William Kneeland Townsend

Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

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 U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut and U.S. Circuit Courts for the Second Circuit. Sources ↓

Lived

1849–1907

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

Federal judicial service

Party letters show the appointing president’s party, not the judge’s own. A voice vote means the chamber approved aloud. No senator-by-senator tally is recorded.

Confirmation vote

Voice vote

The Senate approved this confirmation aloud, with no senator-by-senator tally recorded. Recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989.

Education

Questions & answers

Who appointed William Kneeland Townsend?

President Theodore Roosevelt appointed William Kneeland Townsend to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1902.

Was William Kneeland Townsend appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?

William Kneeland Townsend was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt, a Republican. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.

What was William Kneeland Townsend's confirmation vote?

William Kneeland Townsend was confirmed by voice vote on January 21, 1902. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.

Which court was William Kneeland Townsend on?

William Kneeland Townsend was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

5 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Data as of 2026-08-10. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).