Veteran Bio

TOWNSEND, WILLIAM - Name not shown on the San Jacinto rolls printed in 1836 or on the San Jacinto rolls in the General Land Office yet on July 8, 1857 he was issued Donation Certificate No. 1 for 640 acres of land for having participated in the battle. Mr. Townsend is applying to the Commissioner of Claims for his land submitted depositions from some of his former companions to prove that he had “participated in the battle.” In such depositions it is clearly brought out that the terms “having participated in the battle” and “having been detailed to guard the baggage” had become synomonious. For instance, the following is from the testimony of Francis K. Henderson who had actually participated in the battle as a member of Captain William W. Hill’s company, the same organization that Mr. Townsend was a member of:

“I was at the battle of San Jacinto, with William Townsend, the identical person referred to in the first and second questions and know he was left as a guard of the baggage, detailed for that purpose, during the battle, and I saw him arrive with the baggage guard soon after the battle was over, and in this way, know that he did participate in the battle of San Jacinto on the 20 and 21st days of April 1836.”

Captain William W. Hill, who was not in the battle, said in his deposition dated in Burleson County December 10, 1856, that Mr. Townsend fought at San Jacinto. Captain Joseph P. Lynch of Limestone County testified that he had enlisted Mr. Townsend.

Mr. Townsend was issued Bounty Certificate No. 1756 for 320 acres of land ___________ for having served in the army March 1 to May 30, 1836.

A headright certificate for one labor of land was issued in Mr. Townsend’s name by the Montgomery County Board of Land Commissioners. The rights to the certificate had on February 24, 1837 to Charles B. Stewart for $40.00. The certificate is missing in the files of the General Land Office.

In the Pension Papers in the Archives in the Texas State Library it is shown that Mr. Townsend died in Limeston County, August 1, 1873. His heirs were J. W. Townsend, Thomas Townsend, M. J. Moore, Thomas Henderson, William Henderson, Sarah Hudson, wife of T. H. Hudson and W. S. Smith. They were children and grandchildren.

WILLIAM TOWNSEND – No. 1125 – Nov. 4, 1870 – Pension

Austin, October 26, 1874

I J. J. Gross Commissioner of the General Land Office do hereby certify that it appears from Donation Warrant No. 1 issued on the 8th day of July 1837 by Jas. O. Illingsworth Commissioner of Claims to William Townsend for Six hundred and forty acres of Land, that the said William Townsend participated in the Battle of San Jacinto on the 21st day of April, 1836.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix

the impress of the seal of said office, the day first

above written.

J. J. Groos

Commissioner

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To the Ward A Bledsaw Comptroller

Sir The undersign is an applicant for Pensions under an Act entitled An Act granting Pensions to the surviving [sic] Veterans of the Revolutions which separated Texas from Mexico approved August 13th 1870.

his

William X Townsend

mark

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State of Texas )

)

Limestone County)

Personally appeared before the undersigned authority William Townsend the above applicant for Pensions who after being by me duly sworn, on his oath says that he was a soldier in the Army of Texas from about the 1st day of February AD 1836 to sometime in the month of May AD 1836 in Captain William Hill’s Company. And Col. Ed Burlison Regiment—

his

William X Townsend

mark

Sowrn and subscribed as Springfield Limestone County-Texas on this 29th day of October AD 1870.

J. B. Vallandingham Clk Dist. Ct.

L.C.Tex.

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The State of Texas )

)

Limestone County )

Personally appeared before the unassign [sic] Authority Sanders Walker and Alfanzo Steel Crediable citizens of said State to me well known who after being by me duly sworn on their oaths say that they know of their knowledge that the said William Townsend was a soldier in the army of Texas in the year 1836 that he is about seventy eight (78) years old and a resident of Limestone County in said state and they beleave him to be justly intitled [sic] to a Pensions for services under the Act Granting Pensions &c

Approved August 13th AD 1875.

J. B. Vallandingham Clerk

Dist Court Ls. Co. Texas

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State of Texas )

)

Limestone County)

Know all men by these present that I W. S. Smith of said County and State being a grandson and heir of Wm. Townsin Allen who is now entitled to Pensions from the State of Texas for participating in the war of Mexico & Texas as by these presents nominates Constitutes & appoint E. F. Bastrs my true and lawful atty for me and my name to receipt for all pensions bonds and from said State to my grandfather Wm. Townsin hereby giving my said atty full power to act for me as though I was personally present.

In witness I hereto set my hand on this the 2nd day of

December AD 1874

W. S. Smith

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The State of Texas )

)

Limestone County )

Before me this day J. Gibson a Notary Public in & for said County of Limestone duly commissioned & sworn as such this day personally appeared W. S. Smith to me made known who acknowledged that he executed the foregoing & attached power of atty for all the purposes & consideration therein stated & contained.

In Testimony of which witness my hand & the seal of my office of Mexia Texas as this third day Dec. 1874 Thus

J. Gibson

Notary Pub. L. C. Texas

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The State of Texas )

)

Limestone County )

Before the undersigned Authority a notary Public in & for said County & State duly commissioned and sworn this day personally J. C. Roberts and H. H. Herndon two creditable witnesses both of whom are well known to me and after being duly sworn on oath states that J. W. Townsend, Thomas Townsend, M. J. Moore, Thomas Henderson, William Henderson, Sarah Hudson and her husband T. H. Hudson and W. S. Smith are all the living children and grand children and sole heirs of Wm. Townsend deceased who is entitled to pension by virtue of certificate No. 12, issued by A. Bledsoe Comptroller.

J. C. Roberts

H. Herindon

Sworn to and subscribed before me this Dec. 11th AD 1874

A. L. Waller

Notary Public

Limestone Co. Texas

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State of Texas )

)

Limestone County)

I Thomas Townsend of said county and State do hereby certify that my father William Townsend to whom certificate Number 12 was issued for Pension died on or about the first day of August AD 1873

T. Townsend

Sworn to and subscribed before me this January 15th AD. 1875

A. L. Waller

Notary Public

Commissioned to Texas

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