My Genealogy Hound

JOHN W. TOWNSEND, vice-president of the Cambria Steel Company, whose works are located at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 29, 1855. He is a son of the late Edward Y. and Henrietta M. (Troth) Townsend.

John W. Townsend graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1875, and three years later was given the degree of Master of Arts. He entered the office of the Cambria Iron Company after leaving college, and is now in his thirtieth year of continuous service in that company, and of the lessee company-the Cambria Steel Company-serving now in the capacity of vice-president and a member of the boards of both companies. Mr. Townsend became a voter in Montgomery county shortly after attaining his majority, residing at Bryn Mawr eight months of the year, and the remainder of the time he resides at No. 2103 Walnut street, Philadelphia. Upon his marriage, which occurred in 1881, his father built for him the stone house on the north side of Montgomery Avenue, near Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, in which he resided until 1902, when the needs of a growing family necessitated his building the larger house in which he now lives. It is west of his old house, both houses being on the old Tilghman property purchased by his father in the year 1879. In the early days of the history of Bryn Mawr, Mr. Townsend took a deep interest in its development and welfare, collecting the subscriptions and arranging for the macadamizing of a portion of Montgomery Avenue, which was then only covered with gravel. He also devoted considerable time to the societies which in the early days were formed to attend to the general care and needs of the neighborhood. The deep interest he has always taken in literary and scientific matters is evidenced by the fact of his holding membership in a number of societies and clubs, among which are the following: Franklin Institute, Engineers’ Club, Historical Society, Numismatic and Antiquarian Society, Horticultural Society, Foresters Association, Genealogical Society, Philobiblon Club, University Archaeological Society, Archaeological Institute of America, Academy of Fine Arts, Contemporary Club, University Club, Rittenhouse Club, Penn Club, Church Club, and the Merion Cricket Club. He is a member of the Board of College Alumni of the University of Pennsylvania, of the Church Club, a director of the Young Men’s Christian Association of Philadelphia, and has been for many years a vestryman of the Church of the Holy Trinity, at Nineteenth and Walnut streets, Philadelphia.

Mr. Townsend married Mary S. Sharpe, daughter of Charles A. and Marianna S. Sharpe, and their children are: Charles S., a graduate in the class of 1904, University of Pennsylvania; Edith, a graduate of the Ingleside School, at New Milford, Connecticut; John W., Jr., a member of the class of 1907, University of Pennsylvania; Stockton, a member of the class of 1905, Episcopal Academy; Roger R.; and Richard L. Townsend.