Family of Ezekiel Towson and Ruth Cromwell

Ezekiel Towson was born to William Towson and his first wife, Ruth Gott. He married Ruth Cromwell, with whom he had 12 children including General Nathan Towson, hero of the War of 1812. Ezekiel himself was the proprietor of Towson's Tavern, the epicenter of what would become Towsontown and later Towson, the county seat of Baltimore County.

Towson Households in Philadelphia City Directories 1800-1840

A number of Philadelphia City Directories have been made available through Temple University's library system, and you can access them here. The following is the result of my search for Towsons listed in the directories between the years 1800 and 1840.

Towsons and Townsends in the Baltimore City Birth Index, 1875-1941

 1875

Towson, John & Mary, July 3rd, A-4124

Townsend, Thomas & Sophia, April 19th, A-2436

1876

Townsend, Francis & Elizabeth, March 29th, A-10588

Townsend, Charles & Frances, Sept 9th, A-13778

1877

Townsend, Lemuel & Sarah, Sept 17th, A-20690

1878

Townsend, John & Margaret, Feb 5th, A-23254

Townsend, James & Annie, Feb 21st, A-23545

1879

Towson, Edward & Sophia, Feb. 7th, A-29378

Townsend, John & Margaret, May 11th, A-30941

Townsend, John & Grace, May 14th, A-30998

Townsend, James & Cecelia, Aug. 29, A033184

Townsend, Charles & Mary, Sept 7th, A-33432

1880

Towson, William & Martha, Jan 11th, A-36471

Towson, Edward & Sophia, Oct. 16th, A-42838

Townsend, F. & Mary, May 25th, A-39397

Townsend, John & Grace, Aug 8th, A-41129

Townsend, John & Mary, Oct 4th, A-42532

Townsend, John & Margaret, Oct 26th, A-43088

1881

Towson, John & Emma, June 19th, A-48203

Towson, William & Martha, Aug 28th A-49802

1882

Towson, Just & Mary, Dec 7th, A-60092

Townsend, John & Margaret, Jan 1, A-52813

Townsend, John & Grace, May 1, A-55429

1883

Townsend, Robert & Mary, Jan 4th, A-60734

1884

None found.

1885

Towson, James & Ida, July 6th, A-80309

Townsend, Joseph & Anna, May 11th, A-79550

1886

Townsend, James & Lizzie, Dec 7th, A-90504

1887

Townsend, Joseph & Anna, July 14th, A-95379

1888

Townsend, James & Lizzie, Aug 23rd, A-5094

Townsend, A.N. & Grace, Dec. 10th, A-8072

1889

Towson, James & Ida, Sept 4, A-14789

Townsend, George & Mary, Jan 30, A-36204?

Townsend, Thomas & Sarah, June 18th, A-12879

Townsend, Charles & Mary, March 16th, A-10753

1890

Townsend, Joseph & Annie, Feb 2, A-19252

Townsend, Edward & Estelle, May 20th, A-21811

Townsend, Frederick & Laura, May 24th, A-21517

1891

Towson, Leonard & Ada, Oct 31, A-34566

Townsend, George & Mary, Oct 29, A-34544

1892

None found.

1893

Townsend, Charles & Mary, Feb 23rd, A-46125

Townsend, George & Anna, Sept 10, A-50239

1894

Towson, John & Emma, Sept 1, A-59046

1895

Towson, William & Ella, Mar 11, A-63887

Townsend, Charles & Lulu, May 23rd, A-65539

Towsand, George & Anna, Aug 1, A-67352

Townsend, Mr. & Elizabeth, Nov 15, A-70124

1896

Townson, Thomas & Sarah, Sept 3rd, A-77223 (Twins)

Townsend, Clinton & Mary, June 29th, A-79881

1897

Townsend, Nora (infant of), Feb 7, A-81025

Townsend, Walter & Mary, June 23rd, A-83510

Townsend, John & Sadie, May 7, A-82891

Towson, JJ & Annie, May 7, A-82816

Townsend, Mr. & Lizzie, Oct 20th, A-86959

Towsend, Charles & Lulu, Nov 21, A-87710

1898

Townsend, George & Anna, May 20th, A-92323

1899

Townsend, S. Clinton & Clara, Feb 20, A-99325

Townsend, Frank & Mollie, Sept 16th, B-3895

Townsend, Thomas & Georgia, Nov 20, B-5384

1900

Townsend, George & Annie, Jan 5, B-6602

Towlson, Charles & Clara, Feb 17, B-7711

Townsend, John & Sadie, Mar 31, B-8674

Townsend, Charles & Cora, July 17, B-10911

Towson, Joseph & Annie, Nov 24, B-14003

1901

Townsend, William & Catherine, Dec 6, B-22994

1902

Townsend, Charles & Alice Groves, Jan 24, B-23738

Townsend, Frank & Mollie, Mar 21, B-24989

Towson, James & Mary, Sept 22, B-29794

Townsend, Albert & Addie, Dec 19, B-31908

1903

Townsend, William & Sophia, Feb 17, E-4929 (see B-33234)

Townsend, Clarence & Martha, Oct 11, B-38925

1904

Townsend, Arabella & Herbert C., March 12, A-1505

Townsend, Catherine & William E., July 20, A-4916

1905

Towson, Mary L. and James H., Mar 15, A-9970

1906

Towson, Mary & James, July 14, A-21804

Towson, Emma & Charles, Sept 29, A-23,507

1907

None found.

