The Family of John E. Towson and Emma J. Wills

John E. Towson was born about May 1850. He was most likely the son of James Henry Towson and Sophia A. Webster or Janney. He married Emma J. Wills on November 7, 1880 at Emory parsonage in Baltimore, Maryland. Emma was the daughter of Captain Richard C. Wills– read more about his family here.

 

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Nov 13, 1880; pg. 2.

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Apr 29, 1926; pg. 21.

John and Emma had seven children: Richard H. Towson (1882-); George E. Towson (1883-1961); Emma I (1885-); Corine I. (1887-1904); Charles Roland Towson (1890-1952); Gertrude (1894-1904) and Lawrence Eugene (1898-1904).

John, Corine, Gertrude and Lawrence all died within weeks of each other in early 1904, seemingly all of scarlet fever. They were buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA in lots 412 and 547.

Richard H. Towson was born June 1881 in Maryland (present in the 1910 Census). According to the 1910 Census, he was married and had been for four years. Separately enumerated are his wife, Lena who is 28 years old, his step-daughter Florence M. Chenoweth, and his 3-year-old son Robert Henry Towson. Lena was a German immigrant and had been widowed when her first husband died in the line of duty as a firefighter. A notice in the Baltimore Sun in 1909 reported that he had been charged with desertion. I can't find evidence that they divorced, and I cannot find him in Baltimore after 1912. Lena and Robert would move to Ohio and Lena would list herself as a widow, so he may have died.

George Edward Towson was born December 21st, 1883 in Chillicothe, Ohio. His wife was Anna M. Schaefer. Their children were Ethel R. (1921-2000) and George Edward, Jr. (b. 1928). George was an electrician and at one point worked for the Bethlehem Steel Mill in Sparrows Point. He died July 19th, 1961 and is buried in Loudon Park Cemetery.

Emma I. Towson was born December 1885 (not in the household in the 1910 Census). She married Charles William Martin, a native of Berlin, Germany, who worked for the American Can Company. He died November 11th, 1922 of an infection that resulted from a defensive stab wound incurred 10 days prior. By 1910, they had had four children, only two of them living at the time: 3 year old Gladys Irene Martin and a two week old son who had not yet been named, but who would later be known as Carl William Martin. They also had at least one more child, Dorothy Amelia Martin, in 1913.

Corine I. Towson was born December 1887 and died January 14th 1904 at the age of 16 (source).

Charles Roland Towson was born August 20th, 1890 in Laurel, Maryland. According to the 1940 census, he was a laborer, had a third grade education, and was divorced. His first wife was Helena Marie Towson. He died November 26th, 1952 and is buried in Loudon Park Cemetery.

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Jul 27, 1920; pg. 11.

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Aug 12, 1928; pg. 5.

 Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Nov 28, 1952; pg. 24. 

Gertrude Towson was born September 1894 and died February 3rd 1904 at the age of nine years, four months.

Source: GenealogyBank.com, The Baltimore American; Feb 4, 1904; pg. 1.

Lawrence Eugene Towson as born January 10th, 1898 and died January 26th 1904 at the age of six of a “hemmorhage of small pox" (source).

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.

----

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.

Family of James H. Towson and Sophia A. Janney

You can find several Towsons buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C. The most famous resident would be General Nathan Towson, who, along with his wife, Sophia Bingham Towson and their three children, Caroline Towson Caldwell, Sophia B. Towson, and Edward Southard Towson, is buried on the cemetery's North Hill in Lot 67. But there are 12 additional Towsons known to be buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, with no apparent connection to General Towson and his family.

