Asenath Badgley

     Asenath was born on Monday, 12 November 1798 in Coeymans Town, Albany County, New York. This date was calculated from her age at death. On 1 May 1815, she was christened in Greenville, Greene County, New York, at the Presbyterian Church.¹ Asenath married Dr. Sanford Bissell in January 1820 in Greenville Town, Greene County, New York. Sanford and Asenath died on Thursday, 10 May 1821 probably in Greenville Town, Greene County, New York. Asenath married 2nd Samuel Townsend, son of Christopher Townsend and Bathia Rider, on 15 June 1822 in Greenville, Greene County, New York, at the Presbyterian Church.² On the 22nd of April 1836, Samuel purchased 173.96 acres of land in section 6 of Unidalla Township, Livingston County, Michigan. He and his family moved from Niagra County, New York in the fall of 1836 to settle on the NE 1/4 NW 1/4 of section 6 in Unidalla. He was Justice of the Peace in Unidalla in 1848. After their deaths, their farm was owned by their daughter Lydia & her husband. It is possible that Samuel & Asenath had two other children, one boy and one girl, born between 1820 & 1825 as indicated in the 1840 US census. On the 29th of October 1836, Samuel hired John Green of Washtenaw County to build him a log house near the county line between Livingston & Ingham. The house was to be twenty feet by thirty feet on the ground and Seven and half feet between the Lower floore and the beams and to be four logs on the Sides and three Logs on the Ends, above the beams, the Roof to be Shingles with good oak shingles, with good floor of oak or ash Board, flooring width three twelve Light windows below and one above, two outside Doors, the house to be finisheshed inside with a Partition running through the house and made into three Rooms, one Square Room or kitchen and two Bed Rooms and to put in Brick Chimney from the upper floor Suitable for a stove --- The logs to be hewn Down on the inside in the Lower Part or below the upper floor and to be completed in five weeks for the sum of one hundred dollars.
The 1840 U.S. Federal Census enumerates at Unadilla Township, Livingston County, Michigan, the family of Samuel Townsend [20010001:0211001].³ 6 August 1850, Asenath and her husband, Samuel, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census in Unadilla Township, Livingston County, Michigan. Enumerated in this household were Samuel Townsend [51 New York], his wife: Asneth [51 New York], children: Lydia [20 New York], Phila [18 New York], Matilda [16 New York], Martin [14 New York], Robert [11 Michigan], along with J. L. Harrison [23 Connecticut]. His property was valued at $4,600.⁴ 4 June 1860, Asenath and her husband Samuel were listed on the U.S. Federal Census in Unadilla Township, Livingston County, Michigan. Enumerated in this household were Samuel Townsend [61 New York], his wife: Asemath [61 New York], children: Lydia [28 New York], Martin B. [24 New York], Robert J. [22 Michigan], Martin's wife, Melissa [22 Michigan], granddaughter, Flora [9/12 Michigan], Maria Barber [12 Michigan]brooks & Samuel Crafts [6 Michigan]. His property was valued at $5,000 and his personal property at $1,000.⁵ 17 August 1870, Asenath and her husband, Samuel, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census in Unadilla Township, Livingston County, Michigan. Enumerated in this household were Samuel Townsend [71 New York-farmer] & his wife: Aseneth [71 New York].⁶ Asenath's husband, Samuel, died on 16 October 1873 in Unadilla Township, Livingston County, Michigan, leaving her a widow. 26 June 1880, the U.S. Federal Census listed Asenath living in the home of her daughter at Stockbridge Township, Ingham County, Michigan. Enumerated in this household were John E. Mapes [46 New York, NY & NY], his wife: Phila A. [48 New York, NY & NY], children: Lucy A. [18 Michigan teacher], Jenny A. [16 Michigan teacher], Mary A. [9 Michigan], & mother-in-law: Asnatte Townsend [82 New York, NY & NY].⁷ Asenath departed this life on Sunday, 24 October 1880 in Stockbridge Township, Ingham County, Michigan. She was buried at Unadilla Township, Livingston County, Michigan, in the Plainfield Village Cemetery. The old section of the cemetery was vandalized the weekend of 15 October 2005. Many of the stones in the older section were broken including Asenath's which was in two large pieces.^8,9,10