Along the Trail

VOLUME I

Pioneer Sketches of Arrow
Rock and Vicinity

T. C. RAINEY

SAUNDERS TOWNSEND.
Saunders Townsend lived in Cooper County three
miles south of Arrow Rock, where he owned a large
body of land and was a successful farmer and stock
raiser. He had been a very strong man physically, with
a temper not safe to trifle with; very positive in his
convictions and very free to express them. Honest and
candid himself, he could not tolerate anything indirect
or deceitful in others. I have heard that on a certain
occasion he and a tenant of his met in a field not near
any house; that they quarreled and began to fight. A
little son of the tenant, who was along, ran a quarter of
a mile to give the alarm, and when friends arrived to
part them, they were still at it, neither one conquered or
able to deal an effective blow. They had literally fought
to a standstill. Doubtless two such men did not remain
enemies. In all probability they finally shook hands
and became reconciled.
Mr. Townsend raised a large family, who settled in
the neighborhood and raised families of their own. I
knew and had dealings with six of his sons, every one
an honest, manly citizen. I, perhaps, knew B. F. Town-
send more intimately than any of the others, as he was
merchandising in the town when I first came to it, and
I passed his door several times almost every day. He
was a blunt spoken man and had one of the sternest
countenances I ever looked upon. I used to tell him
if I had his face I would never make a bad debt; that
when a man would come into my store I didn't want to
credit, I could then stand and look at him a minute or so,
when he would leave without asking indulgence. And
yet this same Ben Townsend was one of the tenderest
hearted men I ever knew. A faithful, affectionate hus-
band; kind to his children, and too lenient with the man
who owed him. Except Jesse McMahan, he was Arrow
Rock's oldest merchant in 1866. He would not have
known how to practice deception, and he certainly never
tried.

Contributor: JTL (49298271)