Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-09-14
TOWNLEY'S HEIR.

TOWNLEY'S HEIR.
There are few Philadelphians liv.
ing who still remember the Fourteen
Chimneys,'' noted city landmark dat
ing back to the Revolution. They were
recognized i'll the old directories thus:
''Sam. May, FISHERMAN, No. Fourteen
Chimneys.' They stood on the west
side Of Fifth street, above Race, and ex-
tended from the southwest corner of
Mulberry alley south to the present No.
222, now an ink factory. In fact, the
back part of this establishment is the
only portion of the building left, and
this was part.of the Ettris mansion,
belonging to curious family who owned
much Of the land thereabouts and noted
for eccentricities in dress and opinions.
There were in all eight houses, and they
had been built to fit the chimneys, as
these were much higher than the two
story dwellings, These stood back from
the street and had gardens in front from
which the neighbors were supplied with
vegetables
The principal industry here in early
times must have been butchering, as
layers of bones, cattle horns and heads
are turned up when the street has been
opened. In 1878 one Of the most re-
spected residents of the Fourteen
Chimneys'' was Miss Rachel Barron,
bright mulatto who had been left a
small fortune by a member of the Bid
die family, whose servant she had been
for 20 years.
Miss Barron was very charitable and
did much good in aiding the poor, who
were plenty enough in the numerous
courts and alleys Of that vicinity, and
it is in this connection that our story
begins.
In 1906 a man named Richard Vane
Townley was living in Philadelphia.
He was an Englishman, handsome in
appearance, with polished manners and
pleasing address. He had many friends,
as it was reputed that he came from an
excellent family at home, but there was
mystery about his means of living.
He always had plenty Of money, dressed
and lived extensively, SO it was sup
posed that he had an income from prop
erty i'll England, but all this was dissi
pated by the report that he had been
principal in duel at Saratoga Springs;
that the alleged cause was quarrel at
the card table, and that the courteous,
stately Englishman was in effect a pro-
fessional gambler
When this was known, it affected
Mr.. Townley's position in society adj
versely, but card playing was a recog-
nized industry in those times and carried
no popular odium with it, and that gen
tleman still seemed to prosper.
When he came to Philadelphia, his
companion was a boy about Is, who
was his only child, the mother being
dead James was a delicate lad, but
gentle, and he was put in private
school and much liked by his associates,
but his father, mindful of the vicissi
tudes Of his profession, bound James to
Benjamin Jones, at the southeast corner
of Second and Chestnut streets, to learn
engraving, and this he did, becoming a
good workman. His father, however,
supplied him with too much money,
and he ceased to work, became unsteady
and finally dissipated. When left with
out resources by the death Of the elder
Townley, he was forced to go to work
at his trade.
Richard Townley left nothing to his
son. but before dying he confided to a
we'll known member of the old bar Ger
tain papers and told that gentleman the
story of his wasted life.
In the latter part of the eighteenth
century Apley Park, in Shropshire, now
one of the show places of England, was
owned by Sir Edmund Foster. 1t had
once belonged to the Lucys Of Charli-
cote and came to the Fosters by mar
rage Sir Edmund had two sisters
One married Devonshire rector named
Childs, the other Philip Maley Town
ley Of Shrewsbury. Both Mr.. and Mrs.
Townley died early, leaving an only son
Richard Vane Townley.
Richard was adopted by his bachelor
uncle, Sir Edmund, and was sure to
enter on an inheritance Of e12, 600 per
anpum, but he was wild and reckless
and was sent away from Oxford in dis
grace, and for time forbidden to APP
pear at Apley Park. Sir Edmund was
getting quite infirm and much controll-
ed and influenced by his housekeeper,
Mrs. Darby, who had been in the fam
lily from girlhood. She interceded for
Richard, and he was finally restored to
favor and came back to the park, only
to get into fresh serape. Mrs. Darby
had a niece staying with her, very
ii ir1 md
Richard fell madly in love, and failing
to get her on less honorable terms per-
suaded her to elope and get married.
The aunt had been away On visit
and returned to find her niece gone
Suspecting the worst, she at once III
formed Sir Edmund Of his nephew's
new delinquency and had him send for
his lawyer. A new will was made and
no mention therein of Richard Townley.
Shortly afterward Mrs Darby learned
the truth and found that she had sue
ceeded iii disinheriting her son-in-l law,
but was too shrewd TO let the master
know the real facts, as he was intense
" proud and would regard the misalIi-
ance as more fagitious than the sup
posed seduction.
Mr.. Scrope of Shrewsbury was the
family solicitor, an upright gentleman,
who had known Townley's father, and |
he persuaded the baronet to make his
will as follows: Mrs Childs, his niece,
had the property for life; then her chill.
dren by seniority inherited, and then
heirs male, and failing them or issue
the son Of Richard Townley to inherit
in fee. AS there were nine of the Childs
children, James Townley's chance of
gaining the inheritance his father had
forfeited seemed very remote.
Sir Edmund died, leaving large
personal estate in addition to Ap1ey
Park and the Childs entered into DOS
session.
James Townley had no force Of char
acter and was, moreover, improvident
and careless, and he added to his re-
spopsibilities by marrying very pretty
young woman, named Cray, who was a
seamstress in one of those one stored |
shops on Eighth street, below SAMSON.
Each did their best to make living,
but the husbands health failed, and