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Rev. Wilson F. Townsend

Male 1871 - 1901  (30 years)


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Generation: 1

  1. 1.  Rev. Wilson F. Townsend was born 11 Aug 1871, Tennessee; died 27 Aug 1901; was buried Shady Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee.

    Notes:

    ----------
    Reference:
    "Smoky Mountain Clans, Volume 3", Donald B. Reagan, 1983, p 143.
    Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 153, 163.
    "The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 77.

    Wilson — Margaret M. Dickson. Margaret (daughter of William Henry Dickson and Mary Ann "Polly" McMahan) was born 25 Aug 1876; died 12 Jan 1934; was buried Howard-Campbell Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
    1. 2. W. Filmore Townsend  Descendancy chart to this point was born 19 Feb 1897; died 8 Jun 1978.
    2. 3. Samuel Wesley Townsend  Descendancy chart to this point was born 15 Jun 1899; died 27 Aug 1920, Sevier County, Tennessee; was buried Howard-Campbell Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee.
    3. 4. Judge Buford Alvin Townsend  Descendancy chart to this point was born 30 Mar 1901, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 23 Aug 1992; was buried Shiloh Cemetery, Pigeon Forge, Sevier County, Tennessee.


Generation: 2

  1. 2.  W. Filmore Townsend Descendancy chart to this point (1.Wilson1) was born 19 Feb 1897; died 8 Jun 1978.

    Notes:

    ----------
    Reference:
    Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 163.
    "The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 77.

    W. — Myrtle Fagley. Myrtle was born 14 Feb 1897. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
    1. 5. Oran Doyle Townsend  Descendancy chart to this point
    2. 6. David Duane Townsend  Descendancy chart to this point was born 14 Nov 1919; died 1941/1945, , Florida.
    3. 7. Dorothy Townsend  Descendancy chart to this point

  2. 3.  Samuel Wesley TownsendSamuel Wesley Townsend Descendancy chart to this point (1.Wilson1) was born 15 Jun 1899; died 27 Aug 1920, Sevier County, Tennessee; was buried Howard-Campbell Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee.

    Notes:

    Never married.

    Death certificate lists given name as Samuel, #151.
    ----------
    Reference:
    Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 163.
    "The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 77.


  3. 4.  Judge Buford Alvin Townsend Descendancy chart to this point (1.Wilson1) was born 30 Mar 1901, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 23 Aug 1992; was buried Shiloh Cemetery, Pigeon Forge, Sevier County, Tennessee.

    Notes:

    Buford A. Townsend received his early education in the Elementary Schools of
    Sevier County, Tennessee. He attended Smoky Mountain Academy which was a four
    year accredited high school at that time, and was operated and owned by the
    Baptist Church. In the earlier years it seemed that all the high schools were
    church owned and operated. The State and County soon began to build and
    operate the schools, which caused most denominational schools to disband and
    give their support and attention to colleges they owned and operated.

    Mr. Townsend considers himself to be a self-educated man since he always worked
    to help pay his expenses when he was away in the boarding schools. He
    graduated from Murphy College which was a high school and a Junior College at
    the time. The school offered two years of accredited college work which could
    be used when entering Senior Colleges.

    After he graduated from Murphy College he did post graduat work and while there
    he taught a firt year Latin class and a Math class to help pay some of his
    expenses.

    He taught his first class in Sevier County, Tennessee at the age of seventeen.
    The county schools were short terms at that time and he would enter school as
    soon as possible. He continued his education when not teaching.

    He was principal of a four-teacher school the first year Sevier County,
    Tennessee had a term as long as eight months. This was a consolidated school
    with the first busing system in the county, even though it was a covered wagon
    which hauled the children from a community where there had previously been a
    one room school. He and his wife taught together in this school.

    After nine years of teaching, Mr. Townsend decided to further his education by
    attending Law School in Knoxville. Since he was married to Bess Whaley and
    they had a home in Sevierville, he decided to commute to school. His wife,
    Bess Townsend, was teaching in the Sevierville Elementary School. She taught
    for twenty six years. It was a challenge trying to go to school, doing part
    time work, commuting and studying law at night school.

    Mr. Townsend received his Law Degree in 1934, and was licensed to practice in
    the State , Appeallate and Federal Courts of the State of Tennessee.

    Mr. Townsend enjoyed a very successful law practice until he was elected
    Chancellor of the 13th Chancery Division in 1958. He was President of the
    Sevier County Bar Association for several years. He was elected Chancellor for
    two eight year terms without an opponent. This was the first time anyone had
    entered the race without an apponent in forty years.

