James Townsend 1811-1904

TOWNSEND, ROGERS, GOUGAR

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 11/21/2018 at 08:58:32

13 October 1904 - West Branch Times

James, son of Thomas and Hannah Townsend, was born in Knox county, Ohio, September 11, 1811, where he spent his early years among the hills and lovely woodlands around the old home, growing into manhood under the tender Christian care and influence of Godly parents.

He was united in marriage to Susannah B. Rogers on the 16th of June, 1835. After spending 18 years of their early married life in the land of their nativity, where God blessed them with four sons, Israel, Jesse, Timothy and Edgar, in the fall of 1853 they came west of the Mississippi river to the wild and open prairie and settled on a farm just at the eastern limits of what is now West Branch, where, as a prosperous farmer he resided until all his sons had chosen companions and embarked in occupations for themselves. Here he also saw his beloved Susannah, the wife of his youth, fade like a flower of the prairie and pass away from the joys and cares of this life into the glorious beyond.

Here in the dear old home many a poor fugitive from the land of slavery found a safe retreat and were clothed and fed until in some mysterious way they were helped on their way to a home beyond the reach of danger. Here John Brown found a quiet resting place, and all the comforts of life that Uncle James' farm and home could provide, and much of the time from the spring of 1857 until the autumn of 1859 was spent by this old pioneer in the death struggle for the liberation of the poor down-trodden African slave. Often has the writer of this sketch seen him on his knees with his hands spread out toward heaven as he called upon God that He Who had said, "For the crying of the poor and the sighing of the needy soul will I rise," would speedily avenge the blood of the slain and loose the bonds of the oppressed and open the prison doors for those who were bound. He was willing to sacrifice his home and friends, yea, even his own life, for suffering humanity. My first recollection of Uncle James, as we always called him, was about the middle of the summer of 1854, when my father's family with our covered wagon came in sight over the hills and stopped at what was then called the Stone House, where my attention was called to a scene I will never forget. Across the prairie we saw Uncle James coming on horseback as fast as the horse could carry him while he was swinging his hat over his head and shouting his hearty welcome to the new-comers. And such was the warmth of his zeal, his love and kindness all through a long life.

On the 18th of February, 1883, James Townsend was united in marriage with Elizabeth Gougar. In the year 1886 they moved to California and settled in Pasadena, where Elizabeth was called away to her home beyond the trials of life in the year 1893. And he laid her away amid the ever blooming flowers in the beautiful cemetery near the city of Pasadena. After the death of Elizabeth, Uncle James turned his attention toward the interests and pleasure of those who came to visit the Valley of Roses. Almost any hour of the day and every day in the year you might have seen him with his horse and carriage driving through the most interesting and fascinating portions of the city and its surroundings, pointing out in his happy way the beauties of the magnificent homes, often calling the inmates to the door to let them know that another stranger was delighted with their lovely homes.

The writer will never forget the fatherly care and interest of Uncle James while we were visiting southern California in the spring of 1895. On one occasion as we were driving along one of the beautiful avenues he suddenly stopped and turning to me said with much seriousness in his manner of expression, "Does thee see that tree right there?" pointing to a large shade tree which grew along the avenue. I answered in the affirmative and asked, "Well, what about it?", as it looked just like hundreds of others of its kind. He answered that a young man had jumped out of a buggy passing that way and sat down by the tree, and, being asked for an explanation of his conduct by a companion, he replied: "When I parted with my dear mother I promised her that if I reached heaven first I would wait and watch for her to come, and this must be heaven." And when I told Uncle James of hearing that a lizard had burned to death in crossing the road in the hot sand (which did not seem to me much like heaven), he said people had no business telling such ugly things about California, and, giving the horse encouragement with the whip we were soon away from the scene. And thus the years passed away until he was partially paralyzed but with the same genial and warm welcome he greeted his friends and manifested to all that love which was intensified and made beautiful by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was all in all to him amid the joys and sorrows of life. He left California and came to Iowa City on the 3rd of June, 1901, and spent his last days at the home of his son, Timothy, under the tender care of a son and daughter-in-law.

James Townsend was a birth-right member of the Orthodox Friends and spent a long and useful life in the church and for the world. There are very few who live to the age of four score and ten in such an unbroken chain of joy and pleasure, so jovial and bright, made doubly beautiful by the reflection of heaven's own light, so fully proving the promise of God, "There shall be light at the evening time."

A short time before his close which occurred on the 8th of October, 1904, he manifested great pleasure in the recollections of the years that had passed as we labored together as brethren in unity and sympathy for the good of humanity. Realizing that his work was done and a mansion awaited him, as I knelt by his bed and prayed he wept and rejoiced as he smiled through his tears and bid me a last farewell. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them."--Rev. 14:13.

His death occurred at 2:30 p.m. at Iowa City, on the 8th of October, 1904. Appropriate services were conducted at West Branch by J. Y. Hoover, assisted by Rev. Stribling, at 2 p.m., Oct. 10, and he was laid to rest by the side of his beloved wife, Susannah. J. Y. HOOVER