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'''Wallace Townsend''' (August 20, 1882 -  January 7, 1979) was an [[Iowa]]-born figure in the development of the 20th century [[Arkansas]] [[Republican Party]]. From 1928 until 1961, he was his party's [[Republican National Committee|national committeeman]], having been succeeded by Winthrop Rockefeller, who was elected five years thereafter as the state's first Republican governor since [[Reconstruction]].

'''Wallace Townsend''' (August 20, 1882 -  January 7, 1979) was an [[Iowa]]-born figure in the development of the 20th century [[Arkansas]] [[Republican Party]]. From 1928 until 1961, he was his party's [[Republican National Committee|national committeeman]], having been succeeded by [[Winthrop Rockefeller]], who was elected five years thereafter as the state's first Republican governor since [[Reconstruction]].

   

   

Townsend was born in DeWitt in Clinton County in easternmost Iowa, a son of John R. Townsend and the former Italia James. His brother, A. E. "Jack" Townsend was the long-term assistant postmaster in [[Little Rock]], Arkansas. In 1894, Townsend moved to Little Rock with his family. In 1902, he obtained a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, and became an educator for eight years. From 1906 to 1910, he was principal of Little Rock High School, in which capacity he worked to secure the first accreditation for the institution.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2846|title=Wallace Townsend (1882-1979)|publisher=encyclopediaofarkansas.net|accessdate=May 27, 2012}}</ref>

Townsend was born in DeWitt in Clinton County in easternmost Iowa, a son of John R. Townsend and the former Italia James. His brother, A. E. "Jack" Townsend was the long-term assistant postmaster in [[Little Rock]], Arkansas. In 1894, Townsend moved to Little Rock with his family. In 1902, he obtained a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, and became an educator for eight years. From 1906 to 1910, he was principal of Little Rock High School, in which capacity he worked to secure the first accreditation for the institution.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2846|title=Wallace Townsend (1882-1979)|publisher=encyclopediaofarkansas.net|accessdate=May 27, 2012}}</ref>

In the 1920 race, McRae polled 123, 637 votes (66.6 percent) to Townsend's 46,350 (25 percent). An Independent Josiah H. Blount, the principal of an African American school in Helena, Arkansas, defected from the GOP and received the remaining 15,627 (8.4 percent).  Blount was tied to the former Black-and-Tan faction of the GOP.<ref>Billy Hathorn, ''The Republican Party in Arkansas, 1920-1982'' (College Station, Texas: [[Texas A&M University]], 1983), pp. 25-30</ref>The gains predicted by Townsend and the Lily Whites never materialized, and the Black and Tans, as they became known in other southern states as well, were reconciled for several more decades with the regular GOP. In time though the Arkansas black voters swung solidly Democratic by the 1960s and 1970s.<ref name=bio/>   

In the 1920 race, McRae polled 123, 637 votes (66.6 percent) to Townsend's 46,350 (25 percent). An Independent Josiah H. Blount, the principal of an African American school in Helena, Arkansas, defected from the GOP and received the remaining 15,627 (8.4 percent).  Blount was tied to the former Black-and-Tan faction of the GOP.<ref>Billy Hathorn, ''The Republican Party in Arkansas, 1920-1982'' (College Station, Texas: [[Texas A&M University]], 1983), pp. 25-30</ref>The gains predicted by Townsend and the Lily Whites never materialized, and the Black and Tans, as they became known in other southern states as well, were reconciled for several more decades with the regular GOP. In time though the Arkansas black voters swung solidly Democratic by the 1960s and 1970s.<ref name=bio/>   

   

   

Townsend attended every Republican National Convention from 1912 to 1960. From 1916 to 1962, he served on the state party’s executive committee. He was the state party’s vice chairman from 1920 to 1928 and the national committeeman for thirty-three years, 1928 to 1961. During the [[Warren G. Harding]] administration, Townsend was named registrar of the U.S. land office at Little Rock from 1922 to 1924. The [[Herbert Hoover|Hoover]] administration named him United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, a patronage appointment that he held from 1930 to 1934, when he was replaced in the [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] administration. Townsend's career at times paralleled that of another Little Rock attorney, Osro Cobb, who served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1927 to 1931 from Montgomery County. Cob served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas in the [[Dwight D. Eisenhower|Eisenhower]] administration.

Townsend attended every Republican National Convention from 1912 to 1960. From 1916 to 1962, he served on the state party’s executive committee. He was the state party’s vice chairman from 1920 to 1928 and the national committeeman for thirty-three years, 1928 to 1961. During the [[Warren G. Harding]] administration, Townsend was named registrar of the U.S. land office at Little Rock from 1922 to 1924. The [[Herbert Hoover|Hoover]] administration named him United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, a patronage appointment that he held from 1930 to 1934, when he was replaced in the [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] administration. Townsend's career at times paralleled that of another Little Rock attorney, [[Osro Cobb]], who served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1927 to 1931 from Montgomery County. Cob served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas in the [[Dwight D. Eisenhower|Eisenhower]] administration.

   

   

Townsend was active in many organizations, such as the Little Rock [[Chamber of Commerce]] and the Little Rock Boys Club. In 1914, he married the former Bess Voss, with whom he had two daughters. She died in 1958, and four years later, he wed Floy Smith Plunkett. Townsend continued to practice law until 1974, when he retired at the age of ninety-two. He died some five years later in Little Rock.<ref>" 'Mr. Republican' Dies at Age 96," ''Arkansas Gazette'', January 8, 1979, pp. 1A, 3A</ref>

Townsend was active in many organizations, such as the Little Rock [[Chamber of Commerce]] and the Little Rock Boys Club. In 1914, he married the former Bess Voss, with whom he had two daughters. She died in 1958, and four years later, he wed Floy Smith Plunkett. Townsend continued to practice law until 1974, when he retired at the age of ninety-two. He died some five years later in Little Rock.<ref>" 'Mr. Republican' Dies at Age 96," ''Arkansas Gazette'', January 8, 1979, pp. 1A, 3A</ref>