WM. BENSON
SILVER INLAY
CLICK IMAGE FOR LAGER VIEW
WILLIAM BENSON, GUNSMITH , WAS BORN ABOUT 1820. IN THE 1860 CENSUS HE IS LISTED AS A GUNSMITH IN BRUCETON MILLS, PRESTON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. IN THE 1870 & 1880 CENSUS HE IS LISTED AS A FARMER. HIS SON MADISON M. BENSON, WAS A GUNSMITH IN PRESTON AND MARION COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. HE HAD ANOTHER SON NAMED JAMES D BENSON, WHO WAS A JEWELER & FARMER. WILLIAM'S FATHER , JAMES A BENSON WAS FROM WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA. B. 1794 D.1879. WILLIAM'S BROTHER, EZRA DARBY BENSON, WAS A GUNSMITH WORKING IN TERRA ALTA AREA OF PRESTON COUNTY.
RIFLE HAS A HEAVY 1/1/16 BARREL 34/1/2 LENGTH AND
HAS CHECKERING ON WRIST. THIS RIFLE WEIGHS 11 POUNDS.
HAS CHECKERING ON WRIST. THIS RIFLE WEIGHS 11 POUNDS.
OF ALL THE BENSON FAMILY OF GUNSMITHS, THE GUNS OF WILLIAM AND GEORGE ARE THE MOST RARE. THE NUMBER OF KNOWN EXAMPLES OF THEIR WORK IS VERY FEW. TO BE SURE THEY ARE PROBABLY MORE OUT THERE. BUT ONLY THREE ARE KNOWN TO DATE. OF THE KNOWN WILLIAM BENSON'S RIFLES, HE GENERALLY USED HEAVY BARRELS, UNDERARM GUARDS OR PLATES AND STAMPED HIS SIGNATURE IN A SILVER INLAYED PLATE ON TOP OF THE BARREL.
WE HAVE LITTLE INFORMATION ON WILLIAM BENSON. IF YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON WILLIAM OR PICTURES OF HIS RIFLES, WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE BENSON FAMILY OF GUNMAKERS SEE "GUNSMITHS OF WEST VIRGINIA" BY FRED R. LAMBERT & JAMES B. WHISKER.
WE APPRECIATE THE OWNER OF THIS RIFLE, WHO PROVIDED THE RESEARCH & PICTURES.
THE PICTURES POSTED ON THIS BLOG BELONG TO THE OWNER OF THE PICTURES, PLEASE DO NOT COPY.
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