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).
From the guide to the Townsend, George F. papers 1954, 89-46., 1853-1952, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)
