Person Page - 993

     Priscilla Townsend was born circa 1751 at probably Orange Co., North Carolina.¹ She married Rev. John Bailey. Priscilla Townsend died on 22 June 1810 at Lincoln Co., Kentucky.¹ She was buried at Buffalo Springs Cemetery, Danville, Lincoln Co., Kentucky.¹

     Prudie Townsend was born in December 1883 at Lafayette Co., Florida.¹ She was the daughter of Thomas O. Townsend and Elizabeth A. Smith.

     Rachel Townsend was born circa 1879 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.¹ She was the daughter of Charles Pinkney Townsend and Amanda McConnell.

     Rachel J. Townsend was born on 24 February 1865 at Alachua Co., Florida.¹ She was the daughter of John Hill Townsend and Malinda Ellen Shepherd. Rachel J. Townsend married Lewis Rance Thomas on 25 September 1887 at Alachua Co., Florida.^2,3 Rachel J. Townsend died on 23 February 1897 at Alachua Co., Florida, at age 31.² She was buried at Townsend Cemetery, nr. Rock Bluff Springs, Gilchrist Co., Florida.

     Raiford Townsend was born in September 1885 at Putnam Co., Florida.¹ He was the son of Asa Barton Townsend and Mary Jane Drew. Raiford Townsend died before 1910 at Florida.

     Ralph Emerson Townsend was born on 20 February 1910 at Wachula, DeSota Co., Florida.¹ He was the son of James Light Townsend and Annie Rebecca Bell. Ralph Emerson Townsend married Florence Conway on 10 November 1939.¹

     Ranna was born on 10 November 1884 at Madison Co., Florida. She was the daughter of Christopher Columbus Townsend and Catherine Elizabeth Buckhanan. She married John C. Coody Jr., son of John C. Coody Sr. and (?) Lawson, on 22 December 1907 at Madison Co., Florida.² Ranna died on 13 November 1966 at Quitman, Brooks Co., Georgia, at age 82.³ Her body was buried on 14 November 1966 at Mt. Horeb Cemetery, Madison Co., Florida.⁴

     Rebecca Ellen Townsend was born on 11 April 1808 at South Carolina. She was the daughter of Jabish T. Townsend and Elizabeth Spears. Rebecca Ellen Townsend married James Alpheus Galloway circa 1830 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina. Rebecca Ellen Townsend died on 28 May 1872 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina, at age 64.¹ She was buried at Parnassus Methodist Church Cemetery, Marlboro Co., South Carolina.¹

     Rennie Townsend was born circa 1845 at Jefferson Co., Florida.¹ She was the daughter of Thomas Jefferson Townsend and Molsey Ann Scott.

     Rhoda Townsend was born circa 1765 at probably Orange Co., North Carolina. She was the daughter of John Townsend and Cortney (--?--).
     
Biography of Rhoda Townsend:

It appears that Rhoda Townsend never married but had three sons who bore the Townsend surname. The three were Jabish Townsend, Benjamin Townsend, and Samuel Townsend. Jabish and Benjamin remained in Marlboro County their whole lives and have a large number of descendants in the area. Samuel raised a large family and about 1842 removed with many of his children to Madison County, Florida, following many of his relatives who had moved there earlier.

The following was abstracted from the Minutes of the December 1786 Term of the Marlboro County Court:

“Ordered that Jesse John and Rhoda Townsend being convicted of Bastardy of a Mail child that the aforesaid John pay to said Rhoda 4/8 quarter to maintain the aforesaid child untill it arrive to the age of Ten.. aforesaid Jess John and Rhoda give sufficient bond…”¹

We have concluded that this particular court order was for the benefit of Jabish Townsend as Benjamin was not born until circa 1788 and Samuel until circa 1794. Thus we show Jesse John as the father of Jabish. We have no evidence to suggest who the father of Benjamin or Samuel are.

We estimate that Rhoda was born circa 1765 based on the assumption she was age 18 at the time Jabish was born about 1783.