Culper Spy Ring
Robert Townsend a.k.a. "Samuel Culper, Jr." a.k.a. "723"
Robert Townsend a.k.a. "Samuel Culper, Jr." a.k.a. "723"
The Culper Spy Ring was established in 1778 by Benjamin Tallmadge under the orders of General George Washington. The spies were to gather information about the British.
The ring consisted of Robert Townsend, Abraham Woodhull, Austin Roe, Caleb Brewster, James Rivington, and Agent 355 (unknown female).
Considered the most valuable member of the Culper Spy Ring, Robert Townsend provided information about the British to General George Washington under the alias “Samuel Culper, Jr.” and "723." Robert operated a merchant shipping firm in Manhattan and used his work as a merchant as cover.
Robert passed away with this secret, and it wasn’t until almost 100 years later that researchers discovered "Culper Junior" was in fact Robert Townsend of Oyster Bay, Long island (New York).
Click here for a Raynham Hall Museum link image of Robert Townsend painted by his nephew in the early 1880s. This is not my photo and I do not own any rights to it. If you use this photo, please credit the correct source.
For more information about Robert, visit the Raynham Hall Museum in Oyster Bay, New York.
I do not have a "direct" link to Robert Townsend but I know through DNA testing that he is in my ancestry. In an attempt to identify how, I have began to document some of the research I have discovered about this side of the Townsend family. The index of names is below.
The ring consisted of Robert Townsend, Abraham Woodhull, Austin Roe, Caleb Brewster, James Rivington, and Agent 355 (unknown female).
Considered the most valuable member of the Culper Spy Ring, Robert Townsend provided information about the British to General George Washington under the alias “Samuel Culper, Jr.” and "723." Robert operated a merchant shipping firm in Manhattan and used his work as a merchant as cover.
Robert passed away with this secret, and it wasn’t until almost 100 years later that researchers discovered "Culper Junior" was in fact Robert Townsend of Oyster Bay, Long island (New York).
Click here for a Raynham Hall Museum link image of Robert Townsend painted by his nephew in the early 1880s. This is not my photo and I do not own any rights to it. If you use this photo, please credit the correct source.
For more information about Robert, visit the Raynham Hall Museum in Oyster Bay, New York.
I do not have a "direct" link to Robert Townsend but I know through DNA testing that he is in my ancestry. In an attempt to identify how, I have began to document some of the research I have discovered about this side of the Townsend family. The index of names is below.
Robert Townsend
birth: 25 November 1753
death: 7 March 1838
burial: Fort Hill Cemetery, Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York (Find a Grave link)
father: Samuel Townsend (1717 - 1790)
mother: Sarah Stoddard (1724 - 1800)
marriage: None
children:
Robert (Sr.) was the 5th of 10 children. His siblings:
birth: 25 November 1753
death: 7 March 1838
burial: Fort Hill Cemetery, Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York (Find a Grave link)
father: Samuel Townsend (1717 - 1790)
mother: Sarah Stoddard (1724 - 1800)
marriage: None
children:
- Robert Townsend, Jr. (? - ?)
Robert (Sr.) was the 5th of 10 children. His siblings:
- Solomon Townsend (1743 - 1744)
- Captain Solomon Townsend (1746 - 1811)
- Samuel Townsend (1749 - 1773)
- Phebe Townsend (1751 - 1752)
- Audrey Townsend (1755 - 1829)
- William Townsend (1757 - 1805)
- David Townsend (1759 - 1785)
- Sarah (Sally) Townsend (1760 - 1842)
- Phebe Townsend (1763 - 1841)
Robert Townsend headstone
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VARIOUS LINKS
Clements (Spy Letters) - http://www.clements.umich.edu/exhibits/online/spies/stories-networks-3.html
George Washington's Mount Vernon - http://www.mountvernon.org/educational-resources/encyclopedia/culper-spy-ring
History (Channel) - http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/culper-spy-ring
Raynham Hall Museum - http://raynhamhallmuseum.org/
Spy Museum - http://www.spymuseum.com/pages/spyrings-culper.html
Wikipedia / Culper Spy Ring - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culper_Ring
Wikipedia / Robert Townsend - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Townsend_(spy)
Clements (Spy Letters) - http://www.clements.umich.edu/exhibits/online/spies/stories-networks-3.html
George Washington's Mount Vernon - http://www.mountvernon.org/educational-resources/encyclopedia/culper-spy-ring
History (Channel) - http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/culper-spy-ring
Raynham Hall Museum - http://raynhamhallmuseum.org/
Spy Museum - http://www.spymuseum.com/pages/spyrings-culper.html
Wikipedia / Culper Spy Ring - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culper_Ring
Wikipedia / Robert Townsend - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Townsend_(spy)
Culper Spy Ring / Townsend Family Index:
A
Audrey Almy (1669 - ?)
F
James Farley (1744 - 1810)
S
Phebe or Phoebe Seaman (possibly 1699 - 1772)
Ebenezer Seely (1782 - 1860)
Sarah Stoddard (1724 - 1800)
T
Anne Townsend (? - ?)
Audrey Townsend (1755 - 1829)
Captain Solomon Townsend (1746 - 1811)
David Townsend (1759 - 1785)
Hannah Townsend (? - ?)
Jacob Townsend (1692 - 1742)
James Townsend (about 1675 - ?)
Mary Townsend (? - ?)
Peter S. Townsend (? - ?)
Phebe Townsend (1751 - 1752)
Phebe Townsend (1763 - 1841)
Phoebe Townsend (? - ?)
Robert Townsend (1753 - 1838)
Robert Townsend Jr. (? - ?)
Samuel Townsend (1717 - 1790)
Samuel Townsend (1749 - 1773)
Sarah (Sally) Townsend (1760 - 1842)
Solomon Townsend (1743 - 1744)
Solomon Townsend Jr. (? - ?)
William Townsend (1757 - 1805)
CEMETERIES
New York
Fort Hill Cemetery - Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York
Townsend-Wortman Cemetery - Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York
North Carolina
Saint James Churchyard Cemetery - Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina