Person:Joseph Townsend (13)

From the book, "Valley of the Upper Maumee River: with Historical Account of Allen County and the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana,"In 1827 Henry Cooper sowed the first wheat, at a rather late season, November 15, but it turned out well, according to the tradition. In this year, a number of good men were added to the population: John Blakely, John K. Senseny, Joseph Townsend, David W. and Abraham Miller, Thomas Daniels, John Troutner and Judge Nathan Coleman. The year 1827 is also memorable as the date of the survey of the first road, from Fort Wayne to a point just east of the site of New Haven. It was afterward extended as a stage line to Defiance, Ohio, and 'the river road' became a popular thoroughfare." [p. 206]

"A primitive grist-mill, called the 'corn-cracker,' was a great convenience to a wide region about it, although grinding was of a very imperfect sort. Such a mill was put in operation in 1828 on Six-mile creek in Adams township, by Joseph Townsend, who also used the water power to propel a saw-mill. [p. 203]