1908

Towson, Edward & May, Jan 31, A-35708

Townsend, William & Catherine, June 14, A-39006

1909

Towson, Ella & Charles, Jan 2, A-44,729

Townsend, Teresa M. & William E., July 25, A-48,609

Townsend, Cecelia C. & Albert, Sept 10, A-50,281

Towson, James & Maud, Sept 10, A-41472

Townshend, Daniel & Rosalie, Dec 6, A-45238

1910

Towson, Ella & Charles, Mar 16, A-55,985

1911

Townsend, Martha & Julius C, May 11, A-66,434 (or 66,431)

Towson, Mary & James H., Jun 21, A-67,064

Townsend, Martha A. & Clarence K., Nov 29, A-71,232

1912

Townsend, Bessie & Charles Sheers, Jan 27, A-72531

Townshend, Francis & Edith, Jan 29, A-72360

1913

Townsend, Mabel & John, Apr 3, A-85865

Townshend, Rosalie & Webster, May 10, A-87829

Townsend, Catharine & George, Sept 21, A-91526

Townsend, Elizabeth (infant of), Oct 8, A-92185

1914

Townsend, Frank & Edith, Oct 29, B-5342

Townsend, George & Addie, Nov 11, B-6143

Townsend, Charles & Lillian, Nov 20, B-6755

1915

Townsend, James & Elisabeth, Feb 3, B-8742

Townshend, Daniel & Rosalie, May 3, B-14949

Townsend, Charles & Nettie, Oct 25, B-18895

1916

Towson, William & Caroline, Jan 5, B-21801

Townsend, Edgar & Clara, Jan 11, B-21889 (maybe B-21859?)