Located in the Van Ness section of the cemetery, in Lot 275 East, one can find the following individuals:

• John E. Carter, born 1813 and died 1886, and his wife, Emeline Janney, who died in 1883.
• Dorsey E.W. Towson, born in 1844 and died 1906, and his wife, Blanche K. Campbell, born 1860 and died 1932
• Helen Janney Towson, born 1890 and died 1968
• James H. Towson, died 1859 aged 42 years
• Sophia A. Janney, wife of James H. Towson, who died 1880 aged 59 years
• James H. Towson, son of J.H. and S.A. Towson, died 1858 aged 16 years
• Charles M. Towson and his wife, Serena Smith Towson

John E. Carter and Emeline Janney

We know from his headstone John Carter's birth and death dates, as well as the death date and maiden name of his wife, Emeline. Going backward in time, we start with the 1880 Census, as both Mr. and Mrs. Carter would have still been alive. In this Census, we find 67-year-old John and 57-year-old Emeline living in the 57th enumeration district of D.C. along with a 34-year-old Dorsey W.E. Carter, relationship nephew. John was listed as a retired dry goods merchant while Dorsey was listed as a dry goods merchant, perhaps suggesting he had inherited the business from his uncle.

Going back a decade further, 57-year-old John and 45-year-old Emeline are living in Georgetown along with 24-year-old Dorsey E. W. Carter, 16-year-old Charles M. Carter, 16-year-old John Grimes,  23-year-old Sallie Harris, and 24-year-old Joseph Traycy. While no relationships were listed, occupations for the white household members were as follows: John was a retired merchant while Emeline kept house, Dorsey appears to be a "retired dry goods merchant" although that does not jive with his age or employment status in the following census, Charles was a "clerk in store," John was going to school and Joseph worked in what appears to be a broom factory. Sallie Harris was the only black member of the household, and her occupation was domestic servant.

Another decade back and the Carters could not be found in D.C. or elsewhere. But in 1850, John E. Carter, 39-years-old, was the head of a household in Georgetown that also featured his 26-year-old wife, Emeline, a 6-year-old boy born in Maryland by the name of Edward D. Towson, and three apparently unrelated persons: 28-year-old John E. Lanthrum, clerk in store; Susanna Brown, hired in house [illegible]; and 14-year-old Lewis J. Mounty, "bound."

James Henry Towson and Sophia A. Janney

For this family unit, we start with the 1850 Census, as that is the last census that James Towson would have appeared in– but there are no results. Next, we turn to the 1880 Census, as Sophia Janney Towson may have been captured in that census but that also turns up empty, as does the 1870 Census. 

The 1860 Census, however, turns up one potential household. A 37-year-old Sophia Towson living in Baltimore's 18th Ward is the head of a household that also contains 12-year-old Emma, 10-year-old John, and 6-year-old Charles. Both John and Emma have attended school within the year, but no other information is given for any of the household members. In an 1864 map of Baltimore, the most north easterly part of the 18th Ward was shown to be Vine Street.

This is significant as for several years a James H. Towson, shoemaker, could be found living on Vine Street. Between 1853 and 1860, the latter being the year after our James H. Towson is known to have died, the shoemaker, can be found living on Vine Street in Baltimore, with addresses at 139, 133, and 129 Vine Street. In the 1855-1856 Matchett's directory, a Sarah Towson (no occupation given) can also be found at 133 Vine. After 1860, no more Towsons would be listed on Vine until the 1868-1869 directory.*

Next, knowing their death dates, I turned to the Baltimore Sun for obituaries. On September 14th, the day after his death, a notice was published for the funeral of Jas. Henry Towson who had died after a lingering illness.

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1994); Sept 14, 1859; pg. 2.

Just a year before his father, James Henry Towson, Jr. also passed away following an illness, though his was listed as having been consumption. His obituary revealed that he was 16 years and 18 days old and was the eldest son of his parents.

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1994); Oct 5, 1858; pg. 2.

Lastly, I looked for Mrs. Towson, who died 21 years and 2 days after her husband. Her obituary revealed that she had moved to Argyle Avenue, located not too far from Vine Street but in a different city ward. No names were given for surviving family members, but her burial plans were confirmed as being at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown.

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1994); Sept 16, 1880; pg. 2.

Interestingly, although no other results came up for my search of James H. Towson and Sophia A. Janney, on November 19, 1841, a James H. Towson married Sophia A. Webster in Baltimore [source]. That marriage date would line up with James Junior's birthdate of September 1842, if he was both the eldest son and the first child, but Sophia's surname is wrong. Perhaps she was married once before? Could "Webster" be the name for which the W in Dorsey E.W. Towson's name stands?

