Major John Crewe Chetwood Townsend (6B04)
| Date of Birth: | 29 Jan 1824 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death: | 1 May 1873 |
| Generation: | 6th |
| Residence: | Firmount (1) & Parkville, Co Cork |
| Father: | Captain Horatio Townsend [6B01] |
| Mother: | Chetwood, Henrietta Margaret |
| Spouse: |
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| Issue: | |
| See Also: | Table VIB ; Scrapbook ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree |
Notes for Major John Crewe Chetwood Townsend JP (John Crewe Chetwode Townsend)
Married 14 April 1869 (aged 45). Frances Dorothea Townsend [6A16] (2) was the eldest daughter of Samuel Philip Townsend [6A03] of Garrycloyne, Blarney, Co Cork.
The records of the South Cork Light Infantry Militia' (3). show a ‘Crewe C Townsend’ commissioned as Ensign in 1846. This is almost certainly John who would have been 22 at the time. Two entries in the London Gazette show that in 1853 and 1854 he served in different regiments. In the first - London Gazette of 12 August 1853 - 'Commissions signed by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Middlesex. 6th or Royal Elthorne Light Infantry Regiment of Middlesex Militia' John is shown as being appointed a Lieutenant on 29 July 1853. In the second - London Gazette of 4 August 1854 - 'Commissions signed by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Warwick. Warwickshire Militia. 1st Regiment' John is shown as promoted to Captain on 10 July 1854, when he was aged 30.
The 'Record of the North Cork Regiment of Militia' shows John as a Captain in 1857 and the Army List records that he retired as a Major on 4 June 1870. Burke's Irish Family Records show him as a Major in the North Cork Rifles (Militia?).
In brief John's military career appears to be:-
1846 Commissioned into the South Cork Light Infantry Militia, aged 22.
1853 Lieutenant in Royal Elthorne Light Infantry Regiment of Middlesex Militia, aged 29.
1854 Captain in Warwickshire Militia. 1st Regiment, aged 30.
1857 Captain in North Cork Regiment of Militia, aged 33.
1870 Retires as a Major, aged 46.
John was a Freemason and held the following positions; Provincial Junior Grand Warden of Munster 1861, Provincial Senior Grand Warden of Munster 1862 and Provincial Deputy Grand Master of Munster 1869-73.
John was a Vestryman of Donoughmore, East Muskerry, 1870-73.
It was at John's suggestion in 1868 that he and Judge John FitzHenry Townshend [250] should compile a family pedigree. Much of the material was provided by John himself but work was curtailed in 1873 when John died. John FitzHenry did not take it up again until 1880. (Lovera Papers 250/18.)
Edward Hume Townsend [626], in a letter (4) dated 6 May 1873 to John Townsend [622], wrote - "The papers may have informed you of the sudden death of Major Townsend…it was caused I believe by a fit & was awfully sudden; no one was with him when he died".
Page 639 of the Calendar of Wills and Administration 1858-1922 in the National Archives of Ireland records that Letters of Administration on the personal estate of "John Crewe Chetwood Townsend late of Mayfield Cork", who died on 1 May 1873 were granted at Cork on 31 July 1873 to "Frances Dorothea Townsend of same place the Widow of said deceased". Effects under £5,000.
The entry in the 'Register of Landowners in County Cork 1876' in respect of John reads "Townsend, Major JCC reps of Mayfield, Cork. 153 acres. £ 212 5s. The register also shows "Townsend, Crew. 1,238 acres. £513 10s" - this might be the same Crewe Townsend who was commissioned in the South Cork Militia.
The April 1901 Irish Census records that Frances Dorothea, aged 61, was living at house 3 in Ringmeen, Queenstown, Cork, with her unmarried daughter Henrietta [6B25] and niece Emily Mabel Townsend [6A24]. Frances is not shown in the April 1911 Irish Census.
(1) The entry for Firmount in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "A Townsend family home, occupied by Horace Townsend (Horatio Townsend [6B01]) in 1837 and by William Coghlan at the time of Griffith's Valuation. It was then valued at £14.10 shillings and was held from Horatio Townsend. The sale rental of 1877 records a fee farm grant of Firmount from John Crewe Chetwood Townsend to Arthur Chute dated 1871 and a fee farm grant from Arthur Chute to J.C.C. Townsend executed the following year." .
(2) Frances was born 17 August 1839 and died 7 February 1917 in Fleet, Hants.
(3) The Militia Act of 1793 sets forth that-"Every person who has been or shall hereafter be appointed an Officer of the Militia of any of the ranks following, shall be in possession of an estate for his own life or the life of another, or for some greater estate in land or heritage's in the United Kingdom of the yearly value hereinafter mentioned in connection with such respective rank, or be heir apparent of some person who shall be in possession of a life estate in property of the like yearly value. For an Ensign the sum was £20 a year, or heir to £200 personal property a year.” South Cork Militia
(4) Llanvapley Papers.