Biography

Probably one of the "Miss Townsends" WHS refers to in 18341124WHS_FMS1.

One of twelve children of John Townsend (Mayor of Albany from 1829-1832) and Abby Spencer Townsend. In June of 1840, FMS and her children, traveling from Albany to Auburn, encountered the Townsend family on the train. During this journey, FMS “succeeded in keeping all children away from us,” including the Townsends, by proclaiming her suspicion that WSJ was suffering from whooping cough (18400619FMS_LMW1). Catherine was an adult at this point, but may have been present along with her parents and siblings. 

In 1842 she married Charles B. Lansing, with whom she had two children before her death in 1845. Charles later married a second Townsend sister, Abby Eliza Townsend.