Peter B. Townsend, 1841-1921

TOWNSEND, MARSTON, EDINGTON, BRAGG

Posted By: Clay County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 1/10/2013 at 09:33:34

Peter B. Townsend of Dickens died at the Methodist Hospital in Des Moines last Sunday evening, February 13, of complications following and operation and was buried Tuesday, February 15, beside the infant son in Riverside cemetery. The funeral at the M.E. church of Spencer was conducted by Rev. Robert Lee Stuart, assisted by the Dickens pastor.

Peter B. Townsend was born in Conneautville, Pennsylvania, March 14, 1841. He came west in 1863 and located at Pine Island, Minnesota, where he married Miss Mary Marston in 1864, who survives him. To this union were born four children, two sons and two daughters. One son, Rolfe, died in infancy in 1887.

The surviving children are Mrs. Ira Edington of Spencer, Irve Townsend of Herman, Minnesota, and Mrs. A.L. Bragg of Paynesville, Minnesota. All were present at the funeral.

Mr. Townsend and family became residents of Spencer in 1882. That year he opened a blacksmith shop on West Fifth street and shortly after built a residence directly east of the Baptist church on that street. He lived here until 1891 when he moved to Dickens which remained his home to the time of his death. About two weeks ago he became ill and an operation was advised. For this he was taken to the Methodist Hospital at Des Moines. For several days after the operation he was thought to be doing nicely, but on the fifth day gradually sank into a coma from which he did not recover. He died as he had lived, very peacefully, without one enemy in all the world. He was an ideal christian, loved and respected by all. For fifty years preceeding his death he had been a faithful member of the Methodist church, belonging at Pine Island, Spencer and finally at Dickens.

In the Civil War Mr. Townsend was a member of B Company, 11th Minn. Infantry. He enlisted early in 1864 and served to the close of the war when he was honorably discharged at Fort Snelling.

Source: Spencer News Herald, Spencer, Clay County, Iowa; February 17, 1921.

Interment in Riverside cemetery
 

Clay Obituaries maintained by Kris Meyer.
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