Hiram Clark

 

Revolutionary War veteran & early settler to Ohio, Jacob Nicholls Clark was living in Cumberland Maryland in 1800 when he bound his eldest son James to George Rizer gunsmith.  The Rizer family of gunsmiths worked in present-day Berkeley County West Virginia and Allegany County Maryland. George Rizer and his father settled in Cumberland in 1793, acquiring properties both in town and the surrounding countryside. Completing his apprenticeship under George Rizer, James Clark became a journeyman gunsmith by 1805.  Eventually, James settled in Lebanon Ohio & became one of the finest gunmakers in that state. He became famous for beautiful silver-mounted rifles. The Clark & Sheetz rifle is one of the best-known. James And his sons continued their trade there until 1836 when they moved to Mississippi and started a plantation.  James died in Bolivar County, Mississippi in 1859.

Jacob bound another son Hiram Clark to George Rizer, on March 26, 1807. Hiram was 15 years old, and this indenture was to last seven years when Hiram would turn 21 on March 29, 1814.  In the 1820 Maryland Census, we find a Hiram Clark in Hancock Maryland.  We have not found him in any other records thus far.  We have found photos of a couple signed rifles by Hiram Clark. One family tree we found indicates he had a son Hiram C Clark, who married Ann Border, of the Border gunsmith family of Bedford Pennsylvania. This same tree gives 1829 as the year Hiram senior died.  If you have any information on where Hiram senior worked, lived, and died, please contact us. 

The rifle below is described by Bowers, on page 153 of “Gunsmiths of Pen-Mar-VA 1790-1840”.  As follows, “This writer has seen just one example of Hiram Clark’s work. His name was in script on top of the barrel. There were about a dozen silver inlays, Bedford style, a fine oval eagle cheek inlay, and an elaborately pierced side plate. The patchbox had a full wingspread eagle finial and lid engraving is done in a neat floral pattern, in the center which was set an oval of tortoise shell.  It was a fullstock, octagonal 40 1/2 inch barrel, with a Golcher percussion lock."

                                             Click the photo for a large view.       

                                                                Fullstock percussion rifle. 

                                                                       Golcher lock.

                                                Nicely engraved patchbox with eagle finial.

Tortoise shell inlay. 

                                                      Elaborate pierced brass side plate. 

Unique design silver thumb plate inlay.

Beautiful, engraved eagle silver cheekpiece inlay.

                                                                         H. Clark

                                                          Thanks for viewing, JDM & BMS

Jacob Nicholls Clark Story

James Clark Story

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