Charles Townsend (Ohio politician)

Charles Townsend was a Republican politician in the Ohio House of Representatives, Ohio Senate, and was Ohio Secretary of State from 1881 to 1883.

Charles Townsend
22nd Ohio Secretary of State
In office
January 10, 1881 – January 8, 1883
GovernorCharles Foster
Preceded byMilton Barnes
Succeeded byJames W. Newman
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the Athens County district
In office
January 7, 1878 – January 9, 1881
Preceded byCharles H. Grosvenor
Succeeded byCharles L. Kurtz
Member of the Ohio Senate
from the 9th district
In office
January 2, 1888 – January 5, 1890
Preceded byCalvin S. Welch
Succeeded byV. C. Lowrey
Personal details
Born(1834-12-22)December 22, 1834
Belmont County, Ohio
DiedJanuary 12, 1900(1900-01-12) (aged 65)
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Margaret J. Allen
Childrenthree
Alma materOhio University
Cincinnati Law School
Military service
Allegiance United States of America
Branch/service Union Army
Years of serviceAugust 10, 1861
-September 22, 1864[1]
Rank Major
Unit 30th Ohio Infantry

Biography

Charles Townsend was born December 22, 1834 in Harrisville,[2] Belmont County, Ohio, to Samuel H. Townsend and Rebecca Morrison, and removed to Athens County in childhood.[3] He attended common schools, and taught school for expenses[3] as he attended Ohio University, where he graduated in 1861. He founded Decamp Institute in Meigs County, Ohio, and was in charge of that school when the American Civil War began.[2] In July, 1861, he enlisted in the Union Army, and in August was made a Captain in the Thirtieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. On January 27, 1864, he was made Major of the regiment. After the War he graduated from Cincinnati Law School in 1866. Townsend was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Athens County, Ohio three times.[2]

In 1877 he was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives for the 64th General Assembly, and re-elected in 1879 for the 65th.[4] He resigned when he was elected Ohio Secretary of State in 1880, and ran again in 1882, but was defeated. He served as State Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was elected to the Ohio Senate in 1887 for the 9th District in the 68th General Assembly.[5]

Townsend married Margaret Jane Allen in October 1859, and had three children, Helen, Charles and Mary.[3] He was a Mason.[3]

Notes
  1. Reid 1895, vol ii : 200
  2. Smith 1898 : 434
  3. Reed 1897 : 121-122
  4. Ohio 1917 : 292
  5. Ohio 1917 : 246
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References
  • Smith, Joseph P, ed. (1898). History of the Republican Party in Ohio. I. Chicago: the Lewis Publishing Company.
  • Ohio General Assembly (1917). Manual of legislative practice in the General Assembly. State of Ohio.
  • Reed, George Irving; Randall, Emilius Oviatt; Greve, Charles Theodore, eds. (1897). Bench and Bar of Ohio: a Compendium of History and Biography. 2. Chicago: Century Publishing and Engraving Company.
  • Reid, Whitelaw (1895). "Ohio's 30th infantry". Ohio in the War Her Statesmen Generals and Soldiers. 2. Cincinnati: The Robert Clarke Company. p. 200.
Political offices
Preceded by
Milton Barnes		 Secretary of State of Ohio
1881–1883		 Succeeded by
James W. Newman
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