▁National ▁Rail road ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁ ▁Town send ▁was ▁born ▁C inc inn ati ▁in ▁the ▁year ▁that ▁Book er ▁T . ▁Washington ▁delivered ▁his ▁Atlanta ▁comprom ise ▁speech . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁William ▁Town send ▁and ▁C ora ▁Be atrice ▁Town send . ▁After ▁comple ting ▁high ▁school ▁he ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁C inc inn ati ▁Union ▁Terminal . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁Town send ▁joined ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army , ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁France ▁in ▁the ▁army ▁ 3 7 2 nd ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁When ▁Town send ▁returned ▁from ▁the ▁war ▁he ▁helped ▁to ▁form ▁an ▁entirely ▁African - American ▁company ▁of ▁the ▁Ohio ▁National ▁Guard . ▁Town send ▁started ▁his ▁university ▁studies ▁at ▁the ▁Illinois ▁School ▁of ▁Chi rop ody , ▁and ▁briefly ▁pract ised ▁as ▁a ▁chi rop od ist . ▁He ▁met ▁Al berta ▁Hunter ▁at ▁one ▁of ▁her ▁performances ▁in ▁C inc inn ati , ▁and ▁married ▁her ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁Canada , ▁where ▁he ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁wait er ▁in ▁a ▁d ining ▁car ▁to ▁pay ▁for ▁his ▁university ▁studies . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Bro ther hood ▁of ▁Railway ▁Emp loy ees , ▁and ▁real ised ▁the ▁" div is ive ▁power ▁of ▁race ▁to ▁stop ▁union ▁organ ising ". ▁Town send ▁started ▁a ▁pre - med ical ▁program ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Toronto ▁and