The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-07-30
Home Like Arsenal
valuable Collision ot tidue War
Rslic e onsd ~ q Town
q Annual Parade IN
2 luIIffotnl4 of 1856.
UIlifoiln &c 1885.

Wilton; N. HeA1bert @. Townsend.
wi1ton's Fourth Of July warrior
and neighbor during the summer OF
Rear Admiral Walker, boasts Of the
greatest and most aluab1e collection
sof antique arms owned by any indI-
1fdna1 in New HampsEfre His exc
hihit includes everything from res
yolyer to large four wheeled cannon
ana ali but two or three are OF COM
siderable age. IS,
Gunner" Townsend as he is free
qIently referred to IN Wilton Cen
ter village, has hobby for anything
that's antique and, while many
rooms in his house, which was erect
ed consiGerablyloVeF century ago,
are stacked with his ancient weapons
of warfare, he has other collections
including hooks; pictures, musical In
struments and furniture, the posses.
sion Of which he can trace for many
generations. A large part Of his prop
erty was owned by his ancestors
while some of It was purchased from!
families IN which they had been hand
ed down for neatly century.
OF all his possessions, there are
uone which Townsend brides more
than his guns. Almost all Of them
ere the old fashioned fintlocEs. One
old Queen Anne musket is In an ex-
cellent state Of preservation. and Is
about a Century Ind d hall old. The
gun is apparently as good as when
first used, and shoots with great accu-
Tacy.
Every gun is kept polished and
oiled, and very frequently he tests
them at range in the rear of his
home. The target is about 200 yards
from the stand, and through almost
daily practice. Townsend has become
"a good shot.
Townsend's house resembles an ar
senal. At each entrance there are
two muskets, fully loaded, standing
against the wall Within easy reach
of every window in the house there
Is another, and one large room is
fairly stacked with guns. In addi-
ton, there are emany revolyers, piss
tolls, swords, sabres, knives and other
weapons lying around. Many OF
these, as well as canteens, powder
horns and ammunition boxes, were
used in the revolution.
He has several uniforms used by
the Miller guards, Wilton military
company of 1889, as well as a few
colonial coats and caps.
On the Fourth of July Townsend
makes his appearance on the sereet
in the full uniform Of Miller guard,
armed with a musket. The old man
finds NO greater sport than firing ma
tional salutes all day on his can.
non.
Townsend's house was erected by
John harrington In 1870, after return.
ing from the revolutionary war. In
1903 he sold it to John Lovett, who
owned it but a few years, and then
it became the property of the Town
send family. The lumber used in the
construction was all hand hewn. All
the windows are furnished with slid
ing shutters, and the clapboards,
which were hand split, shaved and
Tapped, are as good as new.
Townsend lives alone. He cooks
his own meals, and says he is con-
tented.
Townsend was born in the same
house &C years ago. On both his ia
theirs and mothers side his ances'
try fought in the revolution. the war.
of 1912 and the French and Indian
wars. When President Lincoln called
for men Townsend wanted to enlist.
but as he was the only son OF q
widowed mother, and her only sup
port, he remained at home and
worked on. the farm. His military
enthusiasm was again dampened in
1898. when he wanted to enlist for
the Spantsh-Amertcan war, but was
too old, and was, therefore. rejected.
- nre-onr MACHINES, uAIp