David Wood Townsend was born in Hoskins, Wayne County, Nebraska, the son of Glenn Eli Townsend and Bertha A. (Towberman) Townsend.
Grandson of David Wood Townsend and Mary Ellen (Brown) Townsend.
Great-grandson of Eli Townsend and Abigial Mosher (Wood) Townsend.

 
In 1910, at the age of 19, Townsend was living with his parents and grandfather whom he was named after in Dallas, South Dakota.


In 1913, Townsend married Lillian Francis Rennick in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
He and Lillian had two children together, Edward Glenn Townsend and Harriet L. (Townsend) Pim Ayers.


In 1915 he was secretary/treasurer for his father's company, G. E. Construction in Norfolk, Nebraska and was still living in that area by 1917.


In 1919 he worked for the Art-O-Graf Film Company of Colorado.


In 1922 he President of the "Mountain Plains Enterprise Film Company" in Denver.


In 1926, he moved to Los Angeles, California and began work for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios as an art director and set designer.

 
On August 5, 1935 while scouting locations at Sonora Pass for the film, "The Robin Hood of El Dorado," the car he was riding in with Lowell L. Ralph, Mrs. Lottie Mundello, and Miss Agnes McMullen, went off the road and plunged 200 feet below.
Townsend was killed instantly, while the other three passengers, who were thrown from the car, survived.
David Wood Townsend was born in Hoskins, Wayne County, Nebraska, the son of Glenn Eli Townsend and Bertha A. (Towberman) Townsend. Grandson of David Wood Townsend and Mary Ellen (Brown) Townsend. Great-grandson of Eli Townsend and Abigial Mosher (Wood) Townsend.
 
In 1910, at the age of 19, Townsend was living with his parents and grandfather whom he was named after in Dallas, South Dakota.

In 1913, Townsend married Lillian Francis Rennick in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. He and Lillian had two children together, Edward Glenn Townsend and Harriet L. (Townsend) Pim Ayers. 

In 1915 he was secretary/treasurer for his father's company, G. E. Construction in Norfolk, Nebraska and was still living in that area by 1917.

In 1919 he worked for the Art-O-Graf Film Company of Colorado. 

In 1922 he President of the "Mountain Plains Enterprise Film Company" in Denver. 

In 1926, he moved to Los Angeles, California and began work for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios as an art director and set designer.
 
On August 5, 1935 while scouting locations at Sonora Pass for the film, "The Robin Hood of El Dorado," the car he was riding in with Lowell L. Ralph, Mrs. Lottie Mundello, and Miss Agnes McMullen, went off the road and plunged 200 feet below. Townsend was killed instantly, while the other three passengers, who were thrown from the car, survived.
David Townsend (art director)