Townsend Bible

This Bible was submitted by Tara Hawkins.

This Bible was up for auction on eBay in February 2003. The seller gave permission for the following photograph and transcription to be submitted to this site. Unfortunately the seller did not include the names of the Townsend family mentioned in the description of the bible, only the inscription.

Description:
This Bible was published in 1857 by the American Bible Society in New York. The title page says "The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments translated out of The Original Tongues and with the former translations diligently compared and revised". At the bottom of the title page it says "NEW YORK: American Bible Society Instituted in the year MDCCCXVI". Below that it has "1857". The book is intact and legible although one of the family record pages is missing. The writing that was on the missing page transferred in reverse onto the opposite family record page and is readable when held up to a mirror. It lists four members of the Townsend family, which was the original owner, with their dates of birth from what appears to be 1855 up to 1881. It has a leather cover in good solid condition that does have some wear due to age. There is a small tear in the binding at the top. The pages have toned a bit with age but not darkly. There is some staining at the edge of the pages but it does not obscure any of the printing. The covers have a fancy design gilt stamped and the spine has five raised bands with gilt decoration between the bands. "HOLY BIBLE" is stamped in gilt on the spine. Pages are gilt edged. Size of book is 8" X 11".

SURNAMES:
FOX
KOPMAN
TOWNSEND

Inscription:
Jan 1rst 1934. This Bible a Gift to
Me. From The Townsend Family
Randolph St. Yonkers N.Y.
May God Bless and Prosper Them
All through Life are My Prayers.
William Henry Fox

Grace H. Kopman

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