Townsend moved to Albany, New York, in 1802 to work for his brother Isaiah who ran a successful iron and foundry business in the city called "I & J Townsend"[1] The firm was involved in the buying and selling of iron and produced in their foundry machine castings and railcar wheels.

The business, which was eventually known as the "Townsend Furnace", was located at Broadway, Rensselaer and Mulberry streets fronting upon the Hudson River for 180 feet, and the brick building was four stories high.

He was elected to his first term by unanimous vote of the city council on February 9, 1829, upon the resignation of Mayor Charles E. Dudley, who took office as US Senator for New York.

[3]: 484 Townsend lost the council election on December 29, 1830, by a vote of 9 to 12 to Francis Bloodgood, who then went on to serve as 38th mayor of the city.

[3]: 488 In 1832 an outbreak of cholera occurred in Albany and Townsend was praised for his efforts in combating the disease.