Rev. Frank Summer Townsend was born April 19, 1857 at East Greenwich, Rhode Island. He was the son of William and Susan (Capron) Townsend. In 1876 he graduated from east Greenwich Academy, the seminary of the New England Southern Conference.
After teaching school for several years and studying law for a short time, he was licensed to preach in 1879. Soon after he entered Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut where he graduated in June 1885. In addition to his A.B. degree, he received his A.M. degree in 1888 and D.D. in 1921. He also received the degree of D.D. from West Virginia Wesleyan in 1915.
In 1885, he married Hattie Alice Sage, who died in 1934.
In 1885, he was admitted on trial to the New York East Conference. He served that Conference for twelve years. In 1897, he transferred to the West Virginia Conference. Churches served were Parkersburg First Church, Buckhannon First Church, Huntington First Church, New Martinsville, Wheeling Zane Street, Kingwood and Ronceverte District Superintendent from 1910 to 1915. From1922 to 1928, he was Secretary of the Conference Claimants Permanent Fund. For many years Dr. Townsend was a trustee of West Virginia Wesleyan College and much other educational work. He was the founder of the Pittsburgh Area Summer School of Theology and served as its Dean from 1922 to 1924. He represented the Conference at the General Conference in 1916.
Rev. Townsend died march 25, 1939 in Morgantown. His funeral service was held in the first Methodist church, Buckhannon. He was survived by two children, Grace Elizabeth (Mrs. Forrest W. Stempe) and Arthur Sage.
(West Virginia Conference, ME, Journal 1939)