Bits & Pieces

  Many of the gunsmiths in the 1800s made approximately 20 rifles a year.  We believe some of the bigger shops in Hampshire County, such as Sheetz & Rinehart shops, produced more.   Where did they go? 

Some of the early Glaze rifles made near Springfield on Springfield Pike near Milleson's Bridge saw service in the American Revolution.  However, most of the makers here & the vicinity were active in their trade post-Revolution. The War of 1812 probably contributed to the demise of many.  However, the Civil War was the most efficient eliminator of Virginia-made rifles.  Many were destroyed in battles and horrible conditions, and others were confiscated from Rebels & citizens by Union Troops.   

Immediately after the Civil War, the old American Long rifle was nearly forgotten.  The birth of cartridge guns and war surplus was more than it could handle. 

So, where did the rest go?   As the stock became damaged with age and abuse, some were discarded, but parts that could be used for other tools were saved.  I believe a lot was lost to house fires that were so common until fairly recently.

Many old barrels, locks & brass parts also went into WWI and WWII war efforts.  During both wars, Americans actively sought and donated scrap metals to meet the massive demand for metals. 

While Bits & Pieces are not as desirable to a collector or student of the long rifle as the complete rifle would be, they are still a handy tool in studying the work of our early gunmakers.   

  All of the following relics are remnants of rifles made here in Hampshire County. 

Attributed to Zebulon Sheetz 1793-1867

                                                           Frederick Sheetz 1774-1861

                                                     Made by someone in the Sheetz Family 

                                                             George Young 1802-1875

                                                                                   

                                                             This Rifle Exploded in Half

                                                                                   

                                               George Young Rifle Barrel Signed G Young

                                                                            41" .45 cal.

                                                                               
                                                                      For More Info 

George Young

Frederick Sheetz

Zebulon Sheetz

2023 Peach Festival Romney WV

Several rifles built in Hampshire County circa 1835 were on display today at the Peach Festival in Romney, West Virginia.  Including rifles made by George Young, Zebulon Sheetz, James Rinehart and John W Rinehart.  

BMS & JDM

Patchbox Sunday #4 George Young

                    Here are three patchbox rubbings taking from signed George Young rifles.  

                                                                  Click For larger Image

For more information click G. Young

Here is our Our First Patchbox Sunday

                                                                               FB

                                                                                             
 

                                                                                   

George Young Rifle

 This George Young Rifle recently came out of a collection in West Virginia.  Thanks to the owner for allowing us to handle this rifle and post a few photos.  We depend on owners of these old rifles to have material to post here.  

                                                                       

Flintlock 40 Inch 40 Caliber Rifled Barrel

                                                                     Stocked In Maple

                                                    Nicely Engraved Pierced Brass Patchbox

                                                                                 

                                                               Signed G Young in Script

This rifle was built by George Young in Romney WV circa 1830s.   George Youngs shop was on lot 17.  This location is on Bolton & Main Street, where Voit's Garage is currently located.  For more information on George Young and his rifles see George Young

                                                                           FB

                                                                                   

                                        HAMPSHIRE COUNTY GUNSMITHS 1750-1900

1.JOHN G. BRANDT ,  ELK GARDEN

2.WILLIAM BRITTON,  FORT ASHBY

3.W T BROWN

4.JOHN CAMPBELL

5.ROLAND SAVAGE DAYTON,  HEADSVILLE

6.CONRAD GLAZE, SPRINGFIELD

7.GEORGE GLAZE, SPRINGFIELD

8.GEORGE W. GLAZE

9.J J GOOD

10.JOHN HIGGINS

11.JOESPH HIATT

12.JOHN C. HAWKEN

13.WILLIAM HAYDEN

14.WILLIAM HOLLENBACK JR, FORT ASHBY

15.WILLIAM HOLLENBACK, FORT ASHBY

16.HENRY KLINE,HOOKS MILL, CAPON BRIDGE

17.JACOB KLINE, HOOKS MILL, CAPON BRIDGE

18.JACOB KLINE JR, NEAR YELLOW SPRING

19.JACOB LUDWICK

20.JOHN MOORE

21.JAMES E. NELSON,NEAR CAPON BRIDGE

22.NATHANIEL OATES, CAPON BRIDGE

23.NATHANIEL OFFUTT,CAPON BRIDGE

24.MICHAEL RANNELS

25.JACOB REED

26.ANTHONY D. REGER

27.JAMES RINEHART,COLD STREAM ROAD

28.JOHN W RINEHART,COLD STREAM ROAD,CAPON BRIDGE

29.BENJAMIN F SHANE, COLD STREAM ROAD

30.FREDERICK SHEETZ, FORT ASHBY & HEADSVILLE

31.HENRY SHEETZ,  FORT ASHBY

32.HENRY SHEETZ JR,  FORT ASHBY

33.JACOB SHEETZ, THREE CHURCHES JERSEY MOUNTAIN

34.JACOB DICE SHEETZ, THREE CHURCHES JERSEY MOUNTAIN

35.OTHO SHEETZ

36.THOMAS SHEETZ

37.ZEBULON SHEETZ, COLD STREAM ROAD, CAPON BRIDGE

38.CHRISTOPHER SLONAKER, COLD STREAM ROAD, CAPON BRIDGE

39.PETER M THRUSH, BURLINGTON

40.HENRY TOPPER, COLD STREAM ROAD

41.EVAN P. WARD, CAPON BRIDGE

42.SIMEON WARD, CAPON BRIDGE

43.GEORGE YOUNG,  ROMNEY

Added 2/26/2013

44.RUDOLPH RINEHART, BEAR WALLOW HOLLOW

Recently added,

45.JAMES MERRICK, NAME ON BARREL OF  A DEFINITE HAMPSHIRE COUNTY RIFLE.

