Fred Townsend

Fred Townsend, an energetic and wide-awake member of the bar of Albia, was born in the city which is still his home, in July, 1862, and is a son of the late Judge J. S. Townsend. Under the parental roof our subject spent his boyhood days. He is indebted to the public schools of Albia and to the University of Michigan for a superior literary education. He entered the latter institution at Ann Arbor, in 1879, remaining there for three years. He then resolved to enter the legal profession, and after thorough preparation was admitted to the bar in the spring of 1887. Wishing, however, to perfect himself still further in his chosen calling, he entered the Law School at Ann Arbor, and was graduated in 1888, having completed the two-years course in one year.

In 1890 he began practice in Albia, and in the same year was elected County Attorney on the Democratic ticket. As prosecutor he paid close attention to the interests of the county and collected in fines and forfeitures sufficient to pay his salary. From the beginning he has been successful and has built up a liberal and constantly increasing clientage. In June, 1895, he admitted to partnership Fred D. Mason, who had previously studied law with him for a time, and the new firm has a bright future before it. Its members are young men of energy and brains, having great popularity and many friends in the community.