%eadnotat; ]> Townsend, John Kirk, 1809-1851. Phillips Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, March 2001. ENG Townsend, John Kirk, 1809-1851. Phillips Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 1963 Descriptive Summary Collection 404 Archives of the Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia PA 19103-1195 Phone: 215-299-1075 Email: archives@ansp.org
TOWNSEND, JOHN KIRK, 1809-1851. Papers, 1834-39. 18 items. Collection 404

Ornithologist and explorer. The papers in this collection all refer to his experiences when accompanying Captain Wyeth across the Rocky Mountains. Captain Wyeth undertook the journey for the Columbia River Fishing and Trading Company to establish trading posts beyond the Rockies. Townsend's trip, in the company of Thomas Nuttall was extended to the Sandwich Islands. He returned to the Columbia River, collecting birds there, returning to the Islands, and eventually back to Philadelphia by way of the Columbia River and an overland trip East. The only collections he and Nuttall made were donated in part to the Academy's museum.

We have 12 letters written by Townsend to various members of his family and 2 letters to Townsend, one from his sister Hannah and the other from his father. In collection 364 is another letter written to Charles Townsend in which the trip with Nuttall is described. The traveller kept a journal of his trip with Nuttall, many sections of which were written in letters to his family. Four such units are filed here as well as Townsend's original manuscript of pages 1-11, 14-15. In the collection is also a list prepared by Townsend and McEuen, October 25, 1839, “Birds loaned to J. J. Audubon.” Another related item is a series of annotations in Audubon's Ornithological Biography, one note signed J. K. T.; others in the same hand. The comments are mostly criticisms of Audubon's ethics in omitting any acknowledgement to Nuttall and Townsend for specimens and descriptions sent to him.

The loose papers are a gift of Townsend's brother-in-law, Dr. Mahlen Kirk through the courtesy of Witmer Stone, on 7/27/904.

Coll. 404-407

Coll. 404

Townsend, J. K.

Townsend, John K.

Papers

 List I. Calendar of manuscript letters from John K. Townsend. 1. John [K. Townsend] to “My dear Sister,” Pittsburgh, 3rd Mo. 17th 1834. A.L.S. 3 pp. and address. Vivid description of trip by stage along Juniata to Pittsburgh, a “vile, vile palce.” The letter bears an outside address to Charles Townsend, 138 S. 10 street, Phila. 2. John [K. Townsend] to “Dear Sister,” on board boat at Louisville, Ky., n.d., but postmarked March 23, [1834]. A.L.S. 2 pp. and address. Trip by river from Pittsburgh. Feelings of sorrow upon leaving Pennsylvania. Description of Indian mound near Marietta, Ohio. 3. John [K. Townsend] to Charles Townsend, St. Louis, Missouri, 3rd mo 27th 1834. A.L.S. 4 pp. and address. Description of the Mississippi River. Jefferson barracks. Captain Wyeth in St. Louis. Account of sixty Indians, “of the Sioux tribe belonging to Blackhawk's band.” 4. John [K. Townsend] to Charles Townsend, Post office 50 miles above St. Louis, Mo. (Hickory Grove), 4th mo 1st 1834. A.L.S. 3 pp. and address. T[homas] N[uttall] and myself travelling on foot to Independence. St. Louis “without exception the most disagreeable, extortionate, and unvomfortable town that I have yet found.” Bird life. 5. John [K. Townsend] to Charles Townsend, Boonville, Mo., 4th mo 9th 1834. A.L.S. 3 pp. and address. Abundance of “the beautiful Parrot of this Country.” Inquisitive manners of western people. 6. John [K. Townsend] to Charles Townsend, Independence landing, Mo., 4th mo. 21st 1834. A.L.S. 4 pp. and address. Acknowledges receipt of letter from his sisters. Western manners Captain Sublette joins their party. 7. John [K. Townsend] to Charles Townsend, Kanzas Agency, Missouri territory, 5th mo. 3rd 1834. A.L.S. 3 pp. and address. Extracts from journal from April 28 to May 2, 1834. Kanas Indians/ 8. J[ohn K. Townsend] to Charles Townsend, Rendezvous in the Rocky Mountains, 6 mo 27th 1834. A.L.I. 6 pp. and address. Fairly detainled account of trip up to date of letter. 9. John [K. Townsend] to Charles Townsend, On board Brig May Dacre, Columbia River, 5th mo 2nd 1835. A.L.S. 3 pp. address and endorsement. “N[uttall] & myself arrived here a fortnight ago after a very short & delightful passage of 20 days from Oahu.” Stay at Hawaiian Islands---shell collecting. Poverty and sickness of the Indian tribes in the Columbia valley. 10. Copy of No. 9. 4 pp. 11. John [K. Townsend] to Charles Townsend, Fort Vancouver, Columbia River, 9 mo 10th 1835. A.L.S. 8 pp. and address. Various ways of coming home. Indians of the Columbia valley. Terrible depopulation---probably only one out of 100 survived last five years due to contagion [smallpox?]. Threatening extinction. Adventure of Captain Thing(?) with the Blackfeet. 11a. Same to same. 9 mo. 26th. 4 pp. 12. John [K. Townsend] to Charles Townsend, Fort Vancouver, Columbia River, 4th Month 11th 1836. A.L.S. 2 pp. and address. Is still not certain of mode or time of his return, but will probably come home by way of England. Nuttall went to the islands [Hawaii?] last fall. List II. Calender of manuscript letters to John K. Townsend. 1. Hannah [Townsend] to My dearly loved Browther [John K. Townsend], Philadelphia, 11th Mo. 29, 1835. Copy. 20 pp. p. 9 -- 12th mo. 31st [1835] p. 11 -- 1st mo. 3rd 1836. (Among other things, mentions the death of Roberts Vaux.) p. 13 -- 1st mo. 15th [?] p. 15 -- 1st mo. 28th 1835 [sic. Undoubtedly 1836.] p. 16 -- 2nd mo. 23rd [?]. p. 17 -- 3rd mo. 5th [?] p. 20 -- end of letter. 2. ---- and Cha[rle]s Townsend to My beloved Son [John K. Townsend], Philadelphia, 3rd Mo. 3rd 1836. Copy. 4 pp. Ackowledges the receipt of all of John K. Townsend's letters. Death of his grandmother. List III. Other items. 1. John [K. Townsend] to Charles Townsend, On board brig May Dacre lying in port at Columbia river, 10th mo. 6th 1834. A.L.S. 37 pp. (Recd. 7th Mo. 5th 1835). Letter containing long extracts from journal at Fort Vancouver from 9th Mo. 17th to 10th Mo. 1st [1834]; and extracts from journal from rendezvous in mountains, 7th Mo. 2 [1834]. 2. [Journal of John K. Townsend], March 13, 1834-May 21, 1834. A.D. 26 pp. From Pittsburg to the Platte river. Quite rich in ornithological data. Habits of Indians, especially Kaws. 3. Journal. 65 pp. 1835. December 18. 1836. May 13, 16. June 26, 28, 29, 30. July 3, 4, 9, 16, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30. Vancouver and Fort George. August 10, 12, 13, 16, 20, 29. September 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 24, 27, 30. October 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21. November 22, 23, 24, 28, 30. At sea December 13, 14, 16, 22, 23. 1837. January 1, 3, 4, 6, 15, 27. February 3, 9, 10, 15, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. March 16, 17, 18. Hawaii. April 1, 8, 10, 15, 16, 20. May 2, 4, 5, [18, 25, 28].