Townshend, Charles & Mary, Apr 29, B-26330

Towson, Samuel & Ella, June 4, B-27795

Townsend, John & Clara, July 31, B-30042

1917

Towson, Charles & Sarah, Jan 16, B-37080

Towsend, Raymond & Bertha Harris, Mar 2, B-39436

Towson, Maude & J. Wilbur, Mar 22, B-41089

Towson, Stella & Richard, Apr 18, B-41443

1918

Townsend, Charles & Anabello, Aug 10, B-61396

Towsend, Harry & Florence, Nov 12, B-65168

Townshend, Daniel & Rosalie, Dec 16, B-67994

1919

Towsend, Benjamin & Mollie, Apr 25, B-72542

Townsend, James & Jennie, Feb 28, B-69729

Townsend, Howard & Bessie, May 28, B-74497

Townshend, Joseph & Gold, July 4, B-76522

Townsend, Ernest & Lillian Hawkins, July 15, B-76022

Townsend, Russell & Emeline, Sep 4, B-73103

Townsend, Charles & Marie, Sept 29, B-79727

Townsend, Charles & Jenny, Oct 18, B-80652

Townsend, John N. & Norah, Nov 4, B-84005

1920

Townsend, Cristopher & Grace, Feb 6, B-86672

Townsend, Edgar & Clara, Feb 13, B-89260

Towson, Raymond & Bertha Harris, July 5, B-94397

1921

Townsend, Daniel W. & Rosalie S., Mar 6, C-7605

Townsend, Charles & Jennie, May 27, C-11488

Towson, Joseph P. & Latitia E., June 2, C-11523

Towson, George & Anna, June 20, C-12910

Townsand, Howard & Bessie, June 29, C-12883

Townsend, Arthur & Lillie, Oct 19, C-18639

Townsend, Romie & Addie, Boutler (Scott), Nov 4, C-19871

1922

Towsend, Benjamin & Mollie, Sept 9, C-34976

Towson, Raymond & Bertha, Nov 14, C-38195

1923

Townsend, Clement & Otillia, Apr 10, C-45252

Towson, Joseph & Letitia, June 1, C-47757

Townsend, Frank & Lydia, June 13, C-48541

Townsend, Charles & Marie, Aug 3, C-50954

Towson, John D. & Catherine, Aug 9, D-17840

Townshend, John & Bertha, Oct 21, C-55327

1924

Townsend, Edgar & Clara, Jan 30, C-60222

Townsend, Edgar & Marjorie, Jan 31, C-60260

Townsend, Harry & Florence, Mar 30, C-63157

Townshend, Belt & Helen, Dec 5, C-75485

Towson, Raymond & Bertha, Dec 14, C-76048

Townsend, Frank & Lydia, Dec 22, C-77054

1925

Townsend, Ernest & Lillian, Jan 16, C-77424

Towsend, Berry & Mollie, Mar 6, C-79938

Townsend, Thorton & Amelia, Apr 8, C-82715

Townsend, Max & May, May 6, C-82901

Townsend, O. Kenneth & Anne, Nov 20, C-93438

1926

Townsend, William & Lena, Sept 4, D-6052

Townsend, Charles & Pauline, Oct 10, D-8053

Townsend, J.S. & Vassar, Nov 4, D-8997

1927

Towson, Raymond & Bertha, Aug 17, D-22386

Towson, George & Anna, Sept 25, D-24554

Townsend, Leroy & Luebell, Dec 6, D-27572

Townsend, Myron & Veda, Dec 23, D-28215

1928

Towsend, Benjamin & Mollie, Apr 7, D-33025

Townsend, Bettie (infant of), May 12, D-35144

Townsend, John & Alice, May 13, D-34717

Towson, Joseph & Letitia, Aug 14, D-39260

Towsend, Irvin & Lillian, Aug 25, D-40201

Townsend, Lester & Catherine, Sept 18, D-40446

Townsend, Oswald & Annie, Oct 9, D-41623

Townsend, David & May, Dec 8, D-43931

1929

Towson, William & Margaret, Apr 8, E-22844

Townsend, Edgar & Marjorie, June 10, D-52081

1930

Townsend, Frank & Lydia, Feb 27, D-62960

Townshend, Grafton & Catherine, Mar 24, D-63914

Townsend, Joseph & Bernardine, May 25, D-66289

Towson, Raymond & Bertha, Nov 10, D-73676

1931

Townsend, Charles & Marie, Feb 8, D-77422

Townsend, Howard & Kathryn, Aug 27, D-85213

Townsend, Andrew & Gertrude, Sept 7, D-85674

Townsend, Arthur & Valerie, Oct 19, D-87350

1932

Townshend, William & Lula, Mar 2, D-92734

Townsend, Frank & Lydia, Mar 9, E-88331

Townsend, George & Frances, May 21, D-95767

Townsend, Charles & Marie, May 22, D-95881

Towson, Raymond & Bertha, May 26, D-95937

Townsend, Edward & Marie, June 18, D-96693

Townsend, Thomas & Naomi, Dec 5, E-3505

1933

Townsend, Irvin & Lillian, Jan 6, E-5198

Townshend, Grafton & Catherine, Sept 28, E-14620

Townsend, George & Frances, Nov 8, E-16016

Townsend, Charles & Ruth, Dec 3, E-17031

1934

Towson, William & Margaret, Jan 4, E-18719

Towson, Emanuel & Bessie Butler, Apr 5, E-21846

Townsend, Oswald & Annie, Sept 26, E-27949

1935

Towson, Raymond & Bertha, Oct 3, E-42244

1936

Townsend, Thomas & Ruth, July 24, E-53260

Townsend, Edward & Zelma, Aug 27, E-54552

Townsend, Philip & Louella, Oct 16, E-56378

Townson, Charles & Catherine, Oct 23, E-56738

Townsend, James & Helen, Oct 26, E-56691

Townsend, Harry & Hilda, Nov 9, E-57255

1937

Townsend, William & Myrtle, Jan 11, E-59361

Towson, Arthur & Isabel, Apr 10, E-63256

Townsend, Edward & Zelma, July 30, E-67385

Townshend, Grafton & Catherine, Sept 9, E-68968

Towson, Pauline & James Jackson, Nov 1, E-70929

Towson, Charles & Kathryn, Dec 15, E-72887

1938

Townsend, Frank & Lydia, July 8, E-81585

Townsend, Lester & Viola, July 14, E-81455 and E-81456 (twins)

1939

Towsend, Alfred & Virginia, Feb 14, E-913788

Towson, Raymond & Bertha, Mar 11, E-91931

1940

This year they start recording first and last for both parents on all births.

Towson, Bothwell & Elsie Whittington, Jan 7, F-04390

Townsend, Andrew & Gertrude Ankenbauer, Feb 17, F-06349

Townsend, Jacob & Marie Molcher, June 1, F-10806

Towson, George & Mary Soldam, June 21, F-12200

Townsend, Fred & Thelma Hall, July 14, F-12843

Townsend, William & Ida Morris, Oct 18, F-17536

Townsend, Robert & Doris Meier, Nov 24, F-19155

Towson, Paulding & Frances Ricabough, Dec 4, F-19983

1941

Towson, Pauline & Arthur Counts, Feb 15, F-23709

Towson, Arthur & Isabel Thro, Mar 11, F-25203

Townshend, William & Elizabeth Tapscott, May 7, F-28114

Towson, Bothwell & Elise Whittington, May 29, F-28728

Towson, William & Margaret Barnett, June 1, F-28909

Townsend, Lester & Viola Daugherty, June 6, F-29307

Townsend, Joseph & Tessie Helmick, Aug 1, F-33278

Townsend, George & Margaret Conley, F-33240

Townsend, William & Myrtle Parrish, Sept 11, F-35112

Townsend, L. Raymond & Dolores Fahey, Nov 18, F-39401

Towson, Jerome & Bertha Parker, Dec 9, F-40796

Towsons in the Baltimore County Orphan's Court proceedings 1777-1850

FamilySearch.org has a collection titled Orphan's Court proceedings (Baltimore County, Maryland) 1777-1850 ; index 1777-1857 which contains 13 different cases featuring 19 individual Towsons or Townsends. Because the index for this record series is not digitized, I am providing an index here, as well as transcriptions of each record.

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1. 1780, Jacob Towson, Book 1, Pages 48, 56, 66

2. 1783, William Towsen, Book 1, Page 88

3. 1785, William Towson, Book 1, Page 218

4. 1791, William Townsend, Book 2, Page 194

5. 1801, James Towson, Book 4, Page 198

5.         Charlotte Towson, Book 4, Page 198

5.         Henry H. Towson, Book 4, Page 198

6. 1806, Ezekiel Towson, Book 6, Page 136

7. 1808, Abraham Townsend, Book 6, Page 325

8.         Elizabeth Townsend, Book 6, Page 327

9.         Mary Townsend, Book 6, Page 327

10. 1809, Francis Towson, Book 7, Page 123

11. 1810, William Towson, Book 7, Page 189

12.        Thomas Towson, Book 7, Page 189

13. 1811, Susanna Towson, Book 8, Page 72

14. 1812, William Towson, Book 8, Pages 203, 251

15. 1814, John Towson, Book 8, Page 402

15.         Thomas Towson, Book 8, Page 402

16. 1816, Letetia Towson, Book 9, Page 359

1a. Jacob Towson an orphan son of William Tolly Towson comes into court and chooses Joseph Sater guardian who offers William Wilson and Henry Sater as his securities who are approved by the court and bonds ordered accordingly. (Page 48)

