Missing Tree Branches

Review Sept 2006 You can see from the above tree and the complete tree on page 5 that we have well documented branches for William, George, Richard, and limited information on Elizabeth Townsend. I am hoping that more information on the other branches will  show up in the next few months especially now that our tree in the  'Genes Reunited'  database. Kevin Stacey  who’s contribution included the George Townsend junior branch, thinks there may still be one member missing from George and Mary’s family, because of the large gap in birth dates as shown above. It should be noted that when I first looked at their children there was an eleven year gap until we later discovered that George junior and Elizabeth were also in the family, so I think the following speculation by KS should be carefully considered. When George Townsend married Ann Wheeler in 1853 one of the witnesses at his wedding was Benjamin Townsend,  who you would expect to be a relation but I haven’t found any Benjamin in our tree. What I did find was a Benjamin who married at Derry Hill in 1857 so I couldn’t resist getting his BC and proved him to be the son John Townsend of Chippenham and to have witnesses of Edward and Elizabeth Townsend who were his siblings. And oddly enough he married a Mary Davis! This leaves three possibilities. 1. George and Benjamin were friends or were related in some way. This was of particular interest to me because Job [ son of GJ] married Mary Godsell of Chippenham and her father married a Townsend as did her grandfather and I believe they both married Chippenham Townsend’s rather than Bremhill Townsend’s, so I am also tracing the Chippenham Townsend’s and any possible link between the two families gets me interested. 2, The Benjamin that got married in 1857 was a different one from the Benjamin who was a witness and the latter was an also un-christened elder brother of GJ and son of GS. Other than his presence at the marriage the only reason for thinking that he exists is the seven  year gap from Ann[1819] and Elizabeth[1826] the longest gap in the family and into which nicely fits Benjamin b. about  1822 who had left home by 1841... but this is purely speculative.- there could of course have been miscarriages, still births, etc. but it is still a tempting idea. Interestingly there is a Benjamin Townsend born 1822 with no birthplace given who in the 1861 census is a lodger in Corsham and noted as ‘’ Pensioner of Greenwich Hospital ‘’ and although it is not entirely clear the person he is lodging with also seems to be a pensioner. This raises the possibility of him serving in the Navy which could explain his absence in the 1841/1851 census and his return wounded from service to be a witness at  his brothers wedding, and living fairly locally with a fellow pensioner from the GH in 1861. All speculative though. 3 Or my George was  actually not my GJ but a member of another family I’ve not yet found with a father called George[ not an uncommon name ] and a brother called Benjamin. RESEARCH STATUS OF GEORGE AND MARY'S FAMILY The following is a review of the research status for the George Townsend [1796]\ and Mary Davis[1798] family up until Sept. 2006. Ann Townsend [1819].....Possible married Henry Peard or Pearce, Peart, Pears. Elizabeth Townsend...limited info but had child William Alfred Townsend in Derry Hill in 1846 and married Thomas Burgess. She was also baptised later in life in Calne in 1841. George Townsend...well documented see tree page 5. Richard Townsend...well documented see tree page 5. William Townsend...well documented see tree page 5. Abraham Townsend... According to KS had him in RN and various workhouses and staying with his sister Elizabeth. Also possible death for him in Calne 1897 [as abram ]. Isaac Townsend....According to KS there is a possible death for Isaac in Pewsey1856. Note from PT, there is a marriage in Cricklade for Isaac Townsend to Sarah Harriet Selby in 1866, Isaac would have been 28 which is a possible candidate. Still hoping someone will claim him!! Simon Townsend...Simon disappears from Wiltshire in 1861 but there is a Simon of the right age that appears out of nowhere in Bristol in a house full of Labourers according to KS. He is shown as b. Bristol but was in a house with 30 workmen so could be the an error by the census taker. Jane Townsend...KS made contact with a lady who is probably one of Jane’s descendants although she was not particularly interested in Jane or the Townsend’s. If correct [and the age date and place of birth looks good] then she married [or not as the case may be] a John Bishop sometime between 1851 and 1871 when they appear in the 1871 census as John Jane and Philp Bishop; the latter being the right age for Philip Townsend baseborn to a Jane Townsend in 1862 living in Derry Hill. Goes on to have four children. Philip Townsend...No info on him too date. KS Kevin Stacey PT PeterTownsend GS George Senior GJ George Junior