CHARLES E. TOWNSEND
In 1877, C. E. Townsend was elected to the dignity of County Surveyor, and, being re-elected in 1879, served in that position for four years.
Charles E. Townsend was born in Jefferson county, New York, on the 25th of October, 1847, and is the son of George W., and Harriet A. (Hoyt) Townsend. He was reared in his native county and received his education at the usual schools, and the Hungerford Collegiate Seminary, graduating from the latter institution in 1871. The fall following he came west, and was in Chicago during the ever memorable fire that laid so much of that metropolis in ashes. He located in Jackson county, Iowa, where he engaged in teaching school for about a year. While there, he came to Cass county, on a visit and purchased some land, and in the spring of 1873, came to this locality and settled permanently. He was elected to the office of County Surveyor, as above, and has since filled several local offices in Grant township. In February, 1880, he embarked in the lumber business, which he operated until the spring of 1884, when he leased it to other parties. In the fall of 1873, he was united in marriage with Miss Emily Sternberg, a daughter of Henry S. Sternberg, of Jefferson county, by whom he has four children---Hattie E., Roy A., Ross G. and Charles E. Jr.
Contributed by Lisa Varnes-Rex from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pp. 372.