1b. Ordered that Joshua Stevenson and Henry Stevenson settle the value of negro money due to Jacob Towson & Susannah Chamberlain by appraising negroes. (Page 56)

1c. We the subscribers being nominated by one of the Justices of the Peace for Baltimore County to make a just estimate of the annual value of the land and planation belonging to Jacob Towson son & heir of William Tolly Towson and being on a tract of land called Merrymans Adventure containing 89 acres belonging to the said Jacob Towson an orphan and their being duly satisfying? agreeable to the act of assembly in that care? made and provided we do certify that there is on the said plantation one framed dwelling house 24 feet by 16 and two other old log houses all in bad repair the orchard and framing in also in bad repair there is as near as we can judge about 25 acres of uncleared land of which we do allow that the gardens timber to put the dwelling house in repair and also timber to put the fencing? in good repair and so by him to be left and that the guardian? shall pay the sum of five pounds in ??? annually till the said orphan comes to age clear of all land take on the said land witness our hands and seal this 26th Day of March 1781. (Page 66)

2. William Towson an orphan boy of the age of 19 years the 12 day of January next is bound to Joseph Sater to learn the trade of a hatter to be found in sufficient meat drink washing lodging and apparel and to be taught read write & arithemetic and at the expiration of his time customary freedom dues.

3. William Towson an orphan son of William Towson of the age of twenty years come into court and chooses Jacob T. Towson his guardian who present here in court accepts the guardianship and offers William Wilson and Henry Sater as his securities who are approved by the court and bonds ordered accordingly.

4. William Townsend an orphan boy the age of 12 years next June is bound to James Fisher to learn the trade of a shoemaker to be taught to read write and arithmetic, as far as the rule of three to be found in sufficient meat drink washington lodging and apparel and at the expiration of his time customary freedom dues.

5. James, Charlotte, and Henry Howard Towson comes into court and the court appoints Francis Towson as their guardian who accepts the guardianship and offers James Nice and Simon Perine as her securities who are approved by the court and bonds are ordered accordingly.

6. Ordered that Philimon and Nathan Towson administrators of Ezekiel Towson deceased sell at public sale the personal estate of the deceased except the old negro man Nick and wearing appareal on the following terms, to wit, all sums exceeding twenty dollars three months credit and return an account of the sale thereof to this court.

7. Abraham Townsend a boy that is destitute of the age of seven years is bound to Claudius Besse? to learn the art trade & myster(y) of a marine to be learnt to read write and arithmetic as far as the rule of three to be found in sufficient meat drink washing loding & apparel and at the expiration of his time customary freedom dues.

8. Mary Townsend a girl that is destitute of the age of eleven years is bound to Mary Bride to be learnt to read & write to be learnt housework knitting & spinning to be found in sufficient meat drink washing lodging and apparel and at the expiration of her time customary freedom dues.

9. Elizabeth Townsend a girl that is destitute of the age of nine years is bound to Monsieur Simmons Bunbury to be learnt housework knitting & spinning to be learn to read & write to be found in sufficient meat drink washing lodging and apparel and at the expiration of her time customary freedom dues.

10. Francis Towson an orphan boy of the age of fifteen years the 31st day of July last (past?) is bound to John Jephson to be taught the trade of a cordwainer to be taught to read write and arithmetic as far as the rule of three to be found in sufficient meat drink washington lodging & apparel and at the expiration of his time to have customary freedom dues.

11. William Towson an orphan boy of the age of seventeen years and six months the fourteenth instant (April Term 1810) is bound to Jacob Deems, John Kipp and John Matthews to be taught the trade of a tanner, to be taught to read write and arithmetic as for the rule of three to be found in sufficient meat drink washing lodging and apparel and at the expiration of his time to have customary freedom dues.

12. William Towson an orphan boy of the age of sixteen years the fifth instant (April Term 1810) is bound to Jacob Deems, John Kipp and John Matthews to be taught the trade of a tanner to be taught to read write and arithmetic and four the rule of three to be found in sufficient meat drink washing lodging and apparael undo at the expiration of his time to have customary freedom dues.

13. Ordered that William McMechen expose at public sale the personal estate of Susanna Towson deceased for cash and that he return an account of the sales thereof to this court.

14a. Ordered that Daniel Evans and Joshua Anderson expose at public(h) sale the personal estate of William Towson deceased for cash and that they return an account of the sales thereof to this court. (Page 203)

14b. On application of Daniel Evans & Joshua Anderson administrators debonis non of William Towson deceased. If it ordered that the said administrators debonis non give the notice required by law for creditors to exhibit their claims against the estate of the said deceased and that the same be published once a week for four weeks in the American and the Federal Gazette in the City of Baltimore. (Page 251)

15. John & Thomas Towson orphan children of William Towson deceased comes unto court and the court and appoints Daniel Evans their guardian who here present in court accepts the guardianship and offers Joseph Merryman and Obediah Green as his securities who are approved of by the court and bond ordered to be executed? accordingly.

16. Letitia Towson an orphan girl of the age of twelve years is bound to William Fowler to be taught common house & nedle work to be taught to read & write to be found in sufficient meat drink washing lodging and apparel and when free accustomary freedom dues.

