Solomon Samuel Townsend III (May 21, 1850 – November 18, 1910) was an American politician from New York. He served in the New York State Assembly from 1889 to 1893, representing Queens County, and was a delegate to the 1892 Democratic National Convention.
Early life and family Townsend was born on May 21, 1850, in Manhattan, New York City. He was the son of Solomon S. Townsend II, a member of the New York State Legislature and a delegate to the 1846 and 1867 New York State Constitutional Conventions, and Helene DeKay. He was the grandson of Capt. Solomon Townsend.
He lived most of his life in Oyster Bay, where as a boy he was playmates with the Roosevelt family.
Career After graduating from the Oyster Bay Parish School and New York University, Townsend worked as a coal merchant in Oyster Bay.
Political career A Democrat, Townsend was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1888, representing Queens County's 1st District. He served in the Assembly in 1889, 1890, 1891, and 1892. He succeeded John Cashow in this seat and was succeeded by James Robinson.
In 1892, Townsend was a delegate to the 1892 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Following redistricting, Townsend was elected to the newly created Queens County's 3rd District in 1892 and served in the 1893 session. He was the first person to represent the new district and was succeeded by Eugene F. Vacheron.
Townsend was later appointed to be Clerk of the Queens County Board of Supervisors and Collector of Arrearages of Taxes of Queens County.
Death Townsend died on November 18, 1910, at Nassau Hospital (today NYU Winthrop Hospital) in Mineola, New York. He was buried in the Memorial Cemetery of St. John's Church in Laurel Hollow, New York.
References
External links The Political Graveyard