Dates enclosed in brackets [] not located in printed narrative.

June [1, 9] 10, 12, 13.

Dates enclosed in brackets [] not located in printed narrative.

August 12, 22, [29].

Dates enclosed in brackets [] not located in printed narrative.

September [1] 7, [25]. Chili.

Dates enclosed in brackets [] not located in printed narrative.

October 8, [15]

Dates enclosed in brackets [] not located in printed narrative.

4. John K. Townsend, Narrative of a journey across the Rocky Mountains. MSS. Published in 1839. Ch. I -- pp. 1-11 See Thwaites - Early pp. 12-13 missing. Western travels v. 21 p. 107- Ch. II -- pp. 14-15. 1. Torrey letters, Coll. 364. To Charles Townsend, Oahu, Sandwich Islands, Jan. 6, 1834. (rec'd July 5, 1835). Concerns his ocean voyage from the Columbia River and something of the American Consul's hospitality there. 2. Official File, Coll. 567. To. Thomes McEuen. Independence, Mo., Apr. 23, 1834. Sends information and descriptions of birds, which will reach the Academy through the agency of his father. Mentions very large flocks of Prairie hens some miles from Independence, but none in the immediate area. 3. To. S. G. Morton. Philadelphia, June 9, 1846, about the mummy presented by Mr. Hodge, which was sent in error, having been intended for the Academy of Fine Arts. Mr. Hodge now reverses his intentions and donates the mummy to the Academy of natural sciences. Haldeman letters, Coll. 73. 4. To S. S. Haldeman. Washington, Feb. 17, 1844. Invites Haldeman to come to the meetings, be his house guest, and to read a paper before the National Institute, being sure to stress the aims of the Institute. 5. To S. S. Haldeman. Washington, March 25, 1844. Regrets that Haldeman cannot come to the meetings, ackowledges the paper sent by Haldeman to be read at the above mentioned meetings. Then - asks advice about Coleoptera collecting and preservation.

Also: Manuscript for publication in the Academy's Journal in the hand of Townsend, Description of a new species of Bunting [UNK] Missouri, n.d. [Never issued].

Coll. 247