Ancestor Birthday – December 10 – Benjamin Townsend 1742

Today's ancestor, Benjamin Townsend, was the father of my 3^rd gt-grandmother, Edith Townsend, who I wrote about day before yesterday, December 8^th. So that means that Benjamin was my 4^th gt-grandfather.

He was born 10 Dec 1742, the son of Joseph and Lydia (Reynolds) Townsend in Chester County Pennsylvania. They were members of the Quaker Concord Monthly Meeting. While he was still quite young, in 1749, his father died and Benjamin was named in his father's will.

It was about 1767 when Benjamin married Edith Evans. They had 6 children before Edith died 8 May 1783. Benjamin married his second wife, Jemima Booth, 6 May 1784. About 2 years later, in 1786, the family moved to Washington County Pennsylvania. Benjamin and Jemima had at least 5 children before they moved farther west into Columbiana County Ohio in 1803. It appears that Jemima died before 1807 because Benjamin married his 3^rd wife, Elizabeth Naylor, then.

From a probate record in Columbiana County, May term 1822, Benjamin was then deceased and apparently did not have a will. It does name 11 children who were his heirs at law, including the daughters' married names and locations for most of them.