John Kirk Townsend was the son of Charles Townsend and Priscilla Kirk, he had five brothers and four sisters. His sister Mary, a naturalist with an interest in entomology, wrote a popular book called "Life In the Insect World" in 1844.[3][4] Mary and another sister, Hannah, wrote The Anti-Slavery Alphabet in 1846, which was sold at the Anti-Slavery Fair in Philadelphia.[3] His brother Edward was President of the Philadelphia Institution for Instruction of the Blind and helped organize the Philadelphia Dental College.[5]
Oregonedit
While at Wyeth's Fort William in Oregon, Townsend served as the appointed magistrate to the first public trial by Europeans in Oregon.[6] This occurred when the post's gunsmith, Thomas J. Hubbard, attacked and killed the fort's tailor in an argument over a young native girl.[6] The gunsmith was acquitted by a jury when they ruled the death was justifiable homicide.[6]
Workedit
Townsend collected numerous animal specimens during his travels.[7] He sent many of these back to John James Audubon for further assessment and characterization.[7] Audubon gave Townsend broad authority in naming specimens that he collected.[7][8]
On his return, Townsend wrote The Narrative of a Journey across the Rocky Mountains to the Columbia River and a Visit to the Sandwich Islands (1839).[7] This is a narrative of a journey by Wyeth's expedition over the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean between 1834 and 1835.[7]
A number of mammals are named for Townsend. Many of these were described from specimens collected during his travels. Townsend's ground squirrel (Spermophilus townsendii) is endemic to the southwestern region of the state of Washington.[7]Townsend's chipmunk (Tamias townsendii), Townsend's mole (Scapanus townsendii), and Townsend's vole (Microtus townsendii) occur in the northwest of the United States and southwest of British Columbia.[7]Townsend's pocket gopher (Thomomys townsendii) is found in southern Oregon, northern California, northern Nevada, and through the Snake River Valley in Idaho.[7]Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) is found from southern British Columbia south through the western United States to southern Mexico.[7] The whitetail jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii) ranges through southern Canada and the western, central US through eastern California and Colorado.[7] The Townsend's warbler and Townsend's solitaire are also named after Mr. Townsend.
Townsend died of arsenic poisoning.[7] He had developed a formula used in taxidermy preparations and arsenic was the "secret" ingredient.[7]
^Bachman, J. (1839) 2009-01-07 at the Wayback Machine Description of several new Species of American quadrupeds. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 8, 57-74.
^"American Philosophical Society Library". Retrieved 2023-11-13.
^ ab. www.sierracollege.edu. 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
^Stroud, Patricia Tyson (March 2013). ""At What do you Think the Ladies will Stop?" Women at the Academy". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 162 (1): 195–206. doi:10.1635/053.162.0116. ISSN 0097-3157. S2CID 191701294.
^"Early American Nature Writers: A Biographical Encyclopedia," by Daniel Patterson, Roger Thompson, J. Scott Bryson, 2008
^ abc. New and Recent OSU Press Books. OSU Press. Archived from the original on 2006-09-18. Retrieved 2007-01-23.
Mearns, B. & R. John Kirk Townsend: Collector of Audubon’s Western Birds and Mammals (2007).