UPDATE 1/7/2023:

I just found a marriage record for John Carter and Emeline Webster (August 18, 1847 in DC). Looks like the sisters were named Webster! So where does Janney come from? Was that just their middle name?

Dorsey E.W. Towson and Blanche K. Campbell

I actually came across Dorsey Towson long before I came across this cluster of families. My first run-in with Dorsey was the discovery of a legal notice featured in the Washington Law Reporter, which came from the Clerk's Office of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, dated May 31, 1883. The notice certified that Dorsey E.W. Carter had filed a petition to have his name changed to Dorsey E.W. Towson, "alleging as his reasons for filing the same that Dorsey E.W. Towson is his real and proper name, which was changed during his minority, and he desires to resume the name of his ancestors."

Source: Google Books, The Washington Law Reporter, Volume 11 (1888).

Now, seeing this in the context of the Carters and Towsons buried together at Oak Hill, it seems like a vital piece in a puzzle that is slowly coming together. At this point, my working theory is that Dorsey E.W. Towson, listed as John and Emeline Carter's nephew in the 1880 Census, was born Edward Dorsey Towson (remember the 6-year-old in the Carters' household in 1850?) to James Henry Towson and Sophia A. Janney. If the Sophia Towson found in the 1860 Census was our Sophia, then she would have been 21-years-old when Dorsey was born, already the mother to a 2-year-old James Jr. Perhaps Sophia turned to her sister and her husband, who appeared to be childless, to have them raise her and James's second son.

Dorsey appears to have lived an interesting life. Under the name Dorsey E.W. Carter, Dorsey was a party to the case of Carter v. Burr that went to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1885. Later, in 1893, the name Dorsey E.W. Carter appeared alongside the sum of $46,241 on a list published in the Washington Evening Star titled "Pay Heavy Taxes – Men Who Have Fortunes in Washington Real Estate."

Charles McKendree Towson and Serena Helen Smith

How does Charles M. Towson fit into this family? The side of the headstone featuring his name includes the least amount of information, simply the names Charles M. Towson and Serena Smith Towson and the epitaph "beloved parents."

An obituary published in the Washington Post stated that he was 62-years-old at the time of his death in 1919, putting his birth year at about 1857, which is not far off from the birth year given for the 6-year-old Charles living in Sophia Towson's household in 1860 or the 16-year-old Charles M. living in the Carters' household in 1870 (both of which would put his birth year at about 1854).

The obituary goes on to provide additional details, stating that he was born in Towson, Maryland, "a village founded by his grandfather." That statement suggests that he was a descendent of Ezekiel Towson, who founded Towson's Tavern in 1768– Ezekiel was also the father of General Nathan Towson, who is buried at Oak Hill. For Charles to have been a grandson of Ezekiel, he would have had to have been the son of John Philip Towson (I have not yet confirmed that he is actually a son of Ezekiel) or Philemon Towson, as General Nathan Towson's children are known and all of Ezekiel's other sons died in the first decade of the century.

Source: Chronicling America, The Washington Post; Nov 25, 1919; pg. 7.

A longer obituary was published in the Evening Star, giving many of the same details and some new ones, including the names of his children.

Source: Chronicling America, The Evening Star; Nov 24, 1919; pg. 2.

So far, my working theory is this:

• Emeline and Sophia Janney were sisters.
• Emeline married John Carter, with whom she had no children, and Sophia married James Towson, with whom she had at least five children: James Henry, Edward Dorsey/Dorsey E.W., Emma, John, and Charles M. Towson.
• At the time their second child, Dorsey, was born, or when he was a young child, Sophia and James sent him to live with her sister.
• In 1870, when Charles was a young man, he joined his eldest surviving brother in living with his aunt and uncle in D.C, while their mother remained in Baltimore until her death in 1880.
• At that point, Sophia Towson was buried in Oak Hill, and the bodies of James Henry Towson Sr. and James Henry Towson Jr. were also moved to Oak Hill.
• Presumably, Emma and John Towson survived their mother, as otherwise their bodies would also likely have been moved to Oak Hill. That cannot be confirmed, however, as I cannot find any other records of John and Emma's existences.

