I'm sorry but I have not been able to find James T Townsend before 1860. Supposedly he was born in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama (In all the census I find him in, he says he was born in Alabama but I do not believe that). And I have not been able to find anything on Margaret except her given name and that she was born in New York. I have searched all the cemeteries in Fayette and Tuscaloosa Counties and have been unable to find a grave for either. I believe they died during the Civil War though mostly I believe that because William and James Jr moved on to Madison County, Tn and then within a year they moved on to Logan County, Arkansas. I think that was because all the family was dead except them. Stay in touch so we can share research!

Oh, and I personally believe that James T was a brother to Henry Townsend but Murphy Dare does not think so. I do think so and at one time they lived very closely together in Alabama. They did not live in Tuscaloosa County but did live on the very edge of it and, at that time, county lines were not firmly laid out back then. Their sons carry the same given names...Ben, William, James, etc. If you are researching in Fayette County, watch out for that. Henry's son Ben lived in Fayette County for awhile before he went to Tennessee.

Emma