Richard W. Townshend

Richard Wellington Townshend (* April 30, 1840 at Upper Marlboro, Prince George's County, Maryland, † March 9, 1889 in Washington DC ) was an American politician. Between 1877 and 1889 he represented the state of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Career

1846, Richard Townshend to Washington, where he attended the public schools. There he was temporarily working as a Page in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1858 he moved to Cairo in Illinois. Subsequently, he taught as a teacher in Fayette County. After studying law and his 1862 was admitted to the bar he began to work in McLeansboro in this profession. Between 1863 and 1868 he was also employed in the management of the District Court in Hamilton County. From 1868 to 1872 he was a prosecutor in the twelfth judicial district of his state. At the same time he proposed as a member of the Democratic Party launched a political career. Between 1864 and 1875 he was several times on the State Board of his party. In July 1872 he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Baltimore. Since 1873 he lived in Shawneetown, where he practiced law.

In the congressional elections of 1876 Townshend was elected in the 19th electoral district of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, where he became 1877die successor of William B. Anderson on March 4. After six re- election he was able to exercise this office until his death on March 9, 1889. From 1879 to 1881 he was chairman of the committee responsible for supervising the expenditure of the Navy Department. Since 1887, he headed the Military Committee.