UPDATE 1/5/2021:

I have just found several wills on Ancestry.com, all belonging to Dorsey E.W. Towson and dated in early January 1906. In them, he names children Irving, Blanche, Helen, Leontine, and Edith, as well as siblings John and Charles Towson and Kate Strong. A handwritten will stated that in the event of his wife's death, he wished that their minor children not be placed under the jurisdiction of his relations or his said wife's relations. With this information, I was able to find Emma K. Towson Strong's memorial on Find-A-Grave.

UPDATE 1/6/2021:

While doing my research yesterday, I came across a marriage announcement dated October 22, 1922 in the Washington, D.C. District Star for Edith Gillis Towson (daughter of Blanche and Dorsey) which mentioned a Mr. Norman E. Towson served as an usher. This was interesting, and I thought he might be a cousin, and maybe researching his family line would help figure out who James H. Towson Sr.'s parents were.

A little digging showed that Norman Eustace Towson was the son of Richard Matthew Towson and Nannie C. Campbell, the younger sister of Blanche K. Towson, who married on April 28th or 29th 1892 in Washington, D.C. The 1910 Census gives Richard's birthplace as Virginia and his parents' birthplaces as only the United S (tates. By 1920, Nannie and Norman were the only members of the household, although Nannie was still listed as married– by 1930, her status had changed to divorce. I cannot find Richard in the census, but city directories for the district give his residence as Alexandria, VA. He appears to have received a Doctor of Civil Law degree from George Washington University and worked for the U.S. Geological Survey as either a clerk or a topographer, possibly being stationed in Kentucky.

One Ancestry family tree gave Richard Matthew Towson's parents as Thomas Norman Towson (1822-1863) and Mary Frances Smith (1824-1895)... which would make absolute perfect sense. Thomas Norman Towson was the son of Thomas Towson and his wife Eleanor Norman; Thomas was the son of Captain John Towson and his wife Penelope Buck, of Baltimore County, while Eleanor's family were from Virginia. After apprenticing as a stone carver, Thomas Towson moved to the Stafford, Virginia area, became very wealthy, enslaved many people, and worked on many important buildings in the nation's capitol. In his old age, he threw his weight behind the Confederate cause and lost a son and several grandsons– Thomas Norman Towson, his youngest, was the son. And indeed, in the 1870 Census, a widowed Mary Frances Towson can be found living in Aquia, Stafford, Virginia, with six children– the youngest of whom was an eleven-year-old named Richard.

So, was Norman Eustace Towson a cousin of Edith Gillis Towson, Blanche and Dorsey's daughter? Certainly, on Blanche's side of the family (who were also Confederates). What about on Dorsey's? Well, I still don't know who James Towson's parents were.

But at least one source suggests that John and Penelope Towson had at least one more son apart from old Confederate Thomas who could've been James's father– William Towson and his wife, Katherine Reilly. This comes from Mrs. Elvira Elisabeth Crowe McFarland's lineage published in the Lineage Book - National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Volumes 70-71 published in 1924, but I have certainly found DAR lineages to be wrong in the past.* Hold that thought for a minute. She gives William Towson and Katherine Reilly as her great-grandparents, and her grandparents as Alfred Carter Towson and Elizabeth Blois Martin. There's that Carter name again! Could that be how Dorsey came to live with the Carters in D.C. and briefly carry the name Carter himself? 

Okay, back to that teaser. *In fact, it was another person claiming descent from William Towson and Katherine Reilly. However, in researching that claim, I found that William Towson, son of John and Penelope, would have only been 13-years-old in 1790, the year William Towson and Katherine Reiley are said to have married. There was an older William Towson, William T. Towson, who would've been around 25-years-old and therefore of a marriageable age. Further, that William Towson moved from Baltimore to Tennessee, and in Hartsville, TN, we can find a large memorial stone for a Alfred Carter Towson. Also located in that cemetery? Jacob and Mahala Towson, the parents of Mrs. Josephine Eloise Towson Ellis, who claimed her grandparents were William and Katherine Towson in the Lineage Book - National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Volume 28 published in 1909. Mrs. Ellis's husband was also, you guessed it, a Confederate.

