraldine Dyson, Shirley and William Lidtke Jr., and Letha and Kenneth Gillespie, all of Manistee; sons and daughters-in-law, C. Jay and Joyce Townsend of Ocala, FL, and Milo "Mike" and Betty Townsend of Bloomington, MN; a grandson, Don Wallace of Muskegon, who was raised by Carl and Gladys; 18 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; seven great-great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by: his parents; a sister Viola Wilson; and by three grandchildren.

Funeral services for Carl Townsend will be held at 11 am, Thursday, Aug 13 at the First Baptist Church in Manistee, with pastor Dan Freeburg officiating. Burial will be in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

The family will be at the Johnson Funeral Home to receive friends Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 pm.

The family suggest that those wishing to remember Carl consider a gift to the First Baptist church piano fund. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home and at the funeral service.

The Johnson Funeral Home of Manistee is in charge of the funeral arrangements."

^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Personal recollection of events witnessed by D Townsend as remembered 9 Sep 2021.

• My paternal grandfather - have copies of both his birth and death certificates
• Recorded interview of Carl and Gladys (Land) Townsend by 3 of their children
• US Federal Census records
• Flint, Michigan City Directory
• Grand Rapids, Michigan City Directories
• Manistee, Michigan City Directories
• Michigan Marriage Record
• WWII Draft Card
• US Public Records, Phone and Address Directories
• Social Security Records
• Newspaper Obituary