Charles Frederick Townsend, a New Haven architect enjoying high professional rank, was born at Southbridge, Massachusetts, February 11, 1873. His father, Charles H. Townsend, is a native of Ohio and a representative of an old New York family tracing its ancestry back to Martin I. Townsend, who came to the new world at an early period in its colonization. Charles H. Townsend took up the study of photography and for many years followed that profession but is now living retired in Florida. He is a Civil war veteran who ran away from home to join the army when but a boy in his teens and for five years he remained with an Ohio regiment covering the entire period of hostilities with the south. He married Rhoda Sophronia Taft, who was born at Ashford, Connecticut, and was a daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Anne (Parker) Taft. Mrs. Townsend passed away in 1911 at the age of fifty-six years.

Charles Frederick Townsend, who was an only child, was educated in the public schools of Willimantic, Connecticut, and prepared for college under the direction of F. H. Beede, superintendent of schools of New Haven. In 1892 he entered Lehigh University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1895 with the Bachelor of Science degree. He had there specialized in a four years course in the study of architecture and engineering and immediately after this graduatiom he entered into professional relations with William H. Allen, architect. He was afterward associated with the firm of Brown &, Von Beren and in 1906 he entered into partnership with R. W. Foote, under the firm style of Foote & Townsend. That association was maintained until 1911, since which time Mr. Townsend has practiced independently. His skill as an architect finds visible evidence in many of the fine structures of this city. He devotes his undivided time and attention to his pro-fession and is among the leaders in this line.

On the 1st of June, 1907, Mr. Townsend was married in Manistee, Michigan, to Miss Florence Ellis Snow, a native of Ware, Massachusetts, and a daughter of Renceler C. and Maria (Binford) Snow. Mr. and Mrs. Townsend are now the parents of three children: Margery Rhoda, born July 3, 1910; Frederick Snow, born April 27, 1912; and Dorothy, born August 8, 1914.

Mr. Townsend is a republican but while well informed on the questions and issues of the day has never been an office seeker. He is a member of the Phi Delta Theta a Greek letter college fraternity, and he has attained the Knights Templar degree in the York Rite of Masonry and the thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite and his interest in the moral progress of the community is manifested in his membership in St. John's Episcopal church, where he is the secretary or clerk of the parish. Mr. Townsend deserves much credit for what he has accomplished, for he worked his way through college, and perseverance and determination have constituted the foundation upon which he has builded his prosperity.