William Kneeland Townsend
Appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902 and confirmed by voice vote, William Kneeland Townsend was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He earned a law degree from Yale Law School in 1874. He previously served on the District of Connecticut and U.S. Circuit Courts for the Second Circuit.Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, January 21, 1902
- Appointed by
- Theodore Roosevelt, 1902
- Confirmed
- by voice vote
- Education
- Yale College 1871 · Yale Law School 1874
- Succeeded
- Nathaniel Shipman
- Succeeded by
- Walter Chadwick Noyes
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1892 | District of Connecticut · succeeded Nathaniel Shipman | Harrison (R) | voice |
| 1902 | U.S. Circuit Courts for the Second Circuit | Roosevelt (R) | voice |
| 1902 | Second Circuit · succeeded Nathaniel Shipman | Roosevelt (R) | voice |
A per-senator roll-call isn’t shown for this confirmation. The Senate’s recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989; many confirmations (especially before then, and most to the lower courts) were by voice vote or unanimous consent.
| Yale College | A.B. | 1871 |
| Yale Law School | LL.B. | 1874 |
| Yale Law School | D.C.L. | 1880 |
5 years on the Second Circuit. Data last verified 2026-06-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).