Elizabeth Townsend (ca.1727-aft. 1783) 

John Paine’s wife, Elizabeth Townsend, was born around 1727 to Wrixham and Jeminah Townsend, most likely in Somerset County, Maryland, where her parents lived.

The name Townsend originates from ancient Anglo-Saxon Britain. It describes someone who lived "at the town's end." This surname falls into the category of topographic names, which were given to individuals based on nearby natural features like hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.[1]

Elizabeth’s Parents

Elizabeth’s father, Wrixham, died sometime before March 20, 1728, when the Somerset County court recognized his wife Jemima as the administratrix of Wrixham’s estate.[2] An inventory of his estate was submitted to the court on May 13, 1728. The inventory mentioned Jemima and two brothers, Littleton and Solomon.[3]

Elizabeth’s mother was probably Jemimah Pope, the daughter of Elizabeth and Job Pope. On December 20, 1721, Job Pope wrote his will, leaving property to his only daughter Jemima and to his wife Elizabeth.[4] Most likely, Job Pope named his only daughter after the biblical Jemima, the oldest of Job’s three beautiful daughters, whom he received in the latter part of his life after God restored Job’s prosperity.

On June 1, 1734, Elizabeth Pope gifted several household items and animals to her children and granddaughter, Elizabeth Townsend.[5] In this deed of gift, Elizabeth did not mention Jemima, so she possibly died before then. 

Elizabeth’s Paternal Ancestors

Elizabeth was the granddaughter of John Townsend, born on July 18, 1666, in Somerset County, and Rebecca Porter, born on October 21, 1685, in Somerset County.[6] John referred to his granddaughter, Elizabeth, the daughter of Wrixham Townsend, in his will, dated January 10, 1733. John bequeathed a bed to Elizabeth when she turned 16.[7]

Her great-grandparents were John Townsend and Elizabeth Danford. John and Elizabeth initially settled in Hungar's Parish in Northampton County, Virginia, and moved to Marumsco in Somerset County in the mid-1600s.[8] There are no records of John Townsend or Elizabeth Danford’s parents or their place of origin.

Elizabeth’s Death

There is no record of Elizabeth’s death, which was sometime after 1783. In 1783, Elizabeth Payne was listed as the head of household on the tax assessment in Mattapony Hundred, Worcester County, Maryland. She owned 72 acres of land called Smithfield. Her son, Levin, was also listed as the head of household, owning 72 ½ acres of Smithfield.[9]

Footnotes

[1] House of Names. Entry for Townsend. https://www.houseofnames.com/townsend-family-crest

[2] Maryland, Worcester County. Administrators Bonds Liber J.W No. 14 1667-1743, pp. 274-275 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GT1G-5QB.

[3] Maryland, Worcester County. Inventories Liber J.W No. 15 1688-1742, p. 143  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GT1J-FZR?i=81&cc=1803986.

[4] Maryland, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1777, pp. 518-519. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9068/images/007737518_00829.

[5] Maryland, Somerset County. Deeds A Z 1731-1735, pp. 155-157 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKH-7S8R-L.

[6] Dryden, Ruth T. The Townsend Family of Maryland. (San Diego CA: R.T. Dryden, 1993) 1.

[7] Maryland, Worcester County. Wills Liber M.H. No. 3 1665-1743, pp. 335-336 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9TBJ-94ZN.

[8] Dryden, Ruth T. The Townsend Family of Maryland. (San Diego CA: R.T. Dryden, 1993) 1.

[9] Maryland, Worcester County. Assessment of 1783, Index. Maryland State Archives. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/stagser/s1400/s1437/html/1437wo.html.