John Townsend II

Citations

1. [S124] A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend & their descendants., page 93 - "... John 2d lived in South street, on the east side, north of the Summers house. In 1698 the name of his wife was Phebe, but there is reason to believe that his first wife, the mother of his children, was Susannah, daughter of Richard Harcurt, or, properly, Harcourt...", "...son Job, the only one of his children known ..."
2. [S119] Herbert Furman Seversmith, Colonial Families of Long Island, New York & Connecticut, pages 689-692 - John Townsend & list of his children but does not list his wives.
3. [S449] Martha J. Burke, The Townsend Genealogical Review - A Correction to the Townsend Memorial: The Wife of John II [John I] Townsend, A serious error in the TOWNSEND MEMORIAL, W. A. Townsend, 1865 is now loose on the web. This error appears on pg. 93 in the TM. The subject is John Townsend2 (John) who married neither Susannah Harcourt nor Phebe ____, as claimed in the TM. The only wife of re-cord was named Hannah (____). She was alive as late as 1686/7 when Hannah signed along with John on the Quaker Marriage Certificate of Marcy Willets and John Fry of Jericho on 7th day of ye lst mo., 1686/7. This does not mean that Hannah was not alive at a later date, but the above dated document is the last one so far found. The error regarding Susannah Harcourt as a wife of John Townsend2 was first corrected in 1935 and was printed in the NYG&B Record in Jan. 1935. The correction has also appeared in the Fall 1982 issue of the TSA Newsletter. The correction has obviously not gotten around to all interested parties.
   The person who first made the correction in 1935 based on the town records of Jamaica, Queens Co., NY then went on to make an error by speculating on the name of Phebe.
   Phebe Williams, dau of Robert Williams of Oyster Bay, married John Townsend2, son of Richard Townsend1. Phebe died at Cape May, New Jersey on 9 Aug., 1704. John remarried to Mercy (Langdon) Willets. Sarah (Washburn) Williams, widow of Robert Williams, named both her dau Phebe and Phebe's husband John Townsend in a deed dated 30th ye 11th mo., 1692 (OBTR 2:61).
   The TM correctly identified Phebe the wife of John2 (Richard1), but mistakenly thought that one reference to her was to the wife of the other John2 (John1).
   Ref: TOWN RECORDS OF JAMAICA, QUEENS CO., NY. Vol I, pg. 208 as published, Vol II, pg. 39, original.
   This writing made the first of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred eighty two doth testiify of an agreement between Jonas Halstead of Hempstead and Richard Harker of oyster bay the one party and Peter Stringham of Jamaica on the other party all of Long Island in the North Rideing of new yorshire the sayde Peter Stringham doth engage to pay to the four children of his deceased wife which is Isabell, Abigail, Hannah and James the som of twenty five poundes. Every one to have an equal proportion to be paid as they come to age and the sayde Peter for the performance doth bind over his now dwelling house and orchards and Meadow belonging to it till it be performed as witnes my hand and seale the before day and yeare written. It is understood that if either these children should dye before they come to age that the sayde payment is to be distributed to the remaynders." Witnessed by Edward Burrowse and Randolph Evans.
   Vol. 1, pg. 212 of the Jamaica Town Records as published, Vol. 22, pg. 42, original. "Entered 3rd day of April, 1682 an agreement between Jonas Halstead, paternal grandfather of the children and Richard Harke r maternal grandfather of the children the one party and Peter Stringham on the other party after the death of the children's father and mother."
   "At a Town Court held by the constable and overseers the 3rd day of Jully, Anno 1682, Richard Harscer of oisterbay in the behalfe of his grandchilde Izabel Halsteade plaintiff Peter Stringham defendant. The plaintiff enters action of the case against the defendant declareing that the defendant doth detaine a steare from the sayde Izabell Halsteade and will not deliver it. Therefore he is fayne to bring this his action to this courte craveing judgement. The case is referd to the next courte then to be father hearde."
   "At the next Towne Court held August 1st 1682 the evedens of Jonas Halsteade upon oathe the court did then see cause to finde for the plaintives and did awarde the defendant to deliver the beaste which was proved to be Izzabell Holsteads to Izzabell Halsteade and to pay the cost of the suit."
   Despite the field day in spelling, the relationship between the children and Richard Harcourt and Jonas Halstead is clear. Susannah Harcourt, dau of Richard Harcourt, md (1) Joseph Halstead, son of Jonas Halstead. Susannah md. (2) Peter Stringham. When the suits were filed by the grandfathers, both Joseph Halstead and Susannah (Harcourt) Hal-stead were dead.
   The old error was created in the TM in 1865 by the misinterpretation of the codicil to Richard Harcourt's will which also appears in the TM on pgs. 73-77. (The name Harcourt appears upon the records as Harcutt, Harcurt, Harker, Harket and in this one record above as Harscer. All of these spellings except for the last one appear on the Rhode Island Re-cords and on the Oyster Bay Town Re-cords.)
   The compiler of the TM went wrong with this sentence in Richard Harcourt's codicil. "Also I do give to Hannah Townsend the daughter of my daughter Susannah, deceased, one coverlet, mean-
   ing that which my wife hath lent her, and to my said daughter Susannah's son James and to her other son and two daughters, I give between them, five shillings." James and the two daughters, Izabell and Abigail were Halsteads, not Townsends. The daughter Hannah Hal-stead was already the wife of James Townsend3 (James2, John1).
   With the wrong wife attributed to John Townsend2, it goes without saying that the children of John and Hannah Town-send did not come out right. There apparently was some knowledge of some-one named Hannah in 1865, but the TM makes her a daughter instead of the wife.
   Children of John Townsend2 and Hannah, his wife.
   l. Elizabeth3, b. say 1665, md (1) Theophilus Phillips, (2) Thomas Powell in the home of Edmund Titus in Westbury on the 2nd day, 9th mo., 1690 (Quaker Certificate). Had issue.
   Rachel, b. in the 1660s md. Job Wright of Oyster Bay. Job named his brothers-in-law James and Solomon Townsend as overseers of his will in 1706. Had issue.
   James, b. say 1667 at Oyster Bay, d. between 1729-1733, md. Audrey Almy, dau of Col. Job Almy and Mary (Unthank) of Rhode Island. Had issue.
   Solomon, b. say 1669/70, md. Catherine Almy, dau of Col. Job Almy and Mary (Unthank) of Rhode Island. Solomon last appears on the OBTR on 4 March, 1705/6 (3:160). Hinshaw says (3:457) that Solomon took a certificate from the Westbury Monthly Meeting to Rhode Island (Newport) 2nd mo. (April) 30th, 1707. Rhode Island records show that Catherine Almy was b. 1674 in R.I.
   Nathaniel, died young before 1698 for in a deed from John to his son Solomon (OBTR 2:94) 20 March, 1698, John "reserved ye place of ground where Solomon's brother Nathaniel was buried for a burying place for myself and my posterity."