Further research will have to wait for another day. It is almost midnight, I have an early morning tomorrow, and there was an attempted coup today. I'm going to need the rest.

----

So far this is all the information I have about this branch of the Towson family. If you have any additional information, please leave a comment.

*Roughly a decade after James's death, more Towsons would be found living on Vine Street: Edward T.B. Towson, mariner, and his brother, William H. Towson, who lived at 146 Vine or alternatively 152 Vine starting in 1868-1869 Matchett's directory. No relationship is currently known, but Edward and William's parents were known to be Edward C. Towson (1815-1846) and Catharine Anna Morgan (1814-1889). 

Joseph Towson and Sarah Yundt

I believe this couple may be the Joseph Towson who married Sarah Yundt, daughter of Leonard Yundt,  on April 28th, 1814 in the First Methodist Church by Rev. W. Ryland (Methodist Records of Baltimore City, Maryland, Volume 1: 1799-1829 by Henry Peden, Jr.). Joseph Towson may be the eldest son of Shadrack and Rebecca Towson, to whom Rebecca transferred administration rights to Shadrack's estate in 1813 [source].

From at least October 1811 he was in a partnership with Marmaduke Wyvill, located at No. 16 South street at the corner of Lovely Lane and opposite the Maryland Insurance Office, until March 27th, 1813, when they went their separate ways.

In 1825, Leonard Yundt, who had founded a daily newspaper in Baltimore died a relatively well-off man. He left his daughter Sarah Towson an eighth of his estate, which was not an insignificant amount of money– approximately $60,000 in 2022 currency. Although he named all of his children, and at least one grandchild, he did refer to any of Sarah's children by name [source: Maryland Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999, Baltimore County, vol 12, p. 141].

Joseph Towson, merchant tailor, appeared in several Baltimore directories in the early 1800s. More details can be found here. It appears that he patented a design for a spring stock, possibly on May 14th, 1827 [source, source]. He last appears in Matchett's Baltimore Director for 1829 at 147 1/2 Market Street, where he had been for 8 years. This is notable, as in December 1829 Mrs. Sarah Towson published an advertisement that the business had moved to 7 St. Paul Lane following the death of her husband. On November 23, 1829 Jesse Hunt received letters of administration, with Leonard Yundt and Emmanuel K. Deaver serving as securities.

Source: GenealogyBank.com, American and Commercial Daily Advertiser; Nov 1, 1821; pg. 1.

Source: GenealogyBank.com, Baltimore Patriot; Oct 21, 1828; pg. 1.

Source: GenealogyBank.com, American and Commercial Daily Advertiser; Dec 12, 1829; pg. 1.

In the inventory of his estate, there were $103,939.50 worth of stock from his tailoring business. There was also a family Bible (valued at $200) and an old family Bible (valued at $50). A later document also described a lot on Franklin Street in Baltimore City, valued at $300.

In the 1830 United States Census, a household headed by a Sarah Towson can be found in Baltimore's 7th Ward. The household is made up of one boy and two girls under the age of five, one girl between five- and nine-years-old, two boys between the ages of ten and fourteen, one boy and one girl between fifteen and nineteen, and one white female between the ages of forty and forty-nine. In addition to the nine free white household members were two female slaves between the ages of ten and twenty-three. That makes for eight children in total:

1.     Boy born 1811-1815
2.     Girl born 1811-1815
3.     Boy born 1816-1820 James O?
4.     Boy born 1816-1820 Samuel Y?
5.     Girl born 1821-1825
6.     Boy born 1825-1830 William Buck?
7.     Girl born 1825-1830
8.     Girl born 1825-1830

In Matchett's directory for 1831, Mrs. Sarah Towson, listed as a patent spring stock manufacturer, can still be found at 7 St. Paul Street, and she appears once more in 1837 at the same location. She died on September 16th, 1837 in her 47th year, leaving behind 7 children (meaning one child had died since the 1830 Census), the names of which are unknown. Her death date puts her date of birth circa 1790-1791. She may have died of consumption, if she was the Mrs. Towson who died aged 47 the week of September 25th, 1837 and was buried in the Second Presbyterian Cemetery (source: Baltimore City Deaths and Burials, 1834-1840 by Henry C. Peden, Jr..

