Ira Strong Towne

  General notes:

Silversmith

  Events in his life were:

• Alternate Mark

• Apprenticed about 1825 to Josiah Towne in Montpelier VT ¹

• He was a partner from 1831 to 1832 with Josiah Towne in Montpelier VT as I. S. & J. TOWN. Advertised ". . . silver work of every description manufactured to order on short notice." ³

• He worked from 1832 to 1838 as a silversmith in Montpelier VT retaining the old firm name of I. S. & J. TOWN. ⁶

• Master to Elijah Witherell abt 1832 in Montpelier VT. ¹

• He was a partner from 1838 to 1845 with Elijah Witherall in Montpelier VT as TOWN & WITHERALL. Advertised ". . . made all the silverware bought at their shop and it was warrented to be the best quality." ³

• Master to Almon Ainsworth Mead 1840 in Montpelier VT. ¹

• He was a partner from 1848 to 1851 with Jonas G. Hall in Montpelier VT as TOWN & HALL, the business carried on as a "silver spoon manufactory at the old stand on State Street." ³

• He worked from 1851 to 1852 as a silversmith in Montpelier VT eventually selling out to the firm of PHINNEY & MEAD. ⁶

• He worked from 1868 to 1885 as a silversmith and jeweler in Montpelier VT returning, after a 16 year retirement, to his old trade. His shop was located at 158 State Street until 1875, when it was burned in a massive fire that also destroyed the shops of A. A. Mead and Charles Keene. By 1879 he was working at 16 State Street. ⁶

• Master to Frank Willson Rogers 1871-1874 in Montpelier VT.

• He appeared on the 1880 census taken at Montpelier VT, listed as a jeweler.

Ira married Frances Miretta Witherell, daughter of Elijah Witherell and Lucretia Bailey, on 4 Jun 1834 in Montpelier VT. (Frances Miretta Witherell was born in 1811 in Montpelier VT.)