Background
Townsend, Lawrence was born on August 13, 1860 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of Henry C. and Georgiana Lawrence (Talman) Townsend.
Townsend, Lawrence was born on August 13, 1860 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of Henry C. and Georgiana Lawrence (Talman) Townsend.
Born in Philadelphia, Lawrence Townsend was educated at Mantua Academy (1872-1877) and entered the University of Pennsylvania in the class of 1881.
He withdrew from the university at the end of his junior year and went west to Plateau, Colorado, where he owned a large ranch (1881–1886). In 1889, he went to Vienna to study law and the history of diplomacy, specializing in international law. He published numerous translations of French and German articles in his area of specialization.
From Vienna, he launched his diplomatic career.
He served as First Secretary of the United States. Legation in Vienna from 1893-1897 and from there was promoted to the post of United States. Minister to Portugal on June 9, 1897. He served in Lisbon until his transfer to Brussels on April 15, 1899, where he served as United States. Minister to Belgium until 1905.
In 1905 he moved to Washington, District of Columbia, and joined the Washington Gas Light Company as its treasurer and later secretary. Later in life, Townsend became active in the English-Speaking Union.
He died in 1954.
Married Natalie Hannau, March 8, 1886. Children: Yvonne, Lawrence (deceased), Reginald Miers Fisher.