THE EVICK GUNSMITH FAMILY OF PENDLETON COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA

 

 

WILLIAM EVICK RIFLE

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Adam Evick born 1782 died 1855 was son to George Evick . George's brother Francis Evick was the founder of Franklin the county seat of Pendleton County. Adam Evick was a gunsmith in Franklin from the early 1800's until his death in 1855. His early rifles were flintlock and stocked in wonderful tiger stripe maple. These rifles had brass patchboxes with excellent engraving. Some of  his rifles  had neat silver inlays made of coin silver. Most of the rifles he made after 1835 until his death had percussion locks. We do not know for sure where Adam Evick learned the art of gunsmith. The four petal flower finial on the patchbox is typical of the Valley of Virginia, and the push button patchbox lid release is much like that of John & Henry Sheets from Staunton Virginia. Adam may have apprenticed to Archibald Rutherford Gunsmith of Harrisonburg Virginia.  The few rifles we have been fortunate enough to inspect that Adam made were signed on the top of the barrel, "A E".

 

 

ADAM EVICK RIFLE

Signed A E

 

 

ADAM EVICK

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ADAM EVICK FLINTLOCK

 

 

Signed A E

 

 Adam had two sons that followed his trade, John & William. John was born 1804. John left Pendleton County after 1830 and is listed in the 1840 Census in Pocahontas County. In 1850 he is in Wood County and in 1860 he is in Kentucky. He dies in Lawrence County, Ohio 1882.

 

                                                                                

 

Signed John Evick Rifle

 

                                                60" Overall length, 43 3/8" Barrel, 48 Cal.

                                                                                 

 

Original Flintlock Converted To Percussion Using the Original Lock Plate.

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William Evick was born 1803 and died in 1886; buried in Mt. Hiser Cemetery in Franklin . He spent most of his life making rifles and keeping them in good working order in Pendleton County. His rifles are in the style of his father's. While some of his guns are flintlock, most are likely  percussion. His workmanship was clean and precise. He was a master craftsman. Some of his rifles are signed, "W E" and we have seen at least one signed, "Wm Evick" in script. William had a son William C Evick who followed in his father's footsteps. The time period that William C was a gunsmith was late in the longrifle period. While he may have made a few muzzle loading rifles, he most likely worked on later model guns. He possibly repaired guns built by his Grandfather Adam, his father, and his uncle.

 

 

 

WILLIAM EVICK

 

To see more pictures of the Evick Rifles see "Gunsmiths of West Virginia" ,"Long Rifles of Virginia" and "Gunsmiths of Virginia." These books are by James B. Whisker. If you have anymore factual information on the Evick Gunsmiths please contact us; we will update this. Also if you have any pictures of Evick rifles that you would let us post here on this blog, we would appreciate your contribution.

 Evick Rebel Rifle

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