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Moses Solon TownsendHON. M. S, TOWNSEND. A great deal of very desirable and most advantageously located property is to be found on the books of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, who is now not only the popular Mayor of Hallettsville, Texas, but a very successful and reliable real estate dealer. Moses Solon Townsend was born in Colorado County, Texas, April 29th, 1864, and his parents, Moses S. and Annie E. (Harvey) Townsend, were natives of Georgia and Tennessee respectively. His grandfather, Asa Townsend, came to Texas from Georgia in 1836. In this family there were eight brothers, who settled in Colorado and Fayette Counties, and they all married and reared families. Many of their descendants now reside in this section. When our subject was three years old his father died; the mother married again in 1874. She died in 1879, Moses S. grew up in his native county, received his education there and at A. & M. College, Bryan, where he attended the sessions of 1881-2-3, and in 1884 he attended the Capital Business College at Austin, from which he subsequently graduated. Following that he taught two months in the school and then became telegraph operator for the Southern Pacific Railroad Company for two years. In August, 1887, he went to Yoakum as agent of the S. A. & A. P. R. R., and was in charge of this office until February, 1888, after which he was transferred to Hallettsville. This office he had charge of until May, 1890, when he resigned. In April of the same year he was elected Alderman and served until December 15 when, having been elected Mayor to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Mayor Jesse Green, he entered that office. In April of the following year he was re-elected for the full term and again elected in 1893, without opposition. He is now holding his third term. Since Mr. Townsend has held this position the water works system and the electric light plant were put in, and a general spirit of advancement prevails. A system of sewerage is now being put in. Mr. Townsend is the right man in the right place and as such is looked upon by all. He studied law for some time and was admitted to the bar in 1891. Socially he is a K. P., is Past Chancellor, and during the last year, and is now, Deputy Grand Ch all cell or. In April, 1889, he was married to Miss Mary A. Fink, born in LaGrange, Fayette County, Texas, March 30th, 1868, and daughter of Casper and Louise Fink, 'who came to this State about 1848. Mr. and Mrs. Townsend have two children: August Emmett, born January 11th, 1891, and Moses Solon, Jr., born August 9th, 1893. Early in 1890 Mr. Townsend erected his residence in the West End, and has one of the pleasantest homes in the city. He was one of the first organizers and one of the first board of directors of the Arctic Ice Company, of Hallettsville. He was also one of the organizers of the Lavaca Oil Mill Company. Mr. Townsend is now engaged in the real estate business and has several desirable tracts of land in and around town. He has sixty acres near town, part in pasture, and on this he has some blooded Jersey cattle. This prominent citizen was also one of the original stockholders in the Citizens’ Building and Loan Association. He is active in all things necessary for the good of the town, is popular with the people, and well deserves the success that has rewarded his efforts. He is a brother of State Senator M. H. Townsend, of Columbus, Texas, and is a member of the State Democratic Executive Committee, elected for two years commencing August, 1894. He has three brothers: Mr. H., H. L. , and E. L. Townsend, and a half sister, Rebecca Grace Waller. Record of Southwest Texas, Chicago, Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers, 1894, pp 162-163 |