John Kirk Townsend facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Kirk Townsend
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John Kirk Townsend
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| Born | August 10, 1809 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | February 6, 1851 (aged 41) |
John Kirk Townsend (born August 10, 1809 – died February 6, 1851) was an American naturalist and ornithologist. A naturalist is someone who studies nature, and an ornithologist specializes in birds. He was also a great collector of animal specimens.
John Kirk Townsend was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were Charles Townsend and Priscilla Kirk. He went to Westtown School and learned to be a doctor and pharmacist. However, he loved studying nature, especially collecting birds.
In 1833, a botanist named Thomas Nuttall invited him on an exciting journey. They joined Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth's second expedition across the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. During this trip, Townsend discovered many animals that were new to science.
He found new birds like the mountain plover, Vaux's swift, and Townsend's warbler. He also found new mammals, such as the Douglas squirrel. Many of these animals were later described by other scientists using the samples Townsend collected.
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His Family and Interests
John Kirk Townsend had a large family with five brothers and four sisters. His sister Mary was also a naturalist. She was very interested in insects and wrote a popular book called "Life In the Insect World" in 1844.
Mary and another sister, Hannah, wrote a book called The Anti-Slavery Alphabet in 1846. This book was sold to help the anti-slavery movement in Philadelphia. His brother Edward helped organize the Philadelphia Dental College.
Adventures in Oregon
During his journey, Townsend spent time at Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth's trading post, Fort William, in Oregon. While there, he became the first appointed magistrate for a public trial by Europeans in Oregon.
This means he helped lead a court case. It was a serious event involving a conflict between two people at the fort. Townsend's role shows he was trusted and respected even in new territories.
His Important Work
Townsend collected many animal specimens during his travels. He sent many of these back to the famous bird artist and naturalist John James Audubon. Audubon gave Townsend permission to name the new animals he found.
After his journey, Townsend wrote a book about his experiences. It was called The Narrative of a Journey across the Rocky Mountains to the Columbia River and a Visit to the Sandwich Islands (1839). This book tells the story of Wyeth's expedition from 1834 to 1835.
Animals Named After Him
Many animals are named after John Kirk Townsend because of his discoveries. These names honor his important contributions to natural history.
Some of the mammals named for him include:
- Townsend's ground squirrel (Spermophilus townsendii)
- Townsend's chipmunk (Tamias townsendii)
- Townsend's mole (Scapanus townsendii)
- Townsend's vole (Microtus townsendii)
- Townsend's pocket gopher (Thomomys townsendii)
- Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)
- The whitetail jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii)
Two birds are also named after him: the Townsend's warbler and the Townsend's solitaire.
How He Died
Sadly, John Kirk Townsend died from arsenic poisoning. He had created a special formula for preparing animal specimens for display, a process called taxidermy. Arsenic was a secret ingredient in his formula, and it eventually caused his death.
See also
In Spanish: John Kirk Townsend para niños