Source: GenealogyBank.com, American and Commercial Daily Advertiser; Sept 19, 1837; pg. 2.

What happened to the seven children who survived Sarah? Searching for obituaries, the only one that shows up as being a probable child is that for Sarah R. Towson, who died September 20th, 1848, and was listed only as the daughter of the late Joseph Towson. 

Source: Newspapers.com, The Baltimore Sun; Sept 25, 1848; pg. 2.

Fortunately, Leonard Yundt was considerate when he wrote his will and named all of his many children:

• Ann Jeffris, wife of Graveiner Marshall Jeffris
• Married 10 Oct 1805; divorced 12 Jan 1817
• Sarah Ann Jefferies, b. 3 Jul 1806
• William Y(undt?) Jefferies, 7 Feb 1809 - d. 10 Oct 1844, of 30 Holland Street, m. Ann Collier, 6 Apr 1826 - Ann Eliza Jefferies was his estate's administrator
• Alverda Jeffries, Josephine Jeffries, Ann E.D. Jeffries, Sarah Louisa Jefferies, William D.L. Jefferies
• Leonard Yundt Jr.
• Margaret Yundt m. Jesse Hunt, 6 Sep 1815
• died 18 May 1860
• Son Phineas Bond Hunt died 29 Nov 1838, in the fifth year of his age
• Jacob Yundt, left his entire estate to his wife, Bethiah (Barnes) P. Yundt, who he married 11 Dec 1823.
• Mrs. Bethiah Yundt died November 30, 1874, from a fall down the stairs which resulted in her neck breaking and instant death. She had been a widow many years and left no children (Baltimore Sun, 1 Dec 1874, p. 4 and Baltimore Sun, 2 Dec 1874, p. 2.).
• Mary Yundt - died 23 May, 1859
• Rebecca Yundt
• Samuel Yundt - him?
• Joseph Yundt

One of these aunts and uncles may have left property to their Towson nieces and nephews.

Possibly Samuel Y. Towson was Samuel Yundt Towson? https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/203397745/samuel-y.-towson

James O. Towson, born 1822 in Baltimore, MD

Samuel Y. Towson, born 1822 in Baltimore, MD

William Buck Towson, born 1831 in Baltimore, MD?

The Family of Richard C. Wills and Wives

Richard C. Wills was born about 1829 in Maryland. His first wife was Virginia E. Houston, and they married 13 October 1850. They had one daughter, A. Virginia (b. 1852), before her death on June 19 1855, at the age of 25. Virginia Houston Wills was the daughter of Agnes and James F. Houston.

 Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Jun 21, 1855; pg. 2. 

His second wife was Isabella Vinton, who was born about 1841 and died June 7, 1876. They had the following children: Emma J. (1859-1926), Sarah E. (b. 1860), Richard C. (b. 1862), William George (1864-1865), Isabella V. (b. 1867), Anna "Annie" B. (b. 1869), Ella G. (b. 1872), and Mary (b. 1874). 

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Aug 25, 1865; pg. 2.

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Jun 10, 1876; pg. 2. 

 

Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun (1837-1988); Nov 13, 1880; pg. 2.

Richard, a plasterer by trade, entered into service for the Civil War on September 18, 1861 as a Second Lieutenant in Company H. He was promoted to Captain on February 17, 1863, and mustered out the following year on October 20 1864. According to the 1870 Census, his real estate was worth $1500 (worth $27.272.73 in 2014); his personal estate was worth $300 (equivalent to $5,454.55 in 2014).