A. A. Townsend

Absalom Austin Townsend (December 7, 1810 - 1879) was a US Army officer, Wisconsin-state politician, and a California pioneer.

Early years

Townsend, third son of Samuel and Sarah Townsend, was born in Sussex County, New Jersey in 1810 (or 1811). When he was two years old, his father moved to Steuben County, New York, where he resided till 1826. His father, now a widower, having purchased some military land in Western Illinois, started on October 15, 1826, with his eldest son, and Absalom, and arrived at Peoria, Illinois, on January 1, 1827. On May 18, they arrived at the lead mines in the vicinity of Gratiot’s Grove, and engaged in the business of mining. But they were soon interrupted by the Winnebago War in July. The elder brother volunteered in William S. Hamilton’s company, while Townsend and his father forted at Gratiot’s Grove, with Townsend serving under Gen. Zachary Taylor ("Old Rough & Ready"). After the war was over, Townsend returned to mining. He served during the whole of the Black Hawk War (1832) as a volunteer, under Col. Henry Dodge, and participated in the Battle of Bad Axe on August 2, 1832.^[1]

Biography

In 1836, he married, and settled on a farm near Shullsburg, Wisconsin. With news of the California Gold Rush, Townsend resolved to try his hand at mining in that region. He fitted out a train of twelve wagons, drawn by oxen, with a company of men, in the spring of 1849, and taking the land route, started on April 16, and arrived in California on September 9.^[1] The "Rough and Ready Company" under Captain "Cappy" Townsend, composed of some dozen men from Shullsburg, arrived by the Truckee route at a point on Deer Creek, near the mouth of Slate Creek. The company styled themselves the "Rough and Ready Company" in honor of Townsend, who had served under Taylor ("Old Rough & Ready"). From this company, the California town of Rough and Ready derived its name.^[1][2]

Consequent prospecting by Townsend's company satisfied them that the new found diggings were rich, and removing their camp, they prepared winter quarters by building two log cabins on the point of the hill east from and overlooking the present town of Rough and Ready. At the end of February 1850, Townsend and his two brothers took out over $40,000 (another source states $15,000), before the water failed in the spring—no ditches then conveyed water from any large stream to the smaller ones, or to dry ravines. Townsend then returned by steamer route to Wisconsin, arriving 26 April 1850.^[1]

Townsend fitted out a company of 32 men, well supplied with horses and mules. They left Shullsburg on the land route on May 23, 1850, crossed the Missouri River at Omaha, Nebraska,^[3] arriving September 8 (or 10), 1850. Townsend was astonished to find a town at Rough and Ready, containing some 400-500 inhabitants, instead of just his two cabins. He had to "buy into a claim" to get a place to work himself.^[2][4] While in Nevada County, he pursued the business of mining and stock keeping. He returned to Shullsburg in the spring of 1851.^[1]

Townsend held various public offices in Shullsburg and Lafayette County, Wisconsin. He acted as one of the arbitrators in settling the claims of the miners, preparatory to the sale of the Wisconsin mineral lands by the General Government. In 1842, he was commissioned a Justice of the Peace by Governor James Duane Doty; and in 1855, he represented his district in the Wisconsin State Legislature, in the Wisconsin State Assembly.^[1][5]

Personal life

With his first wife, Mary Ann Ross, there were four children, including Addison and Virginia. He married his second wife, Julia Wells (1829-1877), in 1844; they had two sons and one daughter, Edwin, Walter, and Ellen.^[3] Townsend was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and in political views, he was a Republican. Townsend was active in the work of the Masonic fraternity. His death occurred in 1879.^[3]

References

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: State Historical Society of Wisconsin's "Annual Report and Collections of the State Historical Society, of Wisconsin, for the Year ..." (1904)
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: A. A. Sargent's " Brown & Dallison's Nevada, Grass Valley and Rough and Ready Directory ...: For the Year Commencing ... Embracing a General Directory of Citizens, with an Historical Sketch of Nevada County" (1856)
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: J.H. Beers & Co.'s "Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of Many of the Early Settled Families" (1901)
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: E. F. Bean's " Bean's History and Directory of Nevada County, California: Containing a Complete History of the County, with Sketches of the Various Towns and Mining Camps ... Also, Full Statistics of Mining and All Other Industrial Resources" (1867)