Philemon Towson (1770-1843) and Wives

Philemon and Ruth Towson

Philemon Towson was born about 1770 and died May 18th 1843. Philemon had three wives, had at least one child, and was one of twelve children of Ezekiel Towson, the proprietor of Towson's Tavern, and Ruth Cromwell. Philemon was the brother of General Nathan Towson and may have himself served during the War of 1812.

Wives
Philemon Towson was married at least three times. His first marriage was to his first cousin, Ann Cockey. Ann Cockey was born July 31st 1770 to Captain John Cockey and his wife, Chloe Cromwell, the sister of Philemon's mother Ruth Cromwell (source). According to a LDS index record of Maryland marriages from 1666-1970, Ann Cockey married "Phillip Towson" on March 3rd 1803 (source).  Their marriage would not last long, as Ann Cockey Towson died two months shy of her 39th birthday  on June 5th, 1809 and is buried at the Sater Baptist meetinghouse, where her parents are also buried (source). It is unknown whether Philemon and Ann had any children, but I have yet to find any evidence that suggests they did.

EDIT 11/25/2021: Today, in the Chancery Record Index 1668-1853, MSA Citation S1431-78 (viewable here), I found several index records referring to a daughter born to Ann Cockey and Philemon Towson. The first, dated 1808, names Ann Towson as the mother of Ann Lobre (B 60 - 193, Devisee). The next lists Ann Towson, wife of Philemon, nee Cockey of John, Sr. & Chloe, as having died prior to 1811 (B 119 - 107) and legatee to a case 2/6/1808 (B 119 - 112). The third names an Ann Towson, of Philemon & Ann, as infant defendant in an 1811-1822 case (B 119 - 107). A final names Philemon Towson as a defendant to the 1811-1822 case and guardian to Ann Towson (B 119 - 118), and as father of Ann Lobre (B 60 - 139). A search of Ancestry revealed a marriage between an Ann Elizabeth Towson and a Francis Alfred Lobre on 1 September 1821. Beyond this, I have found nothing else for Ann or Francis Lobre, but the case which refers to Philemon as her father is dated 1827, so perhaps she passed away.

Secondly, Philemon Towson married Mrs. Catherine Cushman on April 18th, 1810 or 1811 at the First Methodist Church. Their marriage was reported in the Baltimore American, according to Marriages and Deaths from Baltimore Newspapers 1796-1816 by Barnes. On April 1st, 1815, Bass Otis painted portraits of Philemon Towson and his wife for a total of $30 (about $500 in 2018) according to the artist's diary. (At the same time Philemon and Catharine had their portraits done, his brother the then Colonel Nathaniel Towson also had his portrait painted by Mr. Otis, though there is no record of what he paid.)

In January 1832, Mrs. Catherine Towson, wife of Philemon, died at age 60 or 61. Henry C. Peden's Methodist Records of Baltimore City, MD: Volume 2, 1830-1839 provided two references which may have been to this wife of Philemon. The first simply states "Catharine Towson, dead, 1831" amongst a list of parishioners removed from the records. A second indicates that Catherine Towson, age 61, was buried in the public vault at the Methodist Burial Ground. A date was given of January 25, 1832, though it is unclear whether that was the date of death or date of burial. A death notice in the Baltimore Gazette and Daily Advertiser gives her date of death as January 24th, 1832.

Source: GenealogyBank.com, American and Commercial Daily Advertiser, Jan 28, 1832, pg. 3.

Source: GenealogyBank.com, Baltimore Gazette and Daily Advertiser, Jan 28, 1832, pg. 3.

It was during Catherine's life that Philemon made what appears to have been his only appearance in the United States Census– although he would live through a total of six censuses, the 1830 Census is the only one for which I have been able to find his name. The household of one Philemon Towson appears in Baltimore's 10th Ward during the 1830 Census. Among the household are one white male, 60-69 (Philemon) and one white female, 50-59 (Catherine); one white male, 10-14; one white male, 15-19; one white female, 10-14; one free black male, 24-35; and one free black female, 36-54.

The identities of the children are unknown, however, their ages would suggest that they were Catherine and Philemon's children together. Had the oldest male been 19, he would have been born in 1811, the year of their marriage; for the younger boy and girl, they must have been born during Philemon and Catherine's marriage. However, during the 1815-16 session, the Maryland General Assembly passed an act allowing Philemon Towson and Sebastian Graff to "sell and dispose of certain property in the City of Baltimore, belonging to them and their infant children" though no further details are provided (source). Sebastian Graff was Philemon's brother-in-law to his marriage to Ann Cockey; Ann's sister Eleanor married Sebastian before dying on March 24, 1814, leaving an unknown number of children.

Source: GenealogyBank.com, Engine of Liberty and Uniontown Advertiser, April 7, 1814, pg. 3.

