Memorials › William James "Jim" Townsend

William James "Jim" Townsend

28 Aug 1876 – 25 Nov 1956

Birth28 Aug 1876
Death25 Nov 1956
CemeteryWalker Cemetery
Redland , Angelina County , Texas , USA
Added byJudy Murphy on 21 May 2012
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63798189

Bio

W. J. "Little Jim" Townsend, 80, of 402 Paul Ave. died Sunday at his residence after a long illness. Funeral services were to be held at 3:30 p.m. Monday in the Gipson Funeral Chapel with Dr. Joe Z. Tower officiating, assisted by Dr. Arthur DeLoach and Rev. L. M. Westmoreland. Burial was scheduled in the Walker Cemetery. Mr. Townsend was born in Angelina County on August 28, 1876, and had lived in this county all of his life. He was a member of the Angelina County Bar Assn., was a former State Senator, and was former Angelina County Judge and County Attorney. He also was assistant to the State Attorney General and served on the State Liquor Board in 1941. Mr. Townsend gained his higher education at Sam Houston College and the University of Texas. He was a member of the First Methodist Church in Lufkin. Survivors include .. * Wife: Mrs. Joyce Townsend * Sisters: Miss Rebecca Townsend and Mrs. H. J. Shands, both of Lufkin * Step-mother: Mrs. M. S. Townsend of Lufkin * Step-sister: Mrs. Sam Sayers of Fort Worth * Step-brother: R. L. Philen of Lufkin Pallbearers were H. J. Shands, Jr., Eli Baggett, R. O. Gribble, Asa Largent, Allen Townsend, Sam Townsend, Clifford Townsend and Bob Townsend. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Angelina County Bar Assn. Gipson Funeral Home Obituary in Lufkin News, Nov. 26, 1956 ====================================================== Suggested edit: TOWNSEND, Hon W. J. A prominent attorney of North Texas at Wichita Falls, Mr. Townsend is widely known as a lawyer all over the state, having achieved distinction in his profession and in public affairs while a resident of East Texas, and he came to Wichita Falls after a service as assistant attorney general of the state. He was born at Lufkin in Angelina County, Texas. in 1876, and his parents, W. J. and Devilla (Gilliland) Townsend, were also natives of East Texas. Reared at Lufkin, he acquired his education in the common schools there, and then entered the University of Texas, where he took the law course. He received his law degree with the class of 1899. In his native town of Lufkin he gained his first successes as a lawyer, and his abilities quickly won him honors in public affairs. He served as county attorney and also as county judge of Angelina. For six years he was in the State Senate during the Thirty-third. Thirty-fourth and Thirty-fifth sessions. He represented the Thirteenth Senatorial District, comprising Angelina, Cherokee. Houston, Trinity and Anderson counties. He was one of the busy and hard working senators both on the floor and in committee rooms, and one of the measures that he originated and had passed is the present Texas law on wife abandonment, a model piece of legislation. Mr. Townsend removed from Lufkin to Austin, and for two years was assistant attorney general under Attorney General B. F. Looney and C. M. Cureton. He resigned his office in February. 1920. and came to Wichita Falls, where he has since been engaged in the practice of law. Judge Townsend has also identified himself in a public-spirited manner with the city of Wichita Falls. He is one of the men who reorganized the Bar Association of the city. He is a member of the Methodist Church, and is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the Elks and the Woodmen of the World. Judge Townsend married Miss Zoe Willson. Both her father and grandfather have long been distinguished in Texas judiciary. Her grandfather was the late Judge Sam A. Willson, a judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals. Her father is Judge S. P. Willson, now chief justice of the Court of Civil Appeals at Texarkana. [History of Texas: Fort Worth and the Texas Northwest Edition, Volume 4 By Lewis Publishing Company, 1922. (Thank you to Contributor: Sherry (47010546)

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