CHAPTER XXV.

                                CLAY COUNTIANS ABROAD.

    James M. Townsend, son of James Townsend, native of Kentucky,
born at Morganfield, February 22, 1820; came with his parents to Put-
namville, Indiana, in 1828, when but eight years of age, the family
coming to Clay county and locating at the National Road crossing of
Croy’s Creek, on what has long been known as the McKinley place, at
some time prior to 1840, where they kept a tavern. Here the father died,
November 4, 1852, aged 66 years. In 1838, the subject of this sketch
graduated from the State University, Bloomington, receiving the degree
of Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine. At some time after return-
ing home from the University he engaged in merchandizing in partnership
with his brother-in-law, Dr. John H. Hawkins, at Williamstown. Here, on
the 7th day of November, 1854, he married Miss Julia Somers. Having
retired from merchandising in 1858, he began teaching in the public
schools of the county, which he continued to do until 1876, a period of
eighteen years, including one or more terms in the old county seminary,
at Bowling Green. He was at one time the Posey township librarian.
Being proficient in music, while residing at Staunton he organized and
taught a number of classes in vocal’ music, then called “singing schools.”
He also taught and led a band at Newburg. As a teacher he was ever
faithful in his attendance at the county institutes and associations, always
taking with him his melodeon, by the use of which he contributed much
to the pleasure, harmony and success of these teachers’ meetings. He
was a close student and ripe scholar. As an etymologist and linguist he
had no equal in the county. ‘In November, 1881, he moved to California,
having been preceded thither by his sons, James R. and Alfred I. Town-
send, locating at Lugonia (now Redlands) San Bernardino county. In
recognition of his proficiency in language and fine sense of discrimination
in the choice of words, the Funk and Wagnalls Company of New York,
engaged his services in the preparation of the copy for their "Standard”
Dictionary of the English language. His part of the work was the
selection of sentences illustrating and enforcing the use of words, in the
performance of which he did a large amount of reading. In his compo-
sitions and correspondence he was never known to misspell a word.
In passing examination for license to teach, he invariably made a hundred
per cent in all the branches. By way of compliment and distinction,
well earned, he was known as “The Walking Dictionary.” As a reminis-
cence in his experience of nearly half a century ago, in illustration of his
ability to spell as well as of the occasional outcropping of the vein of
humor in his make-up, it may he related that he made a trip to Terre

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