Smyrna times., 1927-02-23
s.D.T0WNSEND, JR, SECRETARY
OF STATE, DIED WEDNESDAY
HAD BEEN ILL THREE MONTHS
BUT A STROKE TOOK HIM OFF
Was Former Attorney General for
Delaware and Prominent Republican
POlitician-Buriedi in Wilmington


tary of State, died early Wednesday
morning at his home in Dover. The
immediate cause of death was a
stroke of paralysis, which occurred
about midnight. The end came short
ly after l o'clock. At the bedside
were Mrs. Townsend and their son,
as well as DIR. L. A. H. Bishop, the at
tending physician.
About three months ago Mr.. Town
send was stricken with an affection of
the eyes. He went to the University
Hospital, in Philadelphia, for observa-
ton, and was there for several weeks.
Since then he had been confined to
his home in Dover, where Bright's
disease developed. However, the
patient responded to treatment and
was thought in the past few days to
be recovering. The outlook was en-
couraging until the stroke came Tues
day night.
The funeral of Mr.. Townsend took
place Friday. Services were held at
1870 in the morning at his apartment
on State street, Dover, in charge of
Rev. B. M. Jones, pastor Of Grace M.
E. Church, Wilmington, assisted by
Rev. Elwood w. Jones, pastor Of Wes-
ley M. E. Church, Dover, who is also
chaplain of the House. Interment
will be made in Riverview cemetery,
Wilmington.
Had An Interesting Public Career
Sylvester D. Townsend, Jr., was
born in New Castle hundred, June 25,
1872. He was a son of Sylvester D.
and Mary E. Townsend. The Town
send family is one of the oldest and
most prominent in Delaware. He OBJ
tanned elementary education in the
country schools. Most of his day
light hours out of school he worked
on a farm. Later he went to Della
ware College and .hen took a law
course at Cornell University.
Mr.. Townsend was teaching when
he decided to become a lawyer. He
held the chair of education in the
Walnut Green School in Christiana
hundred and afterwards became prin-
cipal of the public schools at New
port. He registered as law student
under Judge Henry C. Conrad, studied
law in off hours, took his special Cor
nell course and was admitted to the
bar in New Castle in 1898 Since then
he practiced almost continuously. He
figured prominently as a pleader in
both civil and criminal courts and
served as counsel for many large cor
porations. He served two terms as
Wilmington city solicitor and attor-
ney for New Castle county, holding
the offices simultaneously. He also
was deputy judge of the Municipal
Court of Wilmington.
Following the 1911 session of the
Legislature, Mr.. Townsend was ap-
pointed a member of commission to
look into the matter of workmen's
compensation, which was to take its
report to the next legislature In
1913, the commission reported bill,
which failed to pass. Meanwhile, Mr..
Townsend, in behalf of the Whining
ton Chamber of Commerce, framed
and presented to the legislature an
other bill, which incorporated the ex-
perience in compensation up to date,
and included the insurance feature,
which was not in the bill of 1913. The
new bill passed. Governor Townsend
appointed Mr.. Townsend, who was not
related to him, member of the In
dustrial Accident Board and his col
leagues on that board elected him its
president. Two of Mr.. Townsend's
hobbies were fishing and Grabbing.
Was at One Time Attorney General
He was elected attorney-general in
1920. He was a member of the Will
mington Club; the Markham, of Phil
adelphia, and the Friars of New York
He was member of all the Masonic
bodies, including the shrine, and there
was no man in Delaware who was
more active and popular with the
Elks. He was a member of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church.
About 20 years ago. Mr.. Townsend
married Miss Anna Vernon, daughter
of Otley Vernon, of Christiana hun
dred. They have one child, Herbert
Ward Townsend. The Townsend home
was in Wilmington until shortly af-
ter he was named Secretary of State
on March 2 of last year, when he
moved to Dover. Mr.. Townsend was
named Secretary of State by Cover
nor Robinson to succeed Miss Fannie
s. Harrington, of Dover, who was
named secretary of state several
months prior, following the disap-
pearance of William G. Taylor, who
disappeared off the Carolina coast
more than year ago. Mr.. Town.
send had long been one of the most
prominent lawyers practicing before
the Delaware bar. In addition he was
the father of the Delaware Work
mems Compensation law and was for
some time president of the State In
dustrial Accident Board, through
which body the compensation law is
administered. He had been in prom