|
Townsend, Bersheba Frances
|
|
| LAST NAME: Townsend
|
FIRST NAME: Bersheba
|
MIDDLE NAME: Frances
|
NICKNAME: Beershe
|
|
| MAIDEN NAME: Smith
|
AKA 1:
|
AKA 2:
|
AKA 3:
|
|
| GENDER: F
|
TITLE:
|
|
| BORN: 19 Sep 1831
|
DIED: 2 Mar 1902
|
BURIED: 4 Mar 1902 (William C. Brown Cemetery)
|
|
| OCCUPATION:
|
|
|
| BIRTH PLACE: Jackson Co, Missouri
|
|
| DEATH PLACE: Dallas, Polk Co, Oregon
|
|
NOTES:
Name of father George Smith
SPELLING VARIATONS of first name: Beersheba; Beershe; Bershe; Bersha; Barsh
1850 MO CENSUS - Bersha Smith, age 19, b. Missouri, is enumerated with George, age 42, occupation wagoner b. Tennessee, and Susan, age 33, b. Kentucky, along with Washington, age 16, b. Missouri, John B., age 12, b. Missouri, Armilda [Armilder], age 11, b. Missouri, Eliz A., age 9, b. Missouri, and Mary C., age 2, b. Missouri.
MARRIAGE - Ira S. Townsend & Miss Busely [Beersheba] Smith, m 17 Dec 1853, Thomas Lovelady. J. P.
1870 OR CENSUS - Barsh [Beersh] Townsend, age 38, b. Missouri, is enumerated with Ira S., age 41, occupation farmer, b. Missouri, along with James, age 15,. b. Oregon, and George, age 14, b. Oregon.
1880 OR CENSUS - Bersheba Townsend, age 48, b. Missouri, is enumerated with husband Ira S., age 52, occupation farmer, b. Missouri, along with James Townsend, identified as newphew [of Ira], age 21, occupation farm laborer, b. Oregon. Also enumerated is Henry N. Gregg, age occupation farm hand, b. New York.
1900 OR CENSUS - Bersheba Townsend, age 68, widowed, mother of 4 children 3 of whom are living at the time of the census, b. Spe 1831 in Missouri, is enumerated with Suana Smith, identified as mother [of Berseba], age 86, widowed, mother of 6 children 5 of whom are living at the time of the census, b. Jn 1814 in Kentucky, along with Florence Smith, identified as sister [of Bersheba], single, b. Mar 1854 in Oregon, and Estella Cartwright, identified as sister [of Bersheba], widowed, no children, b. Aug 1859 in Oregon. Also enumerated with the family is Fred Strong, a boarder, age 24, single, occupation blacksmith, b. Mar 1876 in Kansas.
|
|
DEATH CERTIFICATE:
N/A
|
|
OBITUARY:
OREGON PIONEER OF 1853 LAID TO REST
DALLAS, Or., March 6, - The funeral of Mrs. Bersheba Frances Townsend, an Oregon pioner of 1853, occured in this city today. Mrs. Townsend died at the home of her son, T. H. Townsend. Deceased was born in Missouri, September 11, 1831. With her parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Smith, she crossed the plains 49 years ago. The family settled near Perrydale, in which section Mrs. Townsend resided. Soon after her arrival in Oregon, the subject of this sketch was married to Hon. Ira L. [S.] Townsend, who died in 1893 [1894]. Mrs. Townsend is survived by two sons - J. H., a prominent attorney of this city, and G. N., a well-known farmer in the Perrydale disctict.
Oregonian, The (Portland, Oregon) 7 Mar 1902, pg 10
PHOTOGRAPH NOTE - The newspaper photograph shown below below, is one which accompanies this article.
Miss B.F. Smith was born in Missouri in 1831, and in 1853 crossed the plains with her parents, George and Susan Smith, who took a donation land claim near McCoy. The same year she was married to Ira S. Townsend, who came to this country in 1847 and was living on an adjoining donation land claim. For many years he was one of the most prominent men in the county and died in 1895. For almost 50 years she continued to reside there, an honored and useful member of society. For many months she had been an invalid and last fall came to the house of her son, Hon J.H. Townsend, in Dallas. There she lingered until last Sunday when she passed over the river to be with the loved ones beyond. She joined the Baptist church in 1852 and for more than a generation had held membership with LaCreole church near Crowley. It was specially fitting that her funeral should be preached by Rev A.J. Hunsaker of McMinnville, he being intimate with the family for more than forty years. A special motor came over Tuesday to bear the remains and sorrowing friends to the Brown cemetery, where she was laid to rest beside her life companion and close to her father and mother. There are but two children, Jas. H. Townsend who has been practicing law here for about twenty years, and George N. Townsend who lies on the old home place. Everybody knew her as Aunt Bush and a great many kind and generous acts are being recalled by those who were associated with her through so many years.
Polk County Itemizer, Friday, March 7, 1902, 2:6
Mrs Beersheba Frances Townsend died at the home of her son, James H. Townsend, in this city, Sunday, March 2, 1902, aged 70 years, 5 months and 12 days. She had been a constant sufferer from dropsy, complicated with heart trouble, for a period of nearly four years. A few days ago she rapidly began to grow weaker, and the end came peacefully at 10 o’clock Sunday morning. Mrs Townsend, whose maiden name was Smith, was born in Jackson county, Missouri, September 19, 1831. She came with her parents to Oregon in 1853, and on December 18th of that year was married to Ira S. Townsend. During all the years of their married life they lived near Perrydale, in Northern Polk county. Mr Townsend passed away January 6, 1894. After her husband’s death, Mrs Townsend continued to reside on the old home farm, her son George and his wife coming from Eastern Washington to make their home with her. She leaves a family consisting of two sons – James H. Townsend, a prominent practicing attorney, of Dallas, and George N. Townsend, of Perrydale. Mrs Townsend was a devoted Christian woman, having united wsith the Baptist church in 1852 and remained a faithful and consistent member during all the years that followed until her death. She wa simmersed near Independence, Missouri. The funeral services, simple, yet beautiful and impressive, were held Tuesday afternoon, and were conducted by Rev A.J. Hunsaker, of McMinnville. Burial took place in the Brown cemetery – the family burying ground – two miles north of town. Owing to the stormy weather, a special motor train was chartered to carry the family nand friends to and from the cemetery. Mrs Townsend was a loving wife and mother, a kind neighbor and friend and enjoyed the esteem of a wide circle of acquaintances. In her death, Polk county loses one of its honored and most highly respected pioneer women. She lived a long and useful life, and it can be truly said that the world was the better for her having lived in it.
Polk County Observer, Friday, March 7, 1902, 2:3
|
|
INSCRIPTION:
Beershe F. Townsend
Born
Sept 19, 1831
Died
Mar. 2, [1902]
|
|
SOURCES:
Branigar Survey
1850 MO CENSUS (Jackson Co., Blue, FA #7)
1870 OR CENSUS (Polk Co., FA #582)
1880 OR CENSUS (Polk Co., Salt Lake, ED102, sheet 445 A)
1900 OR CENSUS (Polk Co., Salt Lake, ED 171, sheet 5A)
Oreg. 7 Mar 1902, pg 10
Polk County Itemizer, Friday, March 7, 1902, 2:6
Polk County Observer, Friday, March 7, 1902, 2:3
|
|
CONTACTS:
|
|
| ROW:
|
|
|
IMAGES:
|
|
