Fred Townsend
Encyclopedia
Frederick Townsend was an American football
player, lawyer, and politician.
Townsend was born in 1862 at Albia, Iowa
. He was the son of John Selby Townsend
, a district judge and legislator in Iowa. Townsend received his early education in the public school of Albia, Iowa. In 1879, he enrolled at Ann Arbor High School, but he was forced to quit his studies in the spring of 1881 due to failing eyesight.
In the fall of 1881, Townsend entered the law department at the University of Michigan
, and entered the freshman class of the literary department in the spring of 1882. He was again unable to complete his studies due to failing eyesight. He moved to El Paso, Texas
, where he worked in the mercantile business and also part-time in the law office of his brother, Judge J. E. Townsend. He returned to Iowa in 1887 and was admitted to the Iowa bar in May 1887. In the fall of 1887, he resumed his studies at the law department of the University of Michigan
. He played as a starting left tackle for the 1887 Michigan Wolverines football team
while completing his legal studies. He graduated from Michigan in 1888 and returned to El Paso where he formed a law partnership with his brother under the name Townsend & Townsend.
In August 1889, he married Helen Dawson, a classmate of Townsend at the University of Michigan, in a ceremony held at Minneapolis, Minnesota
. They had five children. He returned to Albia, Iowa, in 1890 and began a law practice there. In 1890, he was nominated as the Democratic Party's candidate for County Attorney of Monroe County, Iowa
. He was elected and served in that capacity from 1891 to 1893. He next served as chairman of the Monroe County Democratic Party for three years. In 1896, he was elected to the state central committee of the Iowa Democratic Party
, and in 1898, he was chosen as the chairman of the state central committee. He next served two terms in the Iowa State Senate from 1900 to 1904. He also served on the local school and library boards and on the Board of Equalization and Fuel Commission for Monroe County. Townsend was a member of the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, and the Elks. He died in November 1918 in the same house where he was born.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, lawyer, and politician.
Townsend was born in 1862 at Albia, Iowa
Albia, Iowa
Albia is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,706 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Albia's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 41.026600, −92.805262....
. He was the son of John Selby Townsend
John Selby Townsend
John Selby Townsend was an American Democrat legislator and jurist from Iowa.Born in Morganfield, Kentucky, Townsend moved to Putnam County, Indiana with his family. He later moved to Albia, Iowa. He studied law and was admitted to the Iowa bar. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives...
, a district judge and legislator in Iowa. Townsend received his early education in the public school of Albia, Iowa. In 1879, he enrolled at Ann Arbor High School, but he was forced to quit his studies in the spring of 1881 due to failing eyesight.
In the fall of 1881, Townsend entered the law department at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, and entered the freshman class of the literary department in the spring of 1882. He was again unable to complete his studies due to failing eyesight. He moved to El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, where he worked in the mercantile business and also part-time in the law office of his brother, Judge J. E. Townsend. He returned to Iowa in 1887 and was admitted to the Iowa bar in May 1887. In the fall of 1887, he resumed his studies at the law department of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He played as a starting left tackle for the 1887 Michigan Wolverines football team
1887 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1887 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1887 college football season. The team compiled a 5–0 record and outscored its opponents by a combined score of 102 to 10. The 1887 season capped three consecutive undefeated seasons in which Michigan won its...
while completing his legal studies. He graduated from Michigan in 1888 and returned to El Paso where he formed a law partnership with his brother under the name Townsend & Townsend.
In August 1889, he married Helen Dawson, a classmate of Townsend at the University of Michigan, in a ceremony held at Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. They had five children. He returned to Albia, Iowa, in 1890 and began a law practice there. In 1890, he was nominated as the Democratic Party's candidate for County Attorney of Monroe County, Iowa
Monroe County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 7,970 in the county, with a population density of . There were 3,884 housing units, of which 3,213 were occupied.-2000 census:...
. He was elected and served in that capacity from 1891 to 1893. He next served as chairman of the Monroe County Democratic Party for three years. In 1896, he was elected to the state central committee of the Iowa Democratic Party
Iowa Democratic Party
The Iowa Democratic Party is the local branch of the Democratic Party in the state of Iowa.-Current elected officials:Iowa Democrats are in control of the Iowa Senate, one of the state's United States Senate seats, and three out of the state's five United States House of Representatives seats. ...
, and in 1898, he was chosen as the chairman of the state central committee. He next served two terms in the Iowa State Senate from 1900 to 1904. He also served on the local school and library boards and on the Board of Equalization and Fuel Commission for Monroe County. Townsend was a member of the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, and the Elks. He died in November 1918 in the same house where he was born.