The following notice of his return appeared in the New York Mercury for April 25th, 1768:-- "The Rev. Mr. Townsend arrived last Saturday, (22d)in the 'Hope' from London." Upon the 29th of September, 176S, he informed the Venerable Society:--" That he arrived at his mission, on the 26th of May, 1768, and was kindly received. The churchwardens also of Salem, in the name of the people belonging to the mission, have returned thanks to the Society for Mr. Townsend's appointment." " At Salem and Ridgefield, there are one hundred and fifty Church people. At Ridgefield, eighty." Mr. Townsend was formally inducted on Sunday, the 29th of May, 1768, by his predecessor, the Rev. Ebenezer Dibblee, who preached a sermon on the occasion.6

Eight months prior to this event Mr. Dibblee writes, Oct. ist, 1767 : -- " I preached on Sunday, 23d of August last, at Salem to a numerous and devout congregation, baptized sundry children and gave the communion the first and second Sundays after Trinity last."" Mr. Townsend was married to Lucy Beach, in St. James' church, Newtown, L. I., on the 10th of September, 1769. Upon the 13th of June, 1769, Stephen De Lancey and wife conveyed to the Rev. Epenetus Townsend " all that land being part of farm No. 12 in north lot No. 10, beginning at a white oak bush, and runs south-west twenty-six degrees, eight chains and twenty-four links, to a pile of stones, thence south-west seventeen degrees, sixteen chains and thirteen links, to a pile of stones, thence north-east eighty-eight degrees, twenty-five chains and fifty links, to a pile of stones, thence south-east seventy-four degrees and a half, six chains and forty-five links to a stake and stones by the church, then north-east fifteen degrees, five chains and thirty-five links to the oblong line, then south-east ten degrees, twenty-one ' chains and twenty-five links to a stake on the same line, then south-west to the place of beginning, containing sixty acres, inclusive of /he ground upon which the church, church yard and burying ground stand, which is not included