Person:Robert Townsend (1)

Grandpa grew up in New Mexico and had 2 years of formal education. By age 7 he worked as a sheepherder. He would go out with the sheep, sleep under the stars and be gone from home for long periods of time. It was during this time that he contracted TB. He recovered hardly realizing that he had a serious illness. Sun and fresh air cured him. His family was poor and when it was time to collect Robert's yearly wages, his father collected the wages for him. This happened every year. At age 13, Robert was angry and left home, he never returned. He sold tamales on the street for quite a while. He made the tomales himself. When asked for the recipe, he always said it was half horse and half rabbit. My mother has the recipe, it doesn't contain either.

Robert was cook in the army between WWI and WWII. He later became an electrician and was a stalwart member of the Union. Robert helped wire the Hoover Dam near Las Vegas. He also worked as a high wire man--he could see his backyard and watch the children from the top of the poles. He was a Shiner and 32nd degree Mason. He enjoyed gardening and cooking. He was especially fond of his home grown black-eyed peas and his own mince-meat. Robert was a great fan of Yankee baseball.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Robert Townsend Death Certificate.
2. ↑ Electrician Union.
   
3. ↑ California. Department of Public Health. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Death Index, 1940-1997.

   name: Robert H Townsend
   event: Death
   event date: 29 Jan 1972
   event place: Los Angeles, California, United States
   birth date: 25 Jun 1905
   birthplace: New Mexico
   gender: Male

4. ↑ Robert was a self made man. He had no more than 3 years schooling yet became an electrician and a Shriner. He helped to wire the Hoover Dam.