The Washington times., 1906-06-22
HOME Of HERMIT
COLONIAL ARSENAL
Valuable Collection of An
tique Weapons Owned by
an Antiquarian.
OLD MAN AN ENTHUSIAST
Independence Day He Annually Parades
in Military Uniform of a Period
Long Since Past.

WILTON, y. H. June 22.-Albert c
Townsend. Wilton's Fourth OF July
warrior" and neighbor during the sum
msr OF Rear Admiral Walker, boasts OF
the greatest and most valuable collec-
ton OF antique arms owned b. say in
dividual in New Hampshire His ex-
hibit includes everything from a re-
volver to a large four wheeled cannon,
and all but two or three are OF consid-
cradle age.
Gunner" Townsend. as he is frequent
ly referred TO IN Wilton Centre village,
has hobby for anything that is an
tique, and. while many rooms in his
house. which was erected considerably
over a century ago, are stacked with
his ancient weapons OF warfare, he has
other collections. including books. pic
lures. musical instruments. anG furni-
tIITe, the possession of which he can
trace back for many generations A
large part of his property was owned
by his ancestors, while some was pur-
chased from families in which they had
been handed down for nearly a CEN
tury.
OF all his possessions. there are none
which Townsend prizes more than his
guns Almost all of them are the old
fashioned nintlocks. One old Queen
preservation. and is about a century
and a half old. This gun is apparently
as good as when first used, and shoots
with great accuracy
Every gun is kept polished and oiled,
and very frequently he tests them at a
range in the rear of his home. The tar
get is about two hundred yards from
the stand. and through almost daily
practice Townsend has become good
shot. WOOdchucks or rabbits are his
81 Al hH Fe =
for a large black bear seen in the vicin-
ity a few nights ago.
Townsends 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 the guns In addition there are
many revoivers. pistols. 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, a Wilton military COM
pany Of 1893, as well as a few Colonial
On the Fourth of July Townsend
makes his appearance on the street in
the fun uniform of Miller Guard,
armed with a muSket. The old man
finds no greater sport than firing ma
uonal saluteS all day on his cannon
Townsend s house was erected by John
harrington In lI9o, after returning from
the Revolutionary war. In 1903 he sold
it TO John Lovett. who owned it but a
few years. and then ii became the PREF
erty of the Townsend family. The luur-
Der used in the construction was Z |
hand hewn. All the windows are fuI.s-
ished with sliding 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 contented
Townsend was born in the same house
sixty-Six years ago On both the IA
ther's and mothers side his ancestry
fought in the Revolution. the War of
1I12. and the FrGnch and Indian wars.
When President Lincoln called for men
Townsend wanted to enlist. but as he
was the only son OF A widowed mother
and her only support. he remained at
home and worked on the farm. His
military enthusiasm was again dampen-
ed in 1898 when he wanted to enlist for
the Spanish-American war but was too
CID. and was. therefare. reiected-