The History Of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Chapter Xviii, Solebury, 1703
The first settler of the name of Townsend in Solebury that appears on record was Stephen Townsend. He was a grandson of Richard Townsend, a celebrated minister in the Society of Friends, who was a passenger in the ship Welcome, and settled near Chester in 1682. (Incorrect: actually his grandfather was John Townsend, Richard's brother.) He afterwards removed to Germantown and then to Abington, from which place Stephen Townsend came to Solebury about 1735. He was a carpenter and millwright and assisted Samuel Armitage to erect the first mill on the Cuttalossa.
He bought a tract of 150 acres of land a sheriff's sale on September 17, 1736. The land was sold by Timothy Smith, Sheriff, by a warrant of Jeremiah Langhorne, and sold as the property of Benjamin Jennings. The description of the property shows that it adjoined lands of George Brown and Ezra Croasdale on the south and west, and by vacant or unimproved land on the north and east. He built the first house upon it in 1736. The deed for this purchase is recorded in book 6, page 245.
Stephen Townsend (II) purchased the additional land of Richard Van Dyke by a deed dated February 21, 1771 and recorded in book 20, page 243. This purchase made Stephen Townsend the owner of about 200 acres of land in Solebury. It is upon this tract of land that the celebrated Townsend apple tree had its origin and takes its name. This apple was a favorite with the Indians and they are said to have stipulated in their agreement for the sale of the land, that the fruit of this tree should be free for all comers.
The children and grandchildren of Stephen Townsend as appears by the record of marriages at Buckingham were Sarah Townsend, married Thomas Smith, 6-mo. 10, 1752; Mary Townsend, married Joseph Skelton, 9-mo. 20, 1751; William Townsend, married first Margaret Paxson, Jr., 22, 1763, and after her death married Elizabeth Watson, 12-mo. 15, 1773; Joseph Townsend, married Mary Hartley, March 11, 1789.
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The Will of Stephen Townsend I
The will of Stephen Townsend was date June 10, 1757. The first item divides his land between his two sons, Stephen and William, Stephen to have the south part with the house and William the north part. Legacies were left to his daughter, Elizabeth Kennard L 8, to Mary Skelton L 8, to Sarah Smith L 8, to daughter Ann Townsend 5 schillings, to grandchildren, John, Mary Ellen and Jonathan Hough, the sum of L 8 to be divided equally. The executors were John Scarborough and Samuel Eastburn, and the witnesses to the will were Jonas Paxson, Sarah Hough and Samuel Armitage. The will was proven on June 7, 1769, so that Stephen Townsend must have died near that date.
The first settler of the name of Townsend in Solebury that appears on record was Stephen Townsend. He was a grandson of Richard Townsend, a celebrated minister in the Society of Friends, who was a passenger in the ship Welcome, and settled near Chester in 1682. (Incorrect: actually his grandfather was John Townsend, Richard's brother.) He afterwards removed to Germantown and then to Abington, from which place Stephen Townsend came to Solebury about 1735. He was a carpenter and millwright and assisted Samuel Armitage to erect the first mill on the Cuttalossa.
He bought a tract of 150 acres of land a sheriff's sale on September 17, 1736. The land was sold by Timothy Smith, Sheriff, by a warrant of Jeremiah Langhorne, and sold as the property of Benjamin Jennings. The description of the property shows that it adjoined lands of George Brown and Ezra Croasdale on the south and west, and by vacant or unimproved land on the north and east. He built the first house upon it in 1736. The deed for this purchase is recorded in book 6, page 245.
Stephen Townsend (II) purchased the additional land of Richard Van Dyke by a deed dated February 21, 1771 and recorded in book 20, page 243. This purchase made Stephen Townsend the owner of about 200 acres of land in Solebury. It is upon this tract of land that the celebrated Townsend apple tree had its origin and takes its name. This apple was a favorite with the Indians and they are said to have stipulated in their agreement for the sale of the land, that the fruit of this tree should be free for all comers.
The children and grandchildren of Stephen Townsend as appears by the record of marriages at Buckingham were Sarah Townsend, married Thomas Smith, 6-mo. 10, 1752; Mary Townsend, married Joseph Skelton, 9-mo. 20, 1751; William Townsend, married first Margaret Paxson, Jr., 22, 1763, and after her death married Elizabeth Watson, 12-mo. 15, 1773; Joseph Townsend, married Mary Hartley, March 11, 1789.
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The Will of Stephen Townsend I
The will of Stephen Townsend was date June 10, 1757. The first item divides his land between his two sons, Stephen and William, Stephen to have the south part with the house and William the north part. Legacies were left to his daughter, Elizabeth Kennard L 8, to Mary Skelton L 8, to Sarah Smith L 8, to daughter Ann Townsend 5 schillings, to grandchildren, John, Mary Ellen and Jonathan Hough, the sum of L 8 to be divided equally. The executors were John Scarborough and Samuel Eastburn, and the witnesses to the will were Jonas Paxson, Sarah Hough and Samuel Armitage. The will was proven on June 7, 1769, so that Stephen Townsend must have died near that date.
