Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-20
IL. TOWNSEND DIES
OF HEART ATTACK
District Republican Leader
Won Many LaureIs by
Work for Party.

T. Lincoln Townsend, SO years old,
for many years an outstanding leader
of the Republican party in the District
of Columbia, died at his home, 4601
Seventeenth street, early today. Death
was due to heart disease, from which
he had been suffering for about {
year.
Mr.. Townsend was identified witt
many movements for the improvement
of the National Capital, but his prin-
cipal personal interest was in Repub-
licanism in the Capital. He sought no
public Office and to have an etficient
organization In this city was obviously
one of his ideals.
sMr. Townsend became active In local
politics almost Immediately after mCv-
ing to this city from Philadelphia about
80 years ago. He first enlisted his
services with group of outstanding
citizens who we're displeased with the
way in which the local party organiZa-
tion was being conducted.
Puts Energy Into Crusade.
The group which Mr.. Townsend
joined was ambitious to establish a
party that would be representative of
higher standards and principles and
one whose ethics would be beyond re-
proach.
Mr.. Townsend threw the full force
Of his character and his energies into
this crusade.
This victory resulted in the creation
of the Republican state committee in
which Mr.. Townsend always has been
actively identified. For nearly 20 years
he was a member of the executive COM
mittee of the state committee and dur
ing the past four years had been Secre-
tary. He was delegate to the last Re-
publican national convention and dur
ing the national Republican campaigns
within the past quarter of a century
had been prominent in the group of
leaders who conducted the campaign in
the District of Columbia to get out the
so-called state vote" residing. here.
1t was while engaged in getting out
the District vote that Mr.. Townsend
became identified with the League of
Republican State Clubs of the District
of Columbia, an organization made up
Of representatives of the several States.
He served several terms as treasurer
and as president of this league and was
at the time of his death its treasurer.
Organized Campaign Clubs.
During the Republican campaign in
1920 he organized the Harding and
Coolidge Club and during the cam
and Dawes Club and the Hoover and
Curtis Club.
Mr.. Townsend frequently had been
mentioned for appointments in the Dis
trict, but always had declined to per-
NIT his name to be presented for
consideration.
1t was through the suggestion of
Mr.. Townsend that the idea of the
White House community Christmas
tree was initiated. He personally in
terested President Coolidge, who with
Mrs. Coolidge attended the ceremonies
incident to the lighting Of this tree
Mr.. Townsend has been prominently
identified with the inaugural commit
tees during the past 20 years. He was
chairman Of the civic bodies committee.
He was an organizer of the City Club
and served for number OF years as
its treasurer and was director Of the
club at the time of his death. He also
was a member of the Washington
Kiwanis Club and the Masonic
fraternity.
Mr.. Townsend was vice president Of
the National Electrical Supply Co., with
which he had been connected for many
years, and was known widely IN the
electrical world as an original developer
of radio apparatus for sending and re-
ceiving messages at sea.
More than quarter Of century
ago, Mr. Townsend gained national
prominence when he helped to install
wireless apparatus aboard battleships,
while a lot of skeptical naval officers