Question

Welcome to CivilWarTalk @AlbertWoolson1956

His brother Jesse Marion Townsley is listed as having been born in 1852 in Ohio County, KY and his father William born in 1824 in Tennessee. I searched the 1850 US Census records for Townsleys in Ohio County KY and ran across the family with William (age 25, b approx 1825 in TN) Jane (age 22, b. approx 1828 in TN) and Isaac Townsley (age 4, b. approx 1846 in TN) http://us-census.mooseroots.com/l/771230374/William-Townsley

Then I searched service records and found this index card which could be him:
upload_2017-6-26_20-51-12.png

And this one:
upload_2017-6-26_20-52-9.png


The record below is from Co A 2nd Ohio Cavalry and lists an "Isaac Townsley" as age 18 enlisting March 7, 1864. If he was born Feb 1845 as it says on Findagrave, he would have actually been 19 yo in Mar 1864.
upload_2017-6-26_20-56-49.png

https://archive.org/stream/officialrosterof11ohio#page/60/mode/1up

The record below is from Co C 28th Ohio Infantry - still listed as age 18.
upload_2017-6-26_20-49-48.png

http://www.archive.org/stream/ohiowarroster03howerich#page/324/mode/2up

So unless there is another Isaac Townsley born a year later in 1846, then I am guessing this is him. Also, since he was listed as 4yo in the 1850 census, his DOB could have been missed by a year and recorded incorrectly on his tombstone.
 
I haven't seen another Isaac Townsley close to that age in the census. 1900 census states - date of birth Feb. 1845, but I've seen countless times where there's a year difference from tombstone date and 1900 date.

His family was living in the middle of Missouri during the time period (1861-1865). Ohio County, Ky is not exactly close to Ohio, nor Missouri. He had a rather unusual path to the 2nd Ohio Cavalry. Was Ohio offering a good incentive in 1864?

1900 Precinct 3 Astoria City Ward 1, Clatsop, Oregon
Isaac N Townsley....55....TN....VA...VA....Photographer

1920 Sulphur Ward 2, Murray, Oklahoma
Isaac N Townsley...74...TN...Carolina...Carolina.....Photographic Studio

1930 Checotah, McIntosh, Oklahoma (Odd Fellow Home)
I. N. Townsley....85...TN....US...US
 

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