The Townsend Family Papers collection contains correspondence, business and other personal documents of Dr. John Townsend, his wife Elizabeth Townsend, and their son John Henry Moses Townsend. Items in this collection offer glimpses into the Townsends' lives: their travels with the Murphy party, their real estate investments and their roles as settlers of Northern California during the mid to late 1800s.

Dr. John Townsend was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. His parents, who were among the first settlers of Fayette County, arrived in America from England in the late eighteenth century. Dr. Townsend received his first medical degree from Lexington Medical College and later set up successful practices in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Missouri. In 1832, he and Elizabeth Louise Schallenberger were married in Stark County, Ohio.

1 oversized flat box 1 carton 1 linear foot

Copyright has not been assigned to the San Jose Public Library. For permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the lead librarian of the California Room. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Jose Public Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also apply to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

Collection is open for research.