Benjamin Townsend1

M, b. circa 1768
     Benjamin Townsend was born circa 1768 at Hilson Bay, Craven, South Carolina, British Colonial America. He was the son of Light Townsend and Delilah Pouncey.
     Biography of Benjamin Townsend:
Benjamin Townsend (1768- )is very likely one of the two tithable persons listed on the 7 July 1789 tax list entry for Light Townsen on the Fayette County, Kentucky Tax List. This suggests that Benjamin was at least 21 by July 1789 as at that time all males 21 or over had to pay a tithable tax. In this case, Benjamin was most likely listed as part of Light Townsend's household; even thorough his name is not recorded. The next record is of Benjamin Townsend paying tax on 22 April 1791 in Woodford County, Kentucky. Light Townsend (1745-1817) was also recorded as paying his tax on that same date. This clearly is a record of Benjamin Townsend that suggests he was born before 1770. Based on these two tax records and the finding that his father, Light Townsend (1745-1817) had likely started his family shortly after 1765 when he bought his first land from his father, Benedictus Townsend in South Carolina, we show Benjamin as being born circa 1768 on Hilson Bay, Craven County, South Carolina. He no doubt was named after his paternal grandfather and very likely is the first born male of this family.

Benjamin is mentioned in Light Townsend's 1817 Will which means he was alive in 1817. However, other than the tax lists, no records on Benjamin were found in Kentucky after a brief search. No further work has been done on Benjamin.

Citations

  1. [S594] Howard I. Bowers, "Light Townsend of Kentucky (Unpublished)."