Harriet Florence Bruner 1866

Harriet Florence Bruner (Great Grandmother) was born in 1866 and died in 1928, she was 62. She was buried in 1928 in Upper Octorara Presbyterian cemetary, Sudsbury Township, Chester Co., Pa.

 About 1890, when Harriet Florence was 24, she married William E. Townsley, Great Grandfather, son of Barton H. Townsley (1819-11 Dec 1891) and 

Susanna ECHOFF (1826-1910).

 Born in 1863, William E. died in Coatesville Hospital, Coatesville, Pa. on February 14, 1937, he was 74. he was buried on 17 February 17, 1937 in Upper Octorara Presbyterian cemetary, Sudsbury Township, Chester Co., Pa.  He resided in Sandy Hill, near Sadsburyville, West Caln township, Pa. in 1937. He resided in Marshallton, Pa. in 1877.  Occupation: Pardnered with his brothers in the Traction Thrashing Outfit and then in the business of furnishing wood to Lukens Steel. Cause of death: Pneumonia, complicated by a stroke of apoplexy.

William E. Townsley, a well known resident of West Caln township, died yesterday in Coatesville hospital, where he had been a patient twenty-four days.  He was in his seventy-fifth year.  Death was due to pneumonia, complicated by a stroke of apoplexy.  His death is the third to take place in the family within three weeks.

Mr. Townsley and his brother, James Townsley, lived together near Sandy hill, north of sadsburyville.  James Townsley had been ailing for some months.  Then William Townsley suffered a stroke and a few days later developed pneumonia.  He was taken to Coatesville Hospital, and a few days later, on January 23, his brother, James Townsley, passed away.  While he was still in the hospital his son-in-law, Benjamin F. Meredith, of Modena, also contracted pneumonia.  he died on Thursday last and his funeral takes place today.

Mr. Townsley had lived in West Caln for close to sixty years, having moved to that section from the vicinity of Marshallton. When the first steam traction engines were placed on the market, he and his brothers, James and Harry, became interested, and they were the first to operate a traction threshing outfit in this part of Chester County.  For years they followed the threshing business, and later they engaged in business of providing wood to the Coatesville Steel mills.  They continued in that business until a few months ago, when they were forced to retire on account of ill health.

In his younger years, Mr. Townsley wes very active in community affairs in Sadsburyville and vicinity.  He was a member of the famous Sadsburyville Band, which was a musical institution of note a half century or more ago.  At the present time only a very few members of that band survive.  It traveled about the country in a very ornate bandwagon, seating thirty or forty people and carrying the elaborate array of band instruments.  It was drawn by four or six horses, and its arrival in any community was considered an event.  The musical instruments used by this organization are now eagerly sought by collectors.

Mr. Townsley was the last of his generation.  Surviving him are two sons and four daughters: Jesse L. Townsley, of Downingtown; Mrs. Charles Johnson, of West Caln; Mrs. Benjamin F. Meredith, of Modena; William B. Townsley, of Berwyn; Mrs. James Skiles, of near Parkesburg, and Mrs. Edwin Bireley ay home.  Two children are deceased.  His wife died ten years ago.

The funeral will take place from the Landis Funeral Home in this city on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30.  Internment will be in Upper Octorara cemetery.  Coatesville Record,  2/15/1937

 

Ten years ago.  Death touched the Townsley family for the third time in as many weeks when William E. Townsley, well known resident of West caln, died at the age of 75.  Coatesville Record.  2/14/1947.

 

They had the following children:

      Florence Blanche (1893-1946)

      William Bruner (1895-1951)

      Clara Susanna (1890-)

      Jesse Leighton (1892-1976)

      Ashton Talbot, who was born in 1900 and died on January 26, 1902, he was 2. He resided in West Caln in 1902. Cause of death: Spasms 4 hours.

      Helen Margaret (1903-1925)

      Mary Ella was born on June 1, 1913. She resided in Sandy Hill, near Sadsburyville, West Caln township, Pa. in February 1937.  Before 1951, when Mary Ella was 37, she second married Ted Drapsor. Alias/AKA: Edgar Draper.

Before 1936, when Mary Ella was 32, she first married Edmund M. Bireley. He resided in Sadsbury Township, Pa. in January 1946.

Florence Blanche Townsley 1893

Florence Blanche Townsley (Grandmother) was born in 1893.  She died in

 Coatesville Hospital, Coatesville, Pa. on January 19, 1946, she was 53. She resided in Modena, Pa. in 1937. Alias/AKA: Flora. Cause of death: Breast cancer. 

(Photo shows Florence holding me at 424 Washington Avenue, Downingtown in December 1941. Since I was only four

 years old when she died, I really have no memory of her. –LEM)

 Mrs. B. F. Meredith.  Mrs. Florence Blanche Meredith, widow of the late Benjamin F. Meredith, of Modena, died in Coatesville Hospital early today in her 56th year.  She had been ill for several weeks and had been a medical patient at the hospital since December 15. Mrs. Meredith was a daughter of the late William E. and Florence Brunner (sic) Townsley and was born in West Caln Township where she spent her early life.  She resided for a time at Northbrook, but for many years had been a resident of Modena.  She was a member of Modena Presbyterian church and the Ladies Auxiliary to the Modena fire company.  Surviving her are three sons, William, Benjamin and Francis, all of whom served in the U. S. armed forces during the war and were recently discharged.  She is also survived by the following brothers and sisters:  William Townsley, of Berwyn; Jesse Townsley, of West Caln; Clara S., wife of Charles Johnson, of West Caln; Helen M., wife of James W. Skiles, of West Caln; and Mary, wife of Edmund M. Bireley, of Sadsbury township. The funeral will take place from the Ford Funeral Home in this city on Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  Interment will be in Upper Octorara Cemetery.  Friends have been invited to call at the funeral home Monday evening.  Coatesville Record.  1/19/1946.

