12 Facts About Wallace Townsend

Wallace Townsend was an American lawyer who was from 1928 to 1961 the Republican national committeeman for the US state of Arkansas.

In 1902, Wallace Townsend obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, and became an educator for eight years.

In 1906, Townsend received his LLB degree from the William H Bowen School of Law of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Wallace Townsend became an integral part of the GOP legal counsel active in the Lily White faction, which sought to recruit white Conservative Democrats into the Republican Party, then previously the domain of the relatively few African-American voters registered in the state.

In 1914, Townsend joined Augustus Caleb Remmel, chairman of the Pulaski County Republican organization, to take control of the state party for the Lily Whites.

Wallace Townsend was the unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial nominee in both 1916 and 1920, having been defeated by the Democrats, Charles Hillman Brough and Thomas Chipman McRae, respectively.

Wallace Townsend attended each Republican National Convention from 1912 to 1960.

Wallace Townsend was the state party's vice chairman from 1920 to 1928 and the national committeeman for thirty-three years, 1928 to 1961.

Wallace Townsend was active in many organizations, such as the Little Rock Boys Club and the Chamber of Commerce.

Wallace Townsend died in 1958, and four years later, Townsend wed Floy Smith Plunkett.

Wallace Townsend continued to practice law until 1974, when he retired at the age of ninety-two.

Wallace Townsend died some five years later in Little Rock.