So far, there is not enough information to answer to this question properly. There is no proof linking these Townshends other than a few coincidences. These coincidences might suggest some kind of link to both the Lords Townshends and to Hon William's PEI branch. However, it would seem that this line possibly traces further back than 1640 in Shrivenham. This makes the Townshend link to Hon William Townshend unlikely.

Coincidence 1: Peter Stewart (Hon. William Townshend's father-in-law) charters the ship (Elizabeth) that brings James Townsend to Prince Edward Island in 1775.

Coincidence 2: It has also been said that this (Berkshire) line also had political and millitary dealings in North America (and with George, 1st Marquess Townshend) but proof of this statement is still needed.

It was always speculated, from the birth-dates of Hon William Townshend's children (1791 to 1810), his wife's birth-date (around 1765), and his apparent friend with William Pitt and William Wilberforce, that Hon William T was most likely born in the 1760's, not 1745 (as mentioned in the Canadian Biographical Dictionary). This is also substantiated by Hon William's presumed death-date record which does not coincide with 1745. The existance of a 1745 William Towns(h)end (possibly associated with the other Prince Edward Island Townshends) now provides a reason for how this 1745 date could have come about. The record shown below is not that of Hon. William Townshend - his father was Richard and came from Wrexham/Wexham.

Looking deeper for Hon William Townshend's birth date (in the IGI records) we find a new date of 1762 which seems alot more plausable. Supporting this newly found record further is that Malton town appears on a number of occasions in the Lords Townshend line. It is also in the vacinity of known associates of Hon William Townshend (Edmund Burke [once MP for Malton], Sir Cecil Wray, the Norcliffe family and the Dalton family).