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.

William Bruner Townsley 1895

William Bruner Townsley  (Great Uncle) was born on February 6, 1895 and died on December 6, 1951, he was 56.  He resided in Berwyn, Pa. in January 1946. Occupation: Home building and construction business, building a number of homes in Dalesford. Occupation: Molder for the Craig Ridgway & Sons.

 

William B. Townsley  William Bruner Townsley, a native of West Caln township, died last evening at his home in Florida in his 56th year.  He had been in failing health since the first of the year.

Mr. Townsley was a son of the late William E. and Florence Bruner Townsley and he spent his early life in West Caln.  He was employed as a molder by the Craig Ridgway & Sons company for a number of years, then engaged in the building business and constructed a number of homes in Dalesford.  About a year ago he went to Florida where he built a vacation resort, but in January his health began to fail but he continued active.  Last summer he drove north to visit his relatives here, although quite ill.  He drove back to Florida alone and he had been confined to his bed ever since. Surviving him are his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Townsley; a son, William B. Townsley, Jr. (SIC) a daughter, Mrs. Melvin Long, and four grandchildren, and the following brothers and sisters: Jesse L. Townsley; Clara, wife of Charles Johnson, and Helen, wife of James Skiles, all of West Caln, and Mary, wife of Edgar Draper, of Parkesburg RD.  Coatesville Record. 12/7/1951

 

About 1919, when William Bruner was 23, he married Elizabeth Daft. She was born on December 14, 1897 and died on November 21, 1977, she was 79. She resided in Malvern, Pa. in 1958.

They had the following children:

                        Elizabeth Bruner  (1C1R), born on February 21, 1920. Elizabeth Bruner married Melvin C. Long.

                       William Henry  (1C1R), born on August 12, 1933 and died on December 1, 1999, he was 66. He resided in Malvern R. D. 1, Pa. in 1958.  (The death notice in the Coatesville record lists William B. Townsley, Jr. as the son's name. [See the notes on William Bruner Townsley.] The other sources all give the name as William Henry.  I think the record may have assumed because the first name was William that it was a Jr. --LEM)  On December 28, 1957,  when William Henry was 24, he married Audrey Irene Kouba, daughter of Julius Charles Kouba and Hallie F., in Great Valley Presbyterian Church, Paoli, Pa. Audrey was born on September 4, 1930. She resided in Malvern R.D. 1, Pa. in 1958.

Miss Audrey Irene Kouba, daughter of Mrs. Hallie F. Kouba and the late Julius Charles Kouba of Berwyn, became the bride of Mr. William H. Townsley, son of Mrs. Elizabeth Townsley and the late William B. Townsley of Malvern, at the Great Valley Presbyterian Church, Swedesford Road, Paoli, on December 28, at 2 P.M. Officiating at the double ring ceremony was the Rev. James G. Penlington and the rev. R. Warren Hesson. The reception was held in the Church Chapel.  The couple left for a honeymoon in Florida.  Returning home they will reside at R.D. 1, Malvern.  Upper Main Line News. 1/3/1958