April 25, 2024
john, kirk, townsend, other, people, with, same, name, john, townsend, disambiguation, august, 1809, february, 1851, american, naturalist, ornithologist, collector, bornaugust, 1809, 1809, philadelphia, pennsylvaniadiedfebruary, 1851, 1851, aged, townsend, qua. For other people with the same name see John Townsend disambiguation John Kirk Townsend August 10 1809 February 6 1851 was an American naturalist ornithologist and collector John Kirk TownsendJohn Kirk TownsendBornAugust 10 1809 1809 08 10 Philadelphia PennsylvaniaDiedFebruary 6 1851 1851 02 07 aged 41 Townsend was a Quaker born in Philadelphia the son of Charles Townsend and Priscilla Kirk He attended Westtown School in West Chester Pennsylvania and was trained as a physician and pharmacist He developed an interest in natural history in general and bird collecting in particular In 1833 he was invited by the botanist Thomas Nuttall to join him on Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth s second expedition across the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean Townsend collected a number of animals new to science These included birds such as the mountain plover Vaux s swift chestnut collared longspur black throated grey warbler Townsend s warbler and sage thrasher and a number of mammals such as the Douglas squirrel several of these were described by Bachman 1839 1 from samples collected by Townsend Townsend collected skulls of indigenous people procured by stealing them from graves 2 Contents 1 Family 2 Oregon 3 Work 4 References 5 Further readingFamily editJohn Kirk Townsend was the son of Charles Townsend and Priscilla Kirk he had five brothers and four sisters His sister Mary a naturalist with an interest in entomology wrote a popular book called Life In the Insect World in 1844 3 4 Mary and another sister Hannah wrote The Anti Slavery Alphabet in 1846 which was sold at the Anti Slavery Fair in Philadelphia 3 His brother Edward was President of the Philadelphia Institution for Instruction of the Blind and helped organize the Philadelphia Dental College 5 Oregon editWhile at Wyeth s Fort William in Oregon Townsend served as the appointed magistrate to the first public trial by Europeans in Oregon 6 This occurred when the post s gunsmith Thomas J Hubbard attacked and killed the fort s tailor in an argument over a young native girl 6 The gunsmith was acquitted by a jury when they ruled the death was justifiable homicide 6 Work editTownsend collected numerous animal specimens during his travels 7 He sent many of these back to John James Audubon for further assessment and characterization 7 Audubon gave Townsend broad authority in naming specimens that he collected 7 8 On his return Townsend wrote The Narrative of a Journey across the Rocky Mountains to the Columbia River and a Visit to the Sandwich Islands 1839 7 This is a narrative of a journey by Wyeth s expedition over the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean between 1834 and 1835 7 A number of mammals are named for Townsend Many of these were described from specimens collected during his travels Townsend s ground squirrel Spermophilus townsendii is endemic to the southwestern region of the state of Washington 7 Townsend s chipmunk Tamias townsendii Townsend s mole Scapanus townsendii and Townsend s vole Microtus townsendii occur in the northwest of the United States and southwest of British Columbia 7 Townsend s pocket gopher Thomomys townsendii is found in southern Oregon northern California northern Nevada and through the Snake River Valley in Idaho 7 Townsend s big eared bat Corynorhinus townsendii is found from southern British Columbia south through the western United States to southern Mexico 7 The whitetail jackrabbit Lepus townsendii ranges through southern Canada and the western central US through eastern California and Colorado 7 The Townsend s warbler and Townsend s solitaire are also named after Mr Townsend Townsend died of arsenic poisoning 7 He had developed a formula used in taxidermy preparations and arsenic was the secret ingredient 7 The standard author abbreviation J K Towns is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name 9 References edit Bachman J 1839 Archived 2009 01 07 at the Wayback Machine Description of several new Species of American quadrupeds Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 8 57 74 American Philosophical Society Library Retrieved 2023 11 13 a b Mary Townsend 1814 c 1851 www sierracollege edu 2015 Archived from the original on 2021 01 25 Retrieved 2020 09 06 Stroud Patricia Tyson March 2013 At What do you Think the Ladies will Stop Women at the Academy Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 162 1 195 206 doi 10 1635 053 162 0116 ISSN 0097 3157 S2CID 191701294 Early American Nature Writers A Biographical Encyclopedia by Daniel Patterson Roger Thompson J Scott Bryson 2008 a b c Narrative of a Journey New and Recent OSU Press Books OSU Press Archived from the original on 2006 09 18 Retrieved 2007 01 23 a b c d e f g h i j k l Beolens B Watkins M Grayson M 2009 09 28 The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals The Johns Hopkins University Press p 416 ISBN 978 0801893049 OCLC 270129903 Audubon John James Birds of America 1827 to 1838 International Plant Names Index J K Towns Further reading editExcursion to the Oregon by John Kirk Townsend Mearns B amp R John Kirk Townsend Collector of Audubon s Western Birds and Mammals 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Kirk Townsend amp oldid 1184989188, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
