Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 288
ALBERT G. TOWNSLEY, residing on section 18, Seventy-Six Township, is an early settler and a representative farmer of Muscatine County, of which he became a resident in 1843. He was born in Greene County, Ohio, June 21, 1821, and is a son of William and Elizabeth ( Baird ) Townsley, who were the parents of five children: Nancy Ann, the eldest, was born in 1818 and died in 1844; Albert was the second in order of birth; Margaret, born in 1822, died in 1824; Cyrus born in 1824, wedded Elizabeth, daughter of John and Catherine Stevenson, and now resides in Cedar Township; William, who is living in Clay County, Illinois., and is an employee on the railroad, is the husband of Amelia Tolfiaro.

In 1843 our subject left his native State and emigrated to Iowa, settling in Muscatine County on the 10th of May. He first rented land for about eighteen months, when he entered 160 acres on section 18, Seventy-Six Township, where he has since continued to reside. By his care, cultivation and improvement he has made his farm one of the best in the county, everything about the place denoting the thrift and enterprise of the owner. In 1841 he was united in marriage wth Miss Sarah, a daughter of Andrew and Rachel Wright. She was one of a family of eight children, namely: Mary E., Gilliod, William, John F.; Sarah, wife of our subject, who was born Feb. 11, 1821, in South Carolina; Louisa, Rachel, and Eli. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Townsley has been blessed with a family of seven children: Nancy A., who was born July 4 1847, is now the wife of David M. Rittenhouse; Otis A., born Nov. 25, 1850, died in August, 1881; Iowa, born in 1852, died April 17, 1871; George T. who was born in September, 1854, became the husband of Almira Gates, daughter of Seth and Eve Gates; William J. W., born July 28, 1856, wedded Catherine McMichael, and is now living on the home farm; Marion,born Jan. 19,1858, wedded Louisa Moore, and Bessie, who died in childhood.

Mr. and Mrs. Townsley are both members of the Presbyterian Church, the former having been a member for thirty-five years and the latter , for forty-eight years. This worthy couple hold a high social position in the community in which they reside, and are respected by all who know them, and are numbered among Muscatines County's best citizens.

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