On April 3, 1833 Philemon once more marries, this time to a Ruth Anderson (source). I believe this Ruth Anderson to be Philemon's niece by his elder brother William and William's wife Rebecca Young. My reasoning is as follows:

1. On May 31, 1811 a Ruth Towson married a Joshua Anderson at First Methodist/Lovely Lane and almost exactly a year later, on May 30, 1812, there was a case in Chancery Court between Daniel Evans, Eleanor Evans, Ann Towson and Elizabeth Towson vs. Joshua Anderson, Ruthy Anderson, William Towson, Thomas Towson, and John Towson over the petition to sell Mollys Industry, Pearces Security, Gotts Hope, James Meadow.
2. As William's other known children included Eleanor "Ellen" Towson (wife of Daniel Evans), Ann Tolly Towson (who would later marry Edward Trippe), Elizabeth Towson, and sons William, Thomas, and John, it seems to be that chancery court case was one between siblings arguing over their father's estate, confirming Ruth's relation not only to William but also to Philemon.
3. While that alone does not confirm that said Ruth Anderson is the one who would marry Philemon in 1833, it does seem likely. Further, Philemon's widow Towson passed away in 1846 at the age of 57, putting her birth year at around 1789, and although I cannot find the original source, a pedigree file posted to FamilySearch.org on 7/30/2013 by vjh103132 claims that Ruth Towson, the daughter of William and Rebecca, was born December 18th 1790 and was baptized September 20th 1791 in St. Paul’s Parish Church. Those dates would be consistent with Ruth Towson having been a Towson by birth as well as marriage.

From what I have been able to gather, marriage between an uncle and a niece would have been illegal in 1833. Yet I have two theories as to why they may have married anyway. The first is to keep money in the family– it is unknown what Ruth's financial situation was, but perhaps she inherited land from her father (as was the dispute in Chancery Court) and Philemon wished to keep it in the family. The second, more compelling reason, was that Philemon was an old widower with two or three children who had yet to reach maturity. By marrying his younger widowed niece, he could provide for her financially while assuring that there would be someone to care for his children.

Regardless of who she was, Ruth would survive Philemon by three and a half years. Philemon Towson died in May 1843 at the age of 75. What would come of his children is unknown.

Source: GenealogyBank.com, American and Commercial Daily Advertiser; May 22, 1843; pg. 2. 

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); May 22, 1843; pg. 2. 

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Oct 18, 1843; pg. 3

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Dec 5, 1846; pg. 2. 

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Oct 7, 1847; pg. 2. 

Jobs

As varied as Philemon's love life was, his work life appears to have been no different. As varying times, Philemon could be found as a silversmith, a hotelier of some kind, an aspiring politician, and an inspector of butter and lard.

The earliest references indicate that Philemon started out as a silversmith. A source, regarding a 1798 Grand Jury of Frederick County which indicted Negro Dick, slave of James Marshall, for possession of a stolen watch belonging to Philemon Towson, claims that Philemon was a "well known Maryland watchmaker." According to 18th and 19th Century Maryland Silver (1975) and Silver in Maryland (1983), Philemon Towson was, at the very least, a silversmith in Baltimore. According to the website American Silversmiths, there is no known maker's mark for Philemon (source). Contrary to the first source, Philemon's career as a silversmith does not appear to have been considerably long lived or prosperous, as he would change careers multiple times throughout his life. Interestingly, according to an article published in the quarterly journal of the Colonial Coin Collectors Club, he would later face off in the political arena against another silversmith– and lose.

As early as 1807 a Philimon Towson was recorded in city records indexed by the WPA at the Baltimore City Archives. Records for P., Philimon, Philemon, and Phillip Towson were common from 1814-1843, including numerous records to “inspection, butter & lard.” Indeed, in the 1838 Ordinances of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, Philemon Towson is listed as inspector of butter and lard, inspecting 35,634 kegs of the two substances at 64 cents per keg, for a total income of $2,227.12, which has a value of approximately $57,023.79 in 2018. Philemon Towson the lard inspector served up until his death in 1843 and was replaced by Jacob Stouffer.

Philemon placed an ad in the February 8, 1814 edition of the American & Commercial Daily Advertiser, notifying the public that he had "taken that well known stand lately occupied by the Widow Griffith; where every attendance will be given to render general satisfaction to Travellers and those who may favor him with their custom, and on the most accommodating terms" (source)– referring to the Washington Hotel at 4 North Gay Street. Philemon was listed at that address in the The Baltimore Directory and Register for 1814-15, and in 1816, he published another ad offering a $200 reward for "detecting Aaron Wright," a bar-keeper at the Washington Hotel who had stolen a pocketbook containing about $1,300 (about $20,000 in 2018; source). Philemon is still listed at the hotel in Matchett's 1816 directory, but the next freely available directory for 1822-1823 has Philemon Towson, gent., living at 25 Alisana (Aliceanna). By 1827, he was listed as butter and lard inspector.

He ran for the office of Sheriff in Baltimore in 1809, 1812, 1821 and 1824, losing in the last to Standish Barry, a fellow silversmith. Interestingly, the last race was the closest race for Philemon. Standish Berry won by a mere 149 votes, but won 800 more votes than Philemon with Baltimore City voters. Philemon was more popular in Baltimore County, particularly among voters in the area known as Cockey’s (also the 8th District), which may (or may not) be associated with the fact that Philemon’s mother was herself a Cockey. You can learn more about these elections on A New Nation Votes, from Tufts University.

Misc.

In 1801, Philemon purchased 450 acres on Irish Creek in Rockbridge County, VA, not far from Lynchburg, from William Daughtery according to Rockbridge County Artists and Artisans by Barbara Crawford and Royster Lyle. This Daughtery appears to have been Philemon's brother-in-law, husband to his sister Ruth.

In the early 1800s, Philemon Towson and Ruth Towson were a part of the founding of the Harford Baptist Church. They signed the covenant on October, 1803 from the History of Harford County, Maryland (1901) by Walter Wilkes Preston. I believe that the Ruth Towson in question was either Philemon's his mother or another kinswoman, as he wouldn't marry Ruth Anderson until 1833.

