Descriptive Summary
Townsend, George F.
Townsend, Elizabeth Sthreshley, d. 1919
Townsend, George F., papers
1853-1952
Materials are written in English.
1954, 89-46
7 in.
Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The
University of Texas at Austin
The George F. Townsend Papers, 1853-1952, relate
to his photography studio and his wife Elizabeth Sthreshley Townsend's invention
of a Braille typewriter.
Biographical Note
Born in Austin, Texas, George F. Townsend was the son of Martin Townsend and his
wife, Cecilia Brichta, nephew of William A. Blackburn, and the grandson of Nathaniel
Townsend, a merchant and diplomat for the Republic of Texas. Townsend owned a
photography studio on Congress Avenue and married Elizabeth Sthreshley (d. 1919) in
1894. Four years earlier, Elizabeth had invented the punctograph, a Braille
typewriter, for which she held the patent. After working at the Texas School for the
Blind for eight years, Elizabeth left her position to assist her husband with his
photography career, which included experiments with X-ray equipment.
Sources:
Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Townsend, Elizabeth Sthreshley,
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ftokp (accessed
August 2, 2010).
Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Townsend, Nathaniel,
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fto33 (accessed
August 2, 2010).
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, legal papers, reminiscences, broadsides, printed materials, tintypes,
clippings, and photographs comprise the George F. Townsend Papers, 1853-1952. The
collection relates to the punctograph invented and patented by Elizabeth Sthreshley
in 1890; records by Francis Brichta, a relative of Cecilia Brichta; of Austin land
transactions in 1884; reminiscences by Cecilia Brichta Townsend; and photographs
from Townsend’s photography studio.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research use.
Index Terms
Subjects (Persons)
Brichta, Amelia
Brichta, Francis
Brichta, Frank
Brichta, Robert
Townsend, Cecilia Brichta
Townsend, Elizabeth Sthreshley, d. 1919 --
Archives
Townsend, George F. -- Archives
Townsend, Malcolm
Subjects (Organizations)
Texas School for the Blind.
Subjects
Education -- Texas -- Austin.
Genealogy & local history -- Texas --
Austin.
Real property -- Texas -- Austin.
Social affairs -- Texas -- Austin.
Places
Austin (Tex.) -- History --
Sources.
Washington (D.C.) -- History --
Sources.
Preferred Citation
George F. Townsend Papers, 1853-1952, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History,
University of Texas at Austin.
Related Material
Blackburn-Townsend Family Papers
Nathaniel Townsend Papers
William A. Blackburn Papers
Detailed Description of the Papers
Inventory
2L7
Correspondence, business,
1890-1952
Legal documents, [ca. 1890]
Memoirs, Cecilia Brichta Townsend,
1897
Land book, 1884
Broadsides
Clippings
Strand, magazine, January 1901
Townsend genealogy
Mementos:
Coins:
"Lincoln" pennies, 4
"Indian Head" pennies, 3
"Drink Checks" from three Austin saloons, 3
Tokens
Powder horn - Colt's patent.
Bible - printed by g. E. Eyre and W. Spottiswoode.
M.DCCC.LIV. Metal bound velvet binding.
3S29
Photographs: Austin scenes
3S192
Braille alphabet produced by typewriter invented by Elizabeth
Sthreshley, 2 copies, 1890
3T2
Tintypes and Austin photographs
3T3
Photographs, cased
3Y4a
Photographs, cased