 

(Note:  The above death notice gives her age as 55 when she died. This would make her birth year 1891, rather than the 1893 that is on the tombstone.  I do not know which is correct.--LEM )

 

 

In 1918, when Florence Blanche was 25, she married Benjamin Franklin Meredith 3rd (Grandfather), son of William Wilson Meredith 1st and Hanna Ella Sheeler. Born in 1899 in Glen Moore, Pa., Benjamin Franklin died at home in Modena, Pa. on February 11, 1937, he was 38. He was buried in Upper Octorara Presbyterian Cemetery. They resided in Modena, Pa. in 1937. His occupation was managing the family store in Modena. Cause of death: Pneumonia.7

 

They had the following children:

             William Wilson (1918-)

             Benjamin Franklin IV. Born on April 6, 1920.

             Francis Charles (1924-1997)

(Photo 1931: l. to r. - William, Florence, Benjamin IV, Benjamin III and Francis.)

William E. Townsley 1863

William E. Townsley was my Great Grandfather. Born in 1863, William E. died in Coatesville Hospital, Coatesville, Pa. on February 14, 1937, he was 74. He was buried on February 17, 1937 in Upper Octorara Presbyterian Cemetery, Sudsbury Township, Chester County, Pa. He resided in Sandy Hill, near Sadsburyville, West Caln Township, Pa. in 1937 and in Marshallton, Pa. in 1877. Occupation: Partnered with his brothers in the Traction Thrashing Outfit and then in the business of furnishing wood to Lukens Steel. Cause of death: Pneumonia, complicated by a stroke of apoplexy.


William E. Townsley, a well known resident of West Caln township, died yesterday in Coatesville hospital, where he had been a patient twenty-four days. He was in his seventy-fifth year. Death was due to pneumonia, complicated by a stroke of apoplexy. His death is the third to take place in the family within three weeks.

Mr. Townsley and his brother, James Townsley, lived together near Sandy hill, north of sadsburyville. James Townsley had been ailing for some months. Then William Townsley suffered a stroke and a few days later developed pneumonia. He was taken to Coatesville Hospital, and a few days later, on January 23, his brother, James Townsley, passed away. While he was still in the hospital his son-in-law, Benjamin F. Meredith, of Modena, also contracted pneumonia. He died on Thursday last and his funeral takes place today.

Mr. Townsley had lived in West Caln for close to sixty years, having moved to that section from the vicinity of Marshallton. When the first steam traction engines were placed on the market, he and his brothers, James and Harry, became interested, and they were the first to operate a traction threshing outfit in this part of Chester County. For years they followed the threshing business, and later they engaged in business of providing wood to the Coatesville Steel mills. They continued in that business until a few months ago, when they were forced to retire on account of ill health.

In his younger years, Mr. Townsley was very active in community affairs in Sadsburyville and vicinity. He was a member of the famous Sadsburyville Band, which was a musical institution of note a half century or more ago. At the present time only a very few members of that band survive. It traveled about the country in a very ornate bandwagon, seating thirty or forty people and carrying the elaborate array of band instruments. It was drawn by four or six horses, and its arrival in any community was considered an event. The musical instruments used by this organization are now eagerly sought by collectors.

Mr. Townsley was the last of his generation. Surviving him are two sons and four daughters: Jesse L. Townsley, of Downingtown; Mrs. Charles Johnson, of West Caln; Mrs. Benjamin F. Meredith, of Modena; William B. Townsley, of Berwyn; Mrs. James Skiles, of near Parkesburg, and Mrs. Edwin Bireley at home. Two children are deceased. His wife died ten years ago.

The funeral will take place from the Landis funeral home in this city on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30. Internment will be in Upper Octorara cemetery. Coatesville Record, 2/15/1937

Ten years ago. Death touched the Townsley family for the third time in as many weeks when William E. Townsley, well known resident of West Caln, died at the age of 75. Coatesville Record. 2/14/1947.

About 1890, when William E. was 27, he married Harriet Florence Bruner, daughter of Owen M. F. Bruner and Susan Russell. Born in 1866, Harriet Florence died in 1928, she was 62. She was buried in 1928 in Upper Octorara Presbyterian Cemetery, Sudsbury Township, Chester County, Pa.1

They had the following children:
Florence Blanche (1893-1946)

William Bruner (1895-1951)

Clara Susanna (1890-?)

Jesse Leighton (1892-1976)

Ashton Talbot (G Uncle), who was born in 1900 and died on January 26, 1902, he was 2. He resided in West Caln at the time and died after four hours of spasms.

Helen Margaret (1903-1925)

Mary Ella (Great Aunt) was born on June 1, 1913. She resided in Sandy Hill, near Sadsburyville, West Caln Township, Pa. in February 1937. Before 1951, when Mary Ella was 37, she first married Ted Drapsor. Alias/AKA: Edgar Draper. Before 1946 when Mary Ella was 32, she second married Edmund M. Bireley, who resided in Sadsbury township, Pa. in January 1946.