James Townsend (December 17, 1729 – May 24, 1790 in Jericho, then in Queens, now in Nassau County, New York) was an American politician from New York.
==Life==
He was the son of Jacob Townsend (1692–1742) and Phebe (Seaman) Townsend (1699–1774). On April 2, 1757, he married Mary Hicks (1730–1796), and they had seven children.
Townsend was a deputy to the 3rd and 4th New York Provincial Congresses in 1776. He was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1784, 1784-85, 1786 and 1787.
Townsend was elected as a Federalist to the 2nd United States Congress in April 1790, but died a month later, before his term began.
Source(s): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Townsend_(New_York)