Dear List, I exchanged emails a few years ago (see email copy/paste below) with a person named "Robert", who no longer has a valid email address, re: James and Roseanna Townsend, and Thomas and Mary Hastings Townsend. I am revisiting them, because of a roadblock in trying to apply for the DAR membership. The problem: I can't find a place or date of death for Thomas and Mary. I notice in the old email, that Heiss states that Thomas died 29 Feb. 1848 but I don't think that is correct, because 1) Thomas shows up with Mary and family in the 1850, 1860 (Indiana) and 1870 (Iowa) census, and 2) Rosanna (daughter of Thomas and Mary) Townsend was born in 1855 or 1856. A couple of strange things that add to the mystery: in the 1850 census, Mary's age is 29, indicating that she was born in 1819 or 1820, and in the subsequent census, she is born in 1810 or 1811. If she were born in 1819, she would only have been 12 or so when she had Nancy, her first child. If she was born in 1810 or 11, she would have been 45 or 46 when she had her last child, Roseanna. Either possibility is pretty far-fetched, but possible. My conclusion is that there is information missing and that Thomas probably died around 1870 - and that Mary probably died after 1880. Any suggestions? Thanks, Kim Townsend Spangrude From: wmsfamrdbrt@insightbb.com Subject: Re: Hastings and Townsend Date: January 15, 2006 9:41:26 PM MST To: kimspangrude@mac.com Kim, Just looked up the West Grove Monthly Meeting Minutes/Marriages and Birth and Death Dates. This is what I found so far. Descendants of Thomas Townsend 1 Thomas Townsend b: 03 Dec 1808 d: 29 Feb 1848 (this death date can’t be correct; he was in the 1850 and 1860 census-KS) .. +Mary Hastings .. 2 Nancy Townsend b: 30 Jan 1830 .. 2 William H. Townsend b: 27 Nov 1832 d: 28 Jun 1833 .. 2 Elisha Townsend b: 15 Oct 1834 .. 2 Hannah Townsend b: 16 Apr 1837 d: 24 Aug 1837 .. 2 James Townsend b: 06 Oct 1838 .. 2 Richard Townsend b: 24 Dec 1841 d: 02 Aug 1842 .. 2 Isaac Townsend b: 05 Jun 1843 Taken from pg. 271 of Willard Heiss Vol. II of Abstracts of the Records of Society of Friends in Indiana James and wife Rosannah and children Thomas, Celah, Charlotte, Isaac, Hannah, David and Rachel rec'd from MM in Ohio before 1823 7/17/1828 Thomas, son of James and Rosannah married Mary, daughter of William and Sarah Hastings at West Grove Meeting House 5/12/1838 Thomas and family granted a certificate to Walnut Ridge Monthly Meeting 2/8/1845 Thomas and wife Mary and children Nancy, Elisha, James and Isaac rec'd from Walnut Ridge MM 4/8/1848 Thomas and family granted a certificate to Westfield MM This info taken from pg. 293 of Willard Heiss Vol. II of Abstracts of the Records of Society of Friends in Indiana There are more references to Thomas' brothers and sisters and parents in this book in all the different monthly meetings they transferred to or belonged to in Indiana. Hope this helps. I will be putting in the rest of his families information as well. Will keep my eyes out for more information! Robert Hi! I am a descendent of Thomas and Mary Hastings Townsend of Wayne County Indiana. Mary Hastings b September 26, 1810 Whitewater, Wayne Co., IN m Thomas Townsend July 17, 1828 Wayne Co., IN. They are both from very old Quaker families; Thomas's parents were James and Rosanna Townsend. Grandparents, John and Elvira Cain Townsend were prominent Quakers. Mary's parents were also a part of the Quaker community in Wayne County. Here is some info on them: Wm. Hastings b January 31, 1773 in NJ and died August 30, 1845 Centerville, IN and buried West Grove Cem. He married Sarah Evans July 19, 1798 Stokes Co., NC. Kim Townsend Spangrude