William Townsend

1777 - 1838  (61 years)

• Name	William Townsend  [1, 2]
  Birth	30 Mar 1777  [1]
  Gender	Male
  Census	1830	Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama, USA   [2]
  Death	30 Oct 1838	Selma, Dallas, Alabama, USA   [1, 3]
  	Cause: Homicide: Shot by one of his slaves
  		News (Fatality)-TOWNSEND William (Murdered by his Slave) On the 30th October, about 4 o'clock, AM as Mr. William Townsend, (of the county) was crossing a fence, near his Distilling Establishment, a gun was fired at him, which took effect, the load passing into his left side, and ranging upwards towards his liver and right lung. He survived about 27 or 8 hours. He saw the assassin, and supposed him to be…
  Burial	Townsend Cemetery, Limestone County, Alabama, USA   [1]
  Person ID	I14057	A Tree Called Smith
  Last Modified	21 Jul 2025

  
  

  Family	Isabela Childress,   b. 5 Feb 1775   d. 10 Jan 1846 (Age 70 years)
  Marriage	3 Jul 1800  [4]
  Children	1. Mahala Townsend,   b. 13 Dec 1808   d. 21 Nov 1842 (Age 33 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   2. Eliza S Townsend,   b. 24 Oct 1812   d. 25 Dec 1833 (Age 21 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   3. Kesiah A Townsend,   b. 25 Oct 1802, Limestone County, Alabama, USA d. 27 Mar 1846, Campbell County, Tennessee, USA (Age 43 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   4. Elizabeth Townsend,   b. 13 May 1801, Tennessee, USA d. 29 Mar 1859 (Age 57 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   5. John W Townsend,   b. 25 Oct 1810   d. 27 Feb 1836 (Age 25 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   6. William Y Townsend,   b. 15 Jan 1816   d. 29 Feb 1836 (Age 20 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   7. Mulhulda Townsend,   b. 1815, Tennessee, USA d. Aft 1869 (Age > 55 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   8. Brice Martin Townsend,   b. 31 Mar 1818, Tennessee, USA d. 20 Sep 1884, Athens, Limestone, Alabama, USA (Age 66 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F5059	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	21 Jul 2025

  
  

• Event Map

  Census - 1830 - Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama, USA Death - Cause: Homicide: Shot by one of his slaves - 30 Oct 1838 - Selma, Dallas, Alabama, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Ancestors

  ~l Mayes-M Mayes Male Ancestor

  
  

  News

  News (Fatality)-TOWNSEND William (Murdered by his Slave) On the 30th October, about 4 o'clock, AM as Mr. William Townsend, (of the county) was crossing a fence, near his Distilling Establishment, a gun was fired at him, which took effect, the load passing into his left side, and ranging upwards towards his liver and right lung. He survived about 27 or 8 hours. He saw the assassin, and supposed him to be…

  
  

• Sources

  [S11431] Smith, Lawrence C, Find a Grave - Ancestor (Mayes): TOWNSEND William, (Name: SmithLC.com;), TOWNSEND William 1777-1838. Husband of Isabela Childress https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19199345/william_townsend [S191] Ancestry.com, 1830 United States Federal Census, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT ; Date: 2010;), Year: 1830; Census Place: Montgomery, Alabama; Series: M19; Roll: 2; Page: 195; Family History Library Film: 0002329. 1830 United States Federal Census Year: 1830; Census Place: Montgomery, Alabama; Series: M19; Roll: 2; Page: 195; Family History Library Film: 0002329 [S1491] Newspapers.com: Death (Murder) of TOWNSEND William • Daily Selma Reporter - Oct 1834, (Name: The Daily Selma Reporter; Location: Selma AL; Date: 17 Nov 1838;), Shocking Affair. On the 30th October, about 4 o'clock, AM as Mr. William Townsend, (of the county) was crossing a fence, near his Distilling Establishment, a gun was fired at him, which took effect, the load passing into his left side, and ranging upwards towards his liver and right lung. He survived about 27 or 8 hours. He saw the assassin, and supposed him to be a Negro Fellow of his own, that had previously attempted to poison him, and who was then in the woods. Ha pursued the murderer some twenty or thirty steps, but not being able to come up with him, desisted, and with difficulty and great pain reached his house. Thus we have daily samples of the uncertainty of human life, and that in the midst of life, we are in death. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84214653/the-daily-selma-reporter/?xid=637 News (Fatality)-TOWNSEND William (Murdered by his Slave) On the 30th October, about 4 o'clock, AM as Mr. William Townsend, (of the county) was crossing a fence, near his Distilling Establishment, a gun was fired at him, which took effect, the load passing into his left side, and ranging upwards towards his liver and right lung. He survived about 27 or 8 hours. He saw the assassin, and supposed him to be… [S11432] Smith, Lawrence C, Find a Grave - Ancestor (Mayes): CHILDRESS Isabela Townsend, (Name: SmithLC.com;), CHILDRESS Isabela Townsend 1775-1846. Wife of William Townsend https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19199391/isabela-townsend