Townsend, Joseph Brevitt, 1821-1896

Joseph Brevitt Townsend (1821-1896), a prominent Philadelphia lawyer, was born in Baltimore County, Maryland, to Joseph and Sarah (Hickman) Townsend. The son of a saddler, Joseph Brevitt was educated mainly at the well-respected Bolmar's Academy in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Upon completion of his schooling, he apprenticed with prominent Philadelphia lawyer Eli Kirk Price. J.B. Townsend passed the bar in 1842 at the age of twenty-one. His private legal practice focused on real estate and wills, but he was also involved in commercial and insurance law and acted as a legal consultant for several commercial, insurance, and trust companies. Townsend practiced law in Philadelphia for the duration of his career. His first office was located at 813 Arch Street, and then moved to 709 Walnut Street. After many years of legal service, the University of Pennsylvania conveyed upon him an honorary degree of Doctor of the Laws in 1895.

In addition to a successful legal career, Joseph Brevitt Townsend was involved in the management of many other institutions in the city. For four and a half years, he was a member of the Board of Guardians for the Poor. From 1869 until his death in 1896, he was the manager of The Contributors to the Pennsylvania Hospital, and acted as director of the Hospital for a period. Beginning in 1879, he was on the Board of Trustees of the Jefferson Medical College, and he was the president of the institution at the time of his death. He was also the chancellor of the Law Association of Philadelphia and one of the managers of the Western Savings Fund Society of Philadelphia. The only social club he ever belonged to was the Union Club, which evolved into the Union League. He was a founding member of this club, and was among the first elected directors in 1864, and he was vice-president in 1892.

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