The Townsend Society of America was founded in 1962 to collect and preserve genealogical or historical material pertaining to brothers John, Henry, and Richard Townsend, three seventeenth-century settlers of Long Island, New York, and their descendants. It has since expanded its scope to include all settlers named "Townsend", their descendants, and all Townsend-related history across the country and beyond. Since arriving on these shores in the early 17th century, the Townsends have been involved in every aspect of American history -- share the great events of our past through one group of people that participated in it.