The History Of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Chapter Xviii, Solebury, 1703
The first settler of the name of Townsend in Solebury that appears on record was Stephen Townsend. He was a grandson of Richard Townsend, a celebrated minister in the Society of Friends, who was a passenger in the ship Welcome, and settled near Chester in 1682. (Incorrect: actually his grandfather was John Townsend, Richard's brother.) He afterwards removed to Germantown and then to Abington, from which place Stephen Townsend came to Solebury about 1735. He was a carpenter and millwright and assisted Samuel Armitage to erect the first mill on the Cuttalossa.
He bought a tract of 150 acres of land a sheriff's sale on September 17, 1736. The land was sold by Timothy Smith, Sheriff, by a warrant of Jeremiah Langhorne, and sold as the property of Benjamin Jennings. The description of the property shows that it adjoined lands of George Brown and Ezra Croasdale on the south and west, and by vacant or unimproved land on the north and east. He built the first house upon it in 1736. The deed for this purchase is recorded in book 6, page 245.
Stephen Townsend (II) purchased the additional land of Richard Van Dyke by a deed dated February 21, 1771 and recorded in book 20, page 243. This purchase made Stephen Townsend the owner of about 200 acres of land in Solebury. It is upon this tract of land that the celebrated Townsend apple tree had its origin and takes its name. This apple was a favorite with the Indians and they are said to have stipulated in their agreement for the sale of the land, that the fruit of this tree should be free for all comers.
The children and grandchildren of Stephen Townsend as appears by the record of marriages at Buckingham were Sarah Townsend, married Thomas Smith, 6-mo. 10, 1752; Mary Townsend, married Joseph Skelton, 9-mo. 20, 1751; William Townsend, married first Margaret Paxson, Jr., 22, 1763, and after her death married Elizabeth Watson, 12-mo. 15, 1773; Joseph Townsend, married Mary Hartley, March 11, 1789.
--------------------------------
The Will of Stephen Townsend I
The will of Stephen Townsend was date June 10, 1757. The first item divides his land between his two sons, Stephen and William, Stephen to have the south part with the house and William the north part. Legacies were left to his daughter, Elizabeth Kennard L 8, to Mary Skelton L 8, to Sarah Smith L 8, to daughter Ann Townsend 5 schillings, to grandchildren, John, Mary Ellen and Jonathan Hough, the sum of L 8 to be divided equally. The executors were John Scarborough and Samuel Eastburn, and the witnesses to the will were Jonas Paxson, Sarah Hough and Samuel Armitage. The will was proven on June 7, 1769, so that Stephen Townsend must have died near that date.
The first settler of the name of Townsend in Solebury that appears on record was Stephen Townsend. He was a grandson of Richard Townsend, a celebrated minister in the Society of Friends, who was a passenger in the ship Welcome, and settled near Chester in 1682. (Incorrect: actually his grandfather was John Townsend, Richard's brother.) He afterwards removed to Germantown and then to Abington, from which place Stephen Townsend came to Solebury about 1735. He was a carpenter and millwright and assisted Samuel Armitage to erect the first mill on the Cuttalossa.
He bought a tract of 150 acres of land a sheriff's sale on September 17, 1736. The land was sold by Timothy Smith, Sheriff, by a warrant of Jeremiah Langhorne, and sold as the property of Benjamin Jennings. The description of the property shows that it adjoined lands of George Brown and Ezra Croasdale on the south and west, and by vacant or unimproved land on the north and east. He built the first house upon it in 1736. The deed for this purchase is recorded in book 6, page 245.
Stephen Townsend (II) purchased the additional land of Richard Van Dyke by a deed dated February 21, 1771 and recorded in book 20, page 243. This purchase made Stephen Townsend the owner of about 200 acres of land in Solebury. It is upon this tract of land that the celebrated Townsend apple tree had its origin and takes its name. This apple was a favorite with the Indians and they are said to have stipulated in their agreement for the sale of the land, that the fruit of this tree should be free for all comers.
The children and grandchildren of Stephen Townsend as appears by the record of marriages at Buckingham were Sarah Townsend, married Thomas Smith, 6-mo. 10, 1752; Mary Townsend, married Joseph Skelton, 9-mo. 20, 1751; William Townsend, married first Margaret Paxson, Jr., 22, 1763, and after her death married Elizabeth Watson, 12-mo. 15, 1773; Joseph Townsend, married Mary Hartley, March 11, 1789.
--------------------------------
The Will of Stephen Townsend I
The will of Stephen Townsend was date June 10, 1757. The first item divides his land between his two sons, Stephen and William, Stephen to have the south part with the house and William the north part. Legacies were left to his daughter, Elizabeth Kennard L 8, to Mary Skelton L 8, to Sarah Smith L 8, to daughter Ann Townsend 5 schillings, to grandchildren, John, Mary Ellen and Jonathan Hough, the sum of L 8 to be divided equally. The executors were John Scarborough and Samuel Eastburn, and the witnesses to the will were Jonas Paxson, Sarah Hough and Samuel Armitage. The will was proven on June 7, 1769, so that Stephen Townsend must have died near that date.
