Captain Thomas Townsend
Encyclopedia
Captain Thomas Townsend was an early settler of the American Colonies. Captain Townsend was the son of John Townsend
and his wife Elizabeth, both early settlers on Long Island.
, with his brothers Henry
and Richard, were in Boston in 1637, from which they moved to Flushing. Captain Thomas Townsend was baptized in the Reformed Dutch Church of New York on 16 Dec 1642, with sponsors including his uncle Henry Townsend
, Rebecca Breton, and Claertje Gerrits.
In 1645 John Townsend received a patent from Gov. Kieft in Flushing. In 1658, John Townsend moved with his brothers to Oyster Bay, which was beyond the active reach of the Dutch. Here he spent the remainder of his life, and died at Oyster Bay, in 1695.
Captain Thomas Townsend was in Rhode Island after the Dutch and English war, and engaged in trading. Later he went to Oyster Bay where he obtained land and built a house around 1673. He was named a patentee securing title to land in 1677. Next he is found in Portsmouth, Rhode Island in 1686, where he was later chosen sheriff in 1696.
At a town meeting at Portsmouth on 4 May 1698, it was found "that whereas Thos. Townsend, late sheriff, did by his neglect let Wm. Downs, a pirate, escape from jail, voted that said Townsend be brot (sic) to trial for said act."
Shortly after this he moved to Tiverton, Massachusetts. A deed dated July 1702 to his daughter Sarah, now the wife of Abraham Underhill, he calls himself "now living in Tiverton, county of Bristol, Province of Mass."
Captain Townsend married his first wife Sarah, daughter of Robert Coles and Mary Hawxhurst. From this marriage he had his children including Temperance, Sylvanus, Freelove (born 29 Dec 1674), Sarah and John. Captain Townsend married a second wife, Mary, the widow of Col. Job Almy, and daughter of Christopher and Susannah Unthank, of Warwick, R.I. This marriage resulted in no children.
Captain Townsend in his official position as Justice performed marriages, and it is believed he performed the rite between his daughter Freelove and Major Thomas Jones
. In 1688 Thomas Townsend bought of the Massapequa Indians a piece of land at Souther Oyster Bay, after which he gave it in 1695 "unto Thomas Jones of Oyster Bay, my son-in-law, and to Freelove his wife, my daughter."
He is posthumously remembered as being "untiring energy and for many years took an active and leading part in the early matters of Oyster Bay, and in the settlement of the boundary disputes between the towns of Huntington and Oyster Bay, and in the dealings between his townspeople and the Indians the services of our trusty and beloved friend, Thos. Townsend, were indispensable."
John Townsend (Norwich)
John Townsend was an early settler of the American Colonies who emigrated from England about 1630. Townsend was a signatory to the Flushing Remonstrance, a precursor to the United States Constitution's provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights...
and his wife Elizabeth, both early settlers on Long Island.
Biography
Thompson's History of L.I., Vol. II, p.343, asserts that John TownsendJohn Townsend (Norwich)
John Townsend was an early settler of the American Colonies who emigrated from England about 1630. Townsend was a signatory to the Flushing Remonstrance, a precursor to the United States Constitution's provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights...
, with his brothers Henry
Henry Townsend (Norwich)
Henry Townsend was an early settler of the American Colonies.-Biography:Disagreement exists surrounding the facts of Henry Townsend's place of birth and his parentage...
and Richard, were in Boston in 1637, from which they moved to Flushing. Captain Thomas Townsend was baptized in the Reformed Dutch Church of New York on 16 Dec 1642, with sponsors including his uncle Henry Townsend
Henry Townsend (Norwich)
Henry Townsend was an early settler of the American Colonies.-Biography:Disagreement exists surrounding the facts of Henry Townsend's place of birth and his parentage...
, Rebecca Breton, and Claertje Gerrits.
In 1645 John Townsend received a patent from Gov. Kieft in Flushing. In 1658, John Townsend moved with his brothers to Oyster Bay, which was beyond the active reach of the Dutch. Here he spent the remainder of his life, and died at Oyster Bay, in 1695.
Captain Thomas Townsend was in Rhode Island after the Dutch and English war, and engaged in trading. Later he went to Oyster Bay where he obtained land and built a house around 1673. He was named a patentee securing title to land in 1677. Next he is found in Portsmouth, Rhode Island in 1686, where he was later chosen sheriff in 1696.
At a town meeting at Portsmouth on 4 May 1698, it was found "that whereas Thos. Townsend, late sheriff, did by his neglect let Wm. Downs, a pirate, escape from jail, voted that said Townsend be brot (sic) to trial for said act."
Shortly after this he moved to Tiverton, Massachusetts. A deed dated July 1702 to his daughter Sarah, now the wife of Abraham Underhill, he calls himself "now living in Tiverton, county of Bristol, Province of Mass."
Captain Townsend married his first wife Sarah, daughter of Robert Coles and Mary Hawxhurst. From this marriage he had his children including Temperance, Sylvanus, Freelove (born 29 Dec 1674), Sarah and John. Captain Townsend married a second wife, Mary, the widow of Col. Job Almy, and daughter of Christopher and Susannah Unthank, of Warwick, R.I. This marriage resulted in no children.
Captain Townsend in his official position as Justice performed marriages, and it is believed he performed the rite between his daughter Freelove and Major Thomas Jones
Major Thomas Jones
Major Thomas Jones emigrated to Rhode Island from Strabane, in Ireland. There he married Freelove Townsend, daughter of Captain Thomas Townsend, and would go on to serve as a privateer, and later be an influential figure on Long Island....
. In 1688 Thomas Townsend bought of the Massapequa Indians a piece of land at Souther Oyster Bay, after which he gave it in 1695 "unto Thomas Jones of Oyster Bay, my son-in-law, and to Freelove his wife, my daughter."
He is posthumously remembered as being "untiring energy and for many years took an active and leading part in the early matters of Oyster Bay, and in the settlement of the boundary disputes between the towns of Huntington and Oyster Bay, and in the dealings between his townspeople and the Indians the services of our trusty and beloved friend, Thos. Townsend, were indispensable."