My Genealogy Hound

Judge William A. Townsend, one of Arkansas’ most respected citizens, is a native of Alabama, where he was born in Franklin County in the year 1853. He is a son of John W. and Mary L. (Weatherford) Townsend, the former of Illinois and the latter from Alabama. The elder Townsend was reared and received his education in Alabama, where he also practiced medicine, and was, in his day, a prominent physician of that State. About the year 1855 he moved to Arkansas, and settled near Smithville, where he began the practice of law. He lost his wife a year later, and returned to Alabama, where he remained until 1863. He again came back to Arkansas, and located in Lawrence County, where he resided and was ordained a minister of the Baptist Church in 1870, serving until his death, in January, 1878. Judge W. A. Townsend is the second child in the family. He came to Arkansas when very young, and was reared in Lawrence County, where he was educated. He was taught principally at the home schools, and was an apt and attentive scholar, though the higher branches of education were out of his reach, on account of the poor facilities offered at the time. He afterward taught school himself for three years, but in 1878, bought out an established business in Smithville, and has been actively engaged in mercantile affairs since then. He carries one of the largest and most complete stocks of merchandise in Lawrence County, and has built up a reputation for fair dealing and honest goods second to none in the State. This fact has brought him a trade of $15,000 a year, which is still growing. In 1876 Mr. Townsend was elected assessor, and served one term, and in 1878 he was elected sheriff and collector, and served one term. In 1884 he was elected county judge, and in 1888 was again chosen to fill that office. He also had charge of the post office at Smithville in 1878-79. Judge Townsend was married in Independence County October 31, 1880, to Miss Belle Toler, a daughter of J. B. Toler, and this marriage has given them three children: Neva, Roy and Mary, whose bright faces and childish voices are a great source of happiness to the parents. Judge Townsend belongs to the Masonic order, and is a Master Mason. He is held in high regard by the entire community, and is a man of irreproachable honor. While performing his judicial functions, he gained a reputation for the fairness of his decisions, and the justness with which he wielded the law irrespective of party, creed or color.