Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-06-24

DRESSES IN OLD UNIFORM JULY 4
Annually the Queer Chap Puts on I4io
RessIa and Marches Up and Down.
the Street Carrying Musket OF
Times Long Past Never Seen Mil.
tray Service.

Na.H e--
WILTON, N. IT,, June e3.--Alhert
G., Townsend, Wilton'a Fourth of
Jnlya iwarfior,..'' and neighhor during
the summer of Rear Admiral Walker
boasts of the greatest and most yaln-
able collection of antique arms owned
by any individual in New Hampshire
His exhibit includes everything from
revolver 10 large four-wheeled
cannon, and all hut two or three are
OF considerable age.
Gunner" Townsend, as he is fire.
queitiy referred to in Wilton Centre
village, has hobby for anything that
is antique, and, while many rooms in
his house, which was erected consid-
elably over a century ago, are stack.
ed with his ancient weapons of war
fare, he has other collections, inclnd-
ing books, pictures, musical instrl-
ments and furniture, the possession
of which he, can trace back for many
generations.
Old Family Property.
owned by his ancestors, while some
YVES purchased from families in which
they had been handed down for near
ly century.
OF all his possessions, there are
none which Townsend prides more
than his guns. Almost all of them
are the old-fashioned tiintlocks. One
old Queen Anne musket is In an ex.
celient state of preservation, and III
about century mud half old, This
Z gun Is APPARENTLY as good as when
first used, and shoots with great nc.
curacy.
Every gun is kept polished and oil
ed, and very frequently he tests them
al range m the rear of his home.
The target is about two hundred
yards from the stand. and through al.
most daily practice Townsend has he.
come good shot Woodchncks or
rabbits are his special prey, although
now he is armed for large black
hear seen in the vicinity few nights
ago.
Looks Like an Arsenal.
Townsend's house resembles an ar
eenal. 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. LII ad.
dition there are many revolvers pis.
tolls, swords, sabres. knives ana other
weapons lying around. Many OF
these, as well as cantecns, powder
horns and ammunition boxes, were
used in the Revolution.
He has several uniforms used h,
the Miller Guards, Wilton military
company of 1899. as well rs n few
Colonial. coats and caps
On the Fourth of July Townsend
makes his appearance on the street
In the full uniform of Miller Guard,
armed with a mnsket. The old man
finds no greater sport than firing ma
tional salutes all day, on his cannon
House Erected In 1890.
Tnwnsend's house was erected by
John Harrington in 1900, after return.
ing from the Revolutionary War. In
+ 1909 he sold Ito John .Lovctt, who
4 owned 1t but a few years, and then il
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,
4 which were hand split, shaved and
lapped, are as good as new.
Townsend lives alone. He cooks
his own meals and says he is con.
tented
ii Townsend was born in the same
house sixty-six years ago. On both
his fathers and mothers side his an.
cestors fought in the revolution, the
y War of 1912 and the French and IN
dian wars When President Lincoln
called for men Townsend wanted tc
\ enlist, but as he was the only son Of
5 q widowed mother and her only sup
port, he remained at home and work
y ed on the farm His military enthll
L siasm was again dampened in 1888
q when he wanted to enlist for thu
vi Spanish-Amercnn war, but was tor
old, and was, therefore rejected.
Is For Sale.