I am interested in Townsends, both black and white, who may have been involved in the URR in Iowa. My Quaker ggg grandfather, Levi Townsend (b.1799 Bucks Co. PA), is probably the Levi Townsend listed in Siebert's 1898 book's directory of URR operators from Logan County, Ohio. This fits with a vague hint from my father that there were "blacks in the family" and my parents' ability to point out an URR site near our home, and with information from a distant cousin.

After at least two of Levi Townsend's children moved to Iowa in the 1860s, the widowed Levi later lived in Iowa with them and possibly with grandchildren, but may have returned to Ohio at the time of his death.

I am trying to find out if this family of Townsends was involved in the URR in Iowa. Two of Levi's children married members of the Mosher and Wood families of Morrow County, Ohio, who had members also listed by Siebert, and both moved to Iowa. My gg grandfather, Eli Townsend (b. 1823), married Abigail Mosher Wood and moved to a farm in Warren County, Iowa. His sister Elizabeth Townsend married Abigail's brother Joseph Wood. Other children: William W. Townsend m. Emily Fell and died 1857 in Logan County, OH. Joseph Townsend m. Mary Linville and died abt 1880. Abner W. Townsend m. Mary Weaver and died 1891 in Erath (Earth?) Co, TX. Levi himself married Mary Watson in 1820. She was born in Ohio and several male Watsons are on Siebert's list.

Trowbridge is a name I heard often growing up, but have no idea about relationships. You probably know Siebert's book (www.ugrr. org), but I checked Siebert's Ohio and Iowa lists anyway and did not find any Trowbridges, Isbells, Turners, Linvilles, Fells, or Weavers.
If you run across any of my family names in your research, I would appreciate knowing and will do the same for your list.