    When he was elected for the first term, the 13th Cancery Division was composed
    of eight counties: Blount, Cocke, Greene, Grainger, Union, Hamblen, Jefferson,
    and Sevier Counties.

    Sevier County was his home station where he held Chambers Day every Friday,
    when it was not a regular term in one of the other counties. This gave the
    attorneys from the surrounding counties an opportunity to appear for motions
    and ex-parte matters without delay. At that time, a term of Court was
    scheduled to be held in each county twice a year. Each term of court usually
    lasted two weeks or longer, depending on the number of cases ready for trial in
    each county. Some counties had much larger dockets than others.

    The case load became so heavy during his first term in office, that the
    division was split, or divided, into two divisions.

    Judge Townsend continued to hold court in the new 13th Cancery Division, which
    now consisted of only four counties-- Blount, Cocke, Jefferson, and Sevier.
    The Governor appointed a Chancellor to prside over the counties until the
    following ellection.

    The records show that during Judge Townsend's last full year as Chancellor, he
    disposed of more cases than any one Chancellor in the State of Tennessee.

    While serving as Chancellor, Judge Townsend was elected Vice President of the
    State Judiciary during his second year in office. He served on many
    responsible State Judicial Committees, attended many special Judicial
    Conferences, which included some out of the state.

    Mr. Townsend was a member of the First Baptist Church of Sevierville, Sevier
    County, Tennessee.

    He was a member of the Tennessee State Legislature 1942-1943.

    He served on the Sevier County Board of Education for sixteen years, and was
    Chairman of the Sevier County Board of Education for twelve years.

    He was a charter member of the Sevierville Lions Club and the Sevierville
    Optimist Club.

    He was a member of the Local, State, American and Federal Bar Associations.
    ----------
    Reference:
    "Smoky Mountain Clans, Volume 3", Donald B. Reagan, 1983, p 22.
    Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 163.
    "Smoky Mountain Family Album," Gladys Trentham Russell, 1984, p 29.
    "The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 77, 81-84.

    Buford married Bessie Whaley 18 Jun 1926, Sevier County, Tennessee. Bessie (daughter of John Mitchell Whaley and Charity Ogle) was born 27 Mar 1906, Tennessee; died 7 Apr 1987; was buried Shiloh Cemetery, Pigeon Forge, Sevier County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet]



Generation: 3

  1. 5.  Oran Doyle Townsend Descendancy chart to this point (2.W.2, 1.Wilson1)

    Notes:

    ----------
    Reference:
    Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 163.
    "The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 77.

    Oran — Eloise. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
    1. 8. Jerry Townsend  Descendancy chart to this point
    2. 9. Janet Townsend  Descendancy chart to this point
    3. 10. Jo Ann Townsend  Descendancy chart to this point

  2. 6.  David Duane Townsend Descendancy chart to this point (2.W.2, 1.Wilson1) was born 14 Nov 1919; died 1941/1945, , Florida.

    Notes:

    Never married. Killed in plane crash off the coast of Florida during World War
    II.
    ----------
    Reference:
    Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 163.
    "The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 77.


  3. 7.  Dorothy Townsend Descendancy chart to this point (2.W.2, 1.Wilson1)

    Notes:

    ----------
    Reference:
    Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 163.
    "The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 77.

    Dorothy — Roscoe Cartwright. Roscoe died 31 Oct 1975. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
    1. 11. Tamara Lee Cartwright  Descendancy chart to this point


Generation: 4

  1. 8.  Jerry Townsend Descendancy chart to this point (5.Oran3, 2.W.2, 1.Wilson1)

    Notes:

    ----------
    Reference:
    Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 163.
    "The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 77.


  2. 9.  Janet Townsend Descendancy chart to this point (5.Oran3, 2.W.2, 1.Wilson1)

    Notes:

    ----------
    Reference:
    Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 163.
    "The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 77.


  3. 10.  Jo Ann Townsend Descendancy chart to this point (5.Oran3, 2.W.2, 1.Wilson1)

    Notes:

    ----------
    Reference:
    Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 163.
    "The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 77.


  4. 11.  Tamara Lee Cartwright Descendancy chart to this point (7.Dorothy3, 2.W.2, 1.Wilson1)

    Notes:

    ----------
    Reference:
    Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 163.
    "The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 77.