Résumé

Principal, Louis R. Townsend, Architect, 1858-1865. Between 1858 and 1865, at least, Townsend had an office on the northeast corner of California and Leidesdorff Streets. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1858, p. 303 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1865,p. 485.)

Partner, Townsend and [Ernest] Wyneken, Architects, San Francsico, CA, 1867-1883. In 1868 and 1869, Townsend and Wyneken had an office at 405 California Street. (See The San Francisco Directory for the Year Commencing October, 1868, p. 544 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1869, p. 676.) From at least 1877 until 1883, the pair maintained their business address at 515 California Street. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1877, p. 465.)

Relocation

Architect Louis Richard Townsend was born in NY in 1832. (Funeral records of 1898, listed his state of nativity as being CT. See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. San Francisco Area, California, U.S., Funeral Home Records, 1850-1931 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 06/23/2023.) The 1860 US Census indicated that he had been born in Washington, DC.

In 1860, Townsend and his wife Emma, whom he married the year before, lived in San Francisco's 6th Ward in the residence of her father Erastus V., a notary, and his wife Emeline. Erastus was wealthy, owning $65,000 worth of real estate and having personal assets of $30,000 in that year. They retained a servant Mary O'Connell (born c. 1836 in Ireland) and her daughter Esther (born c. 1858 in CA).(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: San Francisco District 6, San Francisco, California; Roll: M653_67; Page: 439; Family History Library Film: 803067, accessed 06/26/2023.) Voter records listed Louis Townsend as still living at his in-laws house at 807 Stockton Street on 05/28/1867. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 43; FHL Roll Number: 977099, accessed 06/26/2023.)

In 1868 and 1869, however, Townsend lived on the northwest corner of Prospect Place and Sacramento Street in San Francisco, likely apart from his wife, daughter and in-laws. (See The San Francisco Directory for the Year Commencing October, 1868, p. 544 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1869, p. 606.) It is likley that he separated from Emma in late 1867 or early 1868 , and moved to his own residence by the latter year.

According to the 1870 US Census, Emma and her daughter May had moved back to her parents' 6th Ward house. Her father still had a large fortune, and could afford to employ two immigrant servants, Kate Duffy (born c. 1840 in Ireland) and Bridget Cronin (born c. 1835 in Ireland). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: San Francisco Ward 6, San Francisco, California; Roll: M593_81; Page: 99A, accessed 06/26/2023.) Louis continued to live in San Francisco's 6th Ward, renting a room in the dwelling of Philo White (born c. 1830), a New York-born, real estate agent. He lived here with two other young men. Like E. V. Joice, White was also well-to-do, owning $15,000 worth of real estate and $6,500 in 1870. Townsend had savings of $1,000. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: San Francisco Ward 6, San Francisco, California; Roll: M593_81; Page: 107A, accessed 06/26/2023.) had moved back to her parents house.

Emma had divorced Louis before 1880. She lived with her daughter Mary at the residence of her parents, 807 Stockton Street. The Joices lived here with a servant Bridget McGoldrick (born c. 1830 in Ireland). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 74; Page: 661B; Enumeration District: 051, accessed 06/26/2023.)

In 1880, San Francisco voter records indicated Townsend lived at 108 Prospect Place in San Francisco's 6th Ward. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1880; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 46; FHL Roll Number: 977195, accessed 06/26/2023.) He remained at this location until at least 1896. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1896; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 104; FHL Roll Number: 977261, accessed 06/26/2023.)

He passed away in the residence of his nephew, Ernest H. Wakeman, at 1164 Haight Street, San Francisco, and was buried at the Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, CA. (See Findagrave.com, "Louis Richard Townsend," accessed 06/23/2023.) He left a modest estate worth about $300, of which his daughter May, was the executor. (See "Wills Filed for Probate," San Francisco Call, 07/22/1898, p. 5.)

Spouse

He wed Emma Joyce (born c. 1842 in Albany, NY-d. 12/1884 in San Francisco, CA) on 08/02/1859. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Sacramento, California, U.S., Sacramento Bee Newspaper Obituaries, Marriages, Births, 1859 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001, accessed 06/26/2023.) The spelling of the last name was soemtines spelled "Joyce," in documents, as well.

Emma lived in San Francisco in 1852 with her parents Erasutus V. Joice (born c. 1812 in NY) and Emeline Joice (born c. 1817 in NY), according to the CA State Census of that year. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; 1852 California State Census; Roll #: 4; Repository Collection #: C144:4; Page: 427; Line: 36, accessed 06/26/2023.)

They divorced before 1880, as Emma was listed as a divorcee by the US Census of that year, and likely before 1870 as Emma and Louis no longer lived with each other by then.

Children

Emma and Louis had two children: Volney Townsend (born 03/1861 in San Francisco, CA-d. 02/03/1863 in San Francisco, CA) and May Virginia Townsend (b. 1864 in CA-d. 07/26/1926 in New York, NY). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California Department of Public Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com. Digital Images. Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1849-1980 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017, accessed 06/26/2023 and Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Menands, New York, U.S., Albany Rural Cemetery Burial Cards, 1791-2011 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, accessed 06/26/2023.)

Biographical Notes

Corporal, National Guard of California, 1st Infantry Regiment, Company B, 1854-1896, San Francisco, CA. This group was originally referred to as the "City Guard," a militia formed during the early days of lawlessness in San Francisco, at same time as the formation of the city's Vigilance Committees. On 09/29/1891, Louis Townsend had made 13 consective CA National Guard enlistments, according to its register. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Military Registers, 1858-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Office of the Adjutant General. Military Records, 1850–1942. Military Dept., Adjutant General’s Office Records (1850–1944), ID Number R186. California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California, accessed 06/26/2023.)

Townsend may have traveled back from CA in 1866 to New York, NY. A ship's manifest listed a L.R. Townsend, age 34, traveling from Aspinwall, Panama to New York City, arriving in the latter port on 05/09/1866. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at and Departing from Ogdensburg, New York, 5/27/1948 - 11/28/1972; Microfilm Serial or NAID: M237, 1820-1897, accessed 06/26/2023.)