He provided a testimonial for "Drs. Dresbach, Kuhn & Pryor's Dyspeptic Cordial," claiming that it had helped a niece by the name of Mrs. Wallace, in the November 14, 1839 publication of the Daily national intelligencer. Philemon's sister, Ann, married a John Wallace in 1785. It is quite possible that John and Ann had a daughter, and given the conventions of the time, even an unmarried adult daughter could've been known as Mrs. Wallace (source).

Philemon was a master mason in the Amicable Lodge No. 25 (source).

Questions:
Although I feel sufficiently confident in the research detailed above, there remain several questions related to Philemon Towson, his wives, and his potential children. I list them here in the hopes that someone may have answers, and to remind me should I revisit the topic in the future:

1. Who was Catherine Cushman's first husband? Or was Mrs. being used in the same way as "Mrs. Wallace"?
2. What was Catherine Cushman's maiden name? (If she was married.)
3. What is the source for the obituary for Catherine Towson?
4. Who were the three children in Philemon's household in 1830?
5. When did Ruth Anderson's husband die?
6. Where is Philemon Towson buried?
7. Where is Catharine Towson buried?
8. Where is Ruth Towson buried?

Mysterious Miss Maude

Mary “Maude” Towson

Mary was born January or July 11th 1872, the fourth child of Charles Towson and Frances Tarr. At the time of her birth, her parent’s first children, twin boys, had already died. The household also contained older brother Charles, born December 1869.

1880-1889

First recorded in the US Federal Census as Mary. At the time, she was listed as 8 years old and attending school, alongside her 12 year old brother Charles and 4 year old brother Edward. Younger siblings Sarah Ellen, 3, and Harry, 3 months, were not yet old enough to attend school and were at home. Sadly, neither Sarah Ellen nor Harry would ever make it to school age, with Harry dying before his first birthday and Sarah Ellen following in 1881.

Baltimore City Directories show that the Towson family remained in Baltimore through 1885, living in the Locust Point community near Fort McHenry on Beason and Cooksie streets. Sometime after 1885 and by 1889, the Towson family moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

In 1889, the little girl named Mary would have been almost a full grown adult at seventeen years old. In Polk’s Greater Harrisburg City Directory for 1889, a Maude Towsen was listed as a trimmer working at 334 Market, and living at 1038 South Cameron (also the address listed to Charles, screwsman, and Charles W. Towsen, laborer). For unknown reasons, at the time the family moved to Harrisburg, they began to spell their surname with an E instead of the typical O.

1890-1899

26 Jul 1892– Miss Maud Towsen was the guest of her aunt, Mrs. Lare in Lancaster. (Lare is thought to be a misspelling of Tarr.)

16 April 1894– in Wassaic, New York, “popular clothier” Isaac Winestine married Miss Bessie Golvonsky, daughter of Isaac Gelvonsky, of No. 229 Locust Street, Lancaster, Pa. A Miss Maud Towsen, of Harrisburg, was part of the wedding party. A Mr. David Hersh was one of the guests.

In mid-1897, Maude was involved in a scandal that made headlines in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, New York, and Washington, D.C. On April 27^th 1897 in Jersey City, New Jersey, Maude Towson married a furrier from New York by the name of Gustave Herzig.

The problem with this is that Herzig was already married, with a wife and three children living in New York City. Maude’s story was that she knew nothing of this, and that he seduced her. Herzig’s story was that Maude knew he was married with children, and that Maude had drugged him. The clergyman who married them reported that Herzig seemed in full control of his faculties at the time of the marriage.

The two separated, with Maude returning to her family in Harrisburg. Herzig eventually showed up and was beaten by Maude’s father and possibly her brothers. Herzig was arrested, and eventually transferred to the custody of the Jersey City police on charges of bigamy, while Charles Towson was taken into custody for assault. I have attached the most comprehensive report of the incident, which is also the most flattering to Maude. At various times, Herzig claimed that the whole incident was a conspiracy between Maude and a man by the name of Hirsch.

One report has Maude declaring her intent to move to Lancaster after the incident ended.

1900-1909

A widowed 28-year-old woman named Maud Hirsch appears in the 1900 Federal Census in the household of Mary Giffin at 701 Eleventh Street, Philadelphia. Maud is listed as a boarder, born in January 1872, widowed, born in Maryland to parents born in Maryland, a saleslady who had been married 5 years and who had no children.

Is this our Maude? Did she marry her supposed co-conspirator? If so, when, and when did he die? Did she merely adopt another name to escape the infamy of her previous marriage?

1910-1919

2 October 1911– Maude’s mother Frances died in Sparrows Point. On the 5th of that month the Baltimore Sun reported that Mrs. Maud Hirsch, of New York, is the guest of her father, Mr. Charles Towson.

22 June 1916– in Philadelphia, at the age of 43, she would marry John Herman Sell as “Marzella F. Townsend.” (A pension record of her father also records her name as “Mozilla.”)

The circumstances relating to this marriage are interesting. The Philadelphia Inquirer would publish a short piece about the marriage, titled “Divorced, to Wed Again.” Emily Koons was his wife of twenty years.

However, several months before their marriage, the Baltimore Sun reported “Mrs. J. Zell, of Harrisburg… is the guest of her brother, Thomas Towson” and that John H. Sell, of New York City, was visiting Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Towson.

On John Sell’s draft papers (dated September 12th 1918), the address of John and Maud Sell is listed as 671 Beach Street in Revere, Massachusetts. He is listed as working for the Southern Surety Company, headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, but his occupation is illegible.

