He served during the whole of the Black Hawk War (1832) as a volunteer, under Col. Henry Dodge, and participated in the Battle of Bad Axe on August 2, 1832.

He fitted out a train of twelve wagons, drawn by oxen, with a company of men, in the spring of 1849, and taking the land route, started on April 16, and arrived in California on September 9.

[1][3] A 1958 episode of the Death Valley Days TV series called, "Rough and Ready", reenacts their arrival and founding of the town.

Consequent prospecting by Townsend's company satisfied them that the newfound diggings were rich, and removing their camp, they prepared winter quarters by building two log cabins on the point of the hill east from and overlooking the present town of Rough and Ready.

Townsend then returned by steamer route via San Francisco, Panama, New Orleans to Galena, IL, arriving 26 April 1850.

[1] Townsend fitted out a company of 32 men on his second trip to the gold fields, well supplied with horses and mules.

They left Shullsburg on the land route on May 23, 1850, crossed the Missouri River at Omaha, Nebraska,[4] arriving September 8 (or 10), 1850.

In 1842, he was commissioned a Justice of the Peace by Governor James Duane Doty; and in 1855, he represented his district in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

[1][6] In 1864, Absalom led a large wagon train of individuals from Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa to the gold areas of Montana.