Background
He was the third son of Richard Townsend, son of Bryan Townsend, and his second wife Elizabeth Beecher, daughter of Henry Beecher and granddaughter of Thomas Beecher.
He was the third son of Richard Townsend, son of Bryan Townsend, and his second wife Elizabeth Beecher, daughter of Henry Beecher and granddaughter of Thomas Beecher.
In the following year he was elected for Doneraile and Castlemartyr (Parliament of Ireland constituency), representing the latter until the Acting of Union in 1801.