In the 1919 Des Moines city directory, John H. Sell, bonds, res 20 Bernice Apartments.

1920-1929

In the 1920 United States Census, the Sells were listed as boarders at 208 West Markham Street in Little Rock, Arkansas.

In 1921, John Sell is listed as a field rep of the Southern Surety Company on the 7th floor Register & Tribune Building, which was most likely an office building.

On September 17th, 1921, John Herman Sell died in the Lutheran Hospital of Des Moines. The informant was “Mrs. J. H. Sell” of 504 1/2 Sixth Avenue.

John Herman Sell dies September 17^th 1921, in Des Moines, Iowa. The funeral service takes place at a church in Des Moines before his body is shipped to Philadelphia to be buried in the North Cedar Hill Cemetery.

After that, Mary “Maude” “Mozilla” “Marzella” Towson Herzig Hirsch Sell is never found again.

–––––

Maude is probably my biggest genealogical mystery. Sure, I'd like to find out who gave us the Towson family name,  but Maude– well, Maude's story is unique. Maude's story brings people in. It fascinates people who ordinarily don't care about history. And they want to know where it leads. But the problem is, I don't know.

She just disappears in 1921 in Des Moines, Iowa. It's almost fitting, but I'm not satisfied.

I want to find Maude. Will you help me?

–––––

Assorted tidbits about Maude:

• Maude habitually lied about her age.
• I have been unable to confirm a marriage to a Hirsch in Lancaster, but I believe it to be likely (or likely that she at least took the name Hirsch to cover up her fiasco of a marriage to Herzig).
• Various family sources speak of Maude as having been incredibly beautiful, tall with red hair. Some say she was a model. I can find nothing to confirm this, but she was known to mingle with the folks in the fashion industry.
• No living Towsons have any information (or prior knowledge, before I talked to them) about what happened to Maude.
• I have a death certificate for John Herman Sell but I do not have an obituary.

A Tale of Two Brothers

My great-great-great-grandfather, Charles Towson, was the youngest of six children born to Charles and Mary "Polly" McClung. Charles Sr. died in 1848, and Polly died in 1850. The two eldest children, John Thomas (1828-????) and Margaret (1830-1830), are thought to have died in childhood. So what happened to the other four children?

The Case of a Misspelled Name (Or Two)

It all started a few years ago, when I stumbled upon the marriage announcement for my third great grandfather, Charles Towson, and his wife, Frances Elizabeth Tarr. At this point I didn't know anything about Frances or her family, and I likely wouldn't have if my eyes hadn't scanned over the index, past the Towsons and Townsends and finally up to Tows, Charles.

Towson Households in Baltimore City Directories

A select number of Baltimore City Directories have been made available through the University of Maryland library system, which you can access them yourself here. For the sake of myself and my fellow Towson family researchers, I have put together a list of all the Towsons listed in the available  Machetts and Woods' Baltimore City directories.

Italicized names are direct relatives of mine.

buried babies

My third great grandparents, Charles Towson and Frances Tarr, had ten children. Four of these children died in infancy or childhood and are buried in the same plot, 481 FF in Baltimore Cemetery.

Those children are:
William (born abt. February 1868, died abt. December 1868)
James (born abt. Feb 1868, died abt. July 1868)
Sarah Ellen (born Sept. 9, 1876, died Mar. 27, 1881)
Henry "Harry" (born abt. Mar 1880, died abt. Sept 1880)

I have had the best luck finding evidence of Sarah Ellen's life and death. Baltimore City began recording births and deaths in 1875, the year before her birth, and I have both her birth and death certificates. She also appears in the 1880 United States Census, which also shows younger brother "Harry" at age three months.

The only evidence I have for Harry is, in fact, this census. There does exist a burial record for a "Henry" Towson at Baltimore Cemetery, alongside Sarah Ellen. In addition, a pension record of Charles has him list all of his children, and although he cannot give birth or death dates, he gives his son's name as Harry.

The information about William and James's lives is even more sparse. Neither one of them lived long enough to have been recorded in the 1870 Census. But two infant Towsons were buried in 1868; an James in July 1868, and an unnamed infant Towson in December of that year. Cemetery records list James as being four months old at the time of his burial, and the unnamed infant (who could only be William) as being nine months old, meaning that they were most likely twins born in February.

I've been to the FF area of Baltimore Cemetery, in the very back left corner of the cemetery. The area is sparsely decorated with headstones, and there are none in the area where the Towson children are supposed to be buried– either for them, or the four unknowns also buried in the lot with them (William H Busby, Annie Busby, Mary J Busby, and James Busby). One of my dreams is to buy a headstone for these four long deceased relatives of mine. But before I do that, I'm hoping to find actual birth and death dates for the three boys. I'd like to be able to remember them as best as possible. Their lives may have been short, but that doesn't mean they weren't important.

Towsons and Townsends in the Baltimore City Death Index

Available through the Maryland State Archives is the Vital Records Indexing Project, which contains digitized death record indices from 23 counties for 1898-1944, and for Baltimore City 1875-1972. Baltimore City was the first to start recording records of deaths on a large scale. The periods of 1875-1880 and 1943-1949 can be searched, but for dates outside of these ranges, you must look at PDF scans of the original paper death record indices.

introducing the towsons

I feel like genealogists often have a "main family" that spurs their interest, that family name that they always come back to. For a lot of folks that main family seems to be the surname that they were born with. For me, my interest lies in my mother's family name.