William Kneeland Townsend

William Kneeland Townsend (June 12, 1849 – June 2, 1907) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and of the United States Circuit Courts for the Second Circuit and previously was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut.

William Kneeland Townsend
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
In office
January 21, 1902 – June 2, 1907
Appointed byTheodore Roosevelt
Preceded byNathaniel Shipman
Succeeded byWalter Chadwick Noyes
Judge of the United States Circuit Courts for the Second Circuit
In office
January 21, 1902 – June 2, 1907
Appointed byTheodore Roosevelt
Preceded byNathaniel Shipman
Succeeded byWalter Chadwick Noyes
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
In office
March 28, 1892 – February 27, 1902
Appointed byBenjamin Harrison
Preceded byNathaniel Shipman
Succeeded byJames Perry Platt
Personal details
Born
William Kneeland Townsend

(1849-06-12)June 12, 1849
New Haven, Connecticut
DiedJune 2, 1907(1907-06-02) (aged 57)
New Haven, Connecticut
EducationYale University (AB)
Yale Law School
(LLB, LLM, DCL)

Education and career

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Born on June 12, 1849, in New Haven, Connecticut, Townsend received an Artium Baccalaureus degree in 1871 from Yale University. He received a Bachelor of Laws in 1874, a Master of Laws in 1878, and a Doctor of Civil Law in 1880, all from Yale Law School.[1] He was a member of Skull and Bones.[2] He entered private practice in New Haven starting in 1875. He was an attorney for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad until 1881. He was an Alderman for New Haven from 1880 to 1882. He was a professor at Yale Law School from 1881 to 1907. He was corporation counsel for New Haven from 1889 to 1891.[1]

Federal judicial service

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Townsend was nominated by President Benjamin Harrison on March 24, 1892, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut vacated by Judge Nathaniel Shipman. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 28, 1892, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on February 27, 1902, due to his elevation to the Second Circuit.[1]

Townsend was nominated by President Theodore Roosevelt on January 15, 1902, to a joint seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the United States Circuit Courts for the Second Circuit vacated by Judge Nathaniel Shipman. He was confirmed by the Senate on January 21, 1902, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on June 2, 1907, due to his death in New Haven.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d William Kneeland Townsend at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  2. ^ Fraternity, Psi Upsilon (26 March 2019). "The Twelfth General Catalogue of the Psi Upsilon Fraternity". The fraternity. p. 111 – via Google Books.

Sources

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Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
1892–1902
Succeeded by
Judge of the United States Circuit Courts for the Second Circuit
1902–1907
Succeeded by
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
1902–1907