Family:Charles Townsend and Phoebe Dickinson (1)

The parentage of Charles Townsend has not been proven. Some researchers believe Charles MAY have been a son of Elihu4 Townsend (Daniel3, Daniel2, John1), but other researchers, including Mr. Harry Macy, a long-time Townsend resercher, believe him to be a brother of Elihu and a son of Daniel3 Townsend (Daniel2, John1), based upon his birthdate range and the fact that if he were the son of Elihu, he would have most likely been the eldest son of Elihu and inherited land that Elihu owned in Dutchess/Putnam County when he died. More research is necessary to conclusively prove his parentage.

There is much uncertainty regarding Charles Townsend and his possible parentage of Elizabeth. There is at least some circumstantial evidence to reconstruct his probable or possible family. This information was gathered from several researchers that have spent extensive time looking at Dutchess/Putnam county New York records (those few that exist!) including:

Margaret Behme, 7072 W. Coldwater Rd., Flushing MI 48433 William T. Joiner, 726 S. 294th Place, Federal Way, WA 98003-3613 Harry Macy Jr., 300 East 33rd Street, New York, NY 10016 (V.P. of Townsend Society of America)

From letter of William T. Joiner relating a letter he received from Harry Macy dated 9/27/1982:

Charles Townsend's wife may have been a Dickinson. Some of that name did go from Oyster Bay to Dutchess/Putnam (County) about the same time as the Townsends. But among all his granddaughters, Charles didn't have a single one named Phebe. Is it likely so many of his children would name sons Charles, and not name daughters for their mother? I have to be very skeptical indeed that Phebe (Dickinson) is correct. The Dickinson-Dickerson genealogy by Wesley L. Baker (1978) doesn't show any Phebe, or any marriage to a Charles Townsend, but his account of the Dickinsons in Dutchess Co. is almost nil.

From Letter of Margaret Behme, 7072 W. Coldwater Rd., Flushing, MI 48433, dated 9/14/1985

Zephaniah 2 Townsend (Charles1) named a daughter Elizabeth "Betsy", and she married Daniel North and lived in Marbletown, Ulster County, New York. Then couple moved to other places in New York before coming to Michigan to Flat Rock for a short time, then to Saline Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan, where Daniel North died. Elizabeth came to Vassar, Tuscola County, Michigan, where she is buried on a son's lot at riverside Cemetery. Son Townsend Nathan North, founded Vassar with James Edmonds given land there for building bridge across Cass River. Had hotel, sawmill, garment factory and bank. Bank has been moved to Crossroads Historical Villiage, near Flint. Evidently there was family Bible no descendants that I know of now, but daughter Ula North was a schoolteacher at Vassar and she submitted Pioneer Collection Sheet citing family recollection & bible records giving Zephaniah's parents as Charles and Phoebe (Dickinson) Townsend.

From "History of Putnam County, New York", pg. 710: (information questionable)

Charles Townsend is supposed to have been a brother of Uriah and son of Elihu. He had sons, James and Elijah and Eber. Of these, Gen James Townsend was born in 1756, and died March 13, 1832. He was a prominent man of Carmel, and once owned the land where the Court House now stands. He married Priscilla, daughter of Elihu Cole, 1st, (note: this is probably incorrect - Charles Townsend's son, Gen. James Townsend married Priscilla Cole, daughter of Elisha Cole - the author probably got the two confused) and his children were: James, Alvah, Charles (who had sons Albert, David and others), Ardillo, Susannah (wife of Stephen Waring), Naomi (2nd wife of Dr. Robert Weeks), Mercy (wife of Isaacher Merrick) and Priscilla (wife of Levi Bailey).

http://www.paarplace.com/ght/gp3375.htm#head2

Family Group

Husband Charles Townsend

Born:   ABT. 1735   - Dutchess County, NY
Marr:               -   			
Died: BET. 1804 - 1805   - Dutchess County, NY

Father: Elihu Townsend Mother: Other Spouses:

Wife Phebe Dickinson

Born:   ABT. 1740   -  
Died:   ABT. 1777   -   

Father: Mother: Other Spouses:

Children 1. Elijah Townsend

Born:               - 
Died:  3 APR 1824   - Dutchess County, New York

2. Levi Townsend

Born:               - 
Marr:           - Rebecca  
Died:               - 

3. Zephaniah Townsend

Born:        1755   - 
Marr:    1783   - Sarah Woodin 
Died:               - 

4. Elizabeth Townsend

Born: 15 JUN 1755   - 
Marr:           - Joseph Hopkins 
Died:               - 

5. James Townsend, General

Born:   ABT. 1756   - Dutchess County, New York
Marr:           - Priscilla Cole 
Died: 13 MAR 1832   - Dutchess County, New York

6. Absalom Townsend

Born:   ABT. 1758   - Dutchess County, New York			 
Died: BEF. 1 AUG 1783   - Dutchess County, New York

7. Eber Townsend

Born:   ABT. 1760   - Dutchess County, NY
Marr:    1782   - Elizabeth Drew 
Died: 17 JUL 1822   - Urbana Township, Steuben County, NY

8. Charles Townsend

Born: 16 APR 1766   - Fredericktown, Dutchess Co., New York
Marr:    1782   - Hannah Hall 
Died: 12 JUN 1839   - Sullivan Co, New York

9. Mary Townsend

Born:  8 JAN 1774   - Urbana, Steuben County, New York
Died: 30 JUN 1840   - Urbana, Steuben County, New York