46. R P

47. H P HARRISON

NOTE: THIS LIST CONSIST OF KNOWN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY GUNSMITHS. THEY ARE NO DOUBT A FEW UNKNOWN OR UNDISCOVERED. NOT ALL GUNSMITHS WERE LISTED AS SUCH IN RECORDS.SOME WORKED AT GUNMAKING A SHORT TIME AND THERE ARE NO RECORDS ON THEM. NOT ALL GUNSMITH SIGNED THEIR WORK.

                                                                       BMS

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY CONTEMPORARY BOYS RIFLE

While this site is dedicated  to antique longrifles from  the state of West Virginia, we strayed a little from our usual.

Since we admire the work of Frederick Sheetz and all of his apprentices, we thought you might enjoy seeing this fine contemporary boys rifle made of that school.

                                                    Click Pictures for larger Image

                                                                         

34 Inch Overall Length

Weighs Just 3 1/2 Pounds

.25 Cal  22 Inch Barrel

Full Size Antique Hampshire County Rifle for Comparison

The Maker of This Contemporary Rifle Took Elements From This Relic Stock  

Little Becky Modified Flintlock 

Pierced Side Plate With Shield Found on Many Hampshire County Rifles 

 Engraved Eagle 

Silver Wire Inlay & Weeping Hearts  Reminiscent  of   Frederick Sheetz & George Young s Work.

10 1/2 " Length of Pull

Coin Silver Hunter's Star

Engraved Sheet Brass Partchbox 

This Rifle Was Made for The Maker's Grandson. 

We Appreciate the Maker Sharing this Special Rifle With Us. 

JAMES SIMS

James Sims (1754-1845), Gunsmith of Nicholas County

James Sims, my 5th great-grandfather, was a gunsmith and blacksmith. The Sims rifle was praised for its accuracy.[1]In his book Gunsmiths of West Virginia, on p. 105, James P. Whisker wrote he had never seen a Sims rifle. Several descendants of James Sims owned rifles in 1947 when interviewed by William H. Maginnis and in 1993 as related to me in 2002 by Rose Mary Sims Rudy. William Sims, who made the rifle, was a gunsmith of wide fame according to J.T. Peters and H.B. Carden.

I used to correspond with a "relative" who has since died (1998). He sent me this photograph of the "Mountain Rifle that William (Billy Gunsmith) Sims made." It was in his possession at the time the photo was made in 1993. We talked just before he died and he was giving it to his son!! He was responsible for securing a grave marker for our ancestor James - the date was assumed to be 1838.  In correspondence he stated "his great uncle Eugene Simms reported that James was still drawing his RW pension when he died."  He says that the Mountain Rifle has been in the family for many years passed to him by his grandfather and father. William Sims is written on the barrel. His father once told him of a wild hog chasing him up a tree and his brother coming to his rescue with this gun.

                                                              

Nicholas County was the early stomping ground of the Sims family. When James Sims settled there with his large family the county had not yet been formed from Kanawha County. James brought his Negro slaves and the tools of his blacksmith and gunsmith trades with him. Rev. Shirley Donelly, well-known for his column "Yesterday and Today" in the Beckley Post- Herald, wrote, "His rifles became noted and won an enviable reputation. Some years ago, one of these guns was shown to me but they now have all but disappeared from local circles. The Simms rifle ranked with the fine rifles produced in Raleigh County by James A. Honaker, J. B. Honaker, Joseph Carper, and Samuel Carper, as well as the Henderson rifles of Summers County and the Miller rifles of Monroe County."[2]

                                                                     

James Sims, a native of Culpeper County, may have learned the blacksmith and gunsmith trades before 1780 in Falmouth or Fredericksburg, both in Stafford County. Fredericksburg was a center of the iron industry in colonial times.[3]

James moved to Lowmoor, then Bath County, Virginia, about 1787 where he engaged in rifle making.[4]

A family tradition tells of James Sims, learning of the illness of his dear cousin Frances Sims Morris, wife of Joshua Morris, going to Kanawha Valley:

Following her death (Phebe), James Sims married Nancy (sic, Elizabeth) Cotton. Soon after this marriage, he went to Kanawha Valley to visit a cousin and also visited the Henry Morris home on Peter’s Creek. Henry tried to persuade him to buy near him, but James being a great hunter, said, “No, this section is too thickly settled.” So Henry took him on a hunting expedition down Peter’s Creek, out across the Little Elk Mountain and started down Little Elk Creek where they found signs of bear, deer and wild turkey. James Sims then said, “Henry, if I can buy land on this creek, I’ll be your neighbor soon.” The land belonged to John Jones who lived at what is now Pratt. He had married a Morris and had purchased thousands of acres of land. He at once went to see Mr. Jones and they soon agreed on a price for 500 acres on Little Elk Creek: a plug horse and a flint lock rifle. As soon as he could make arrangements, he moved his family there.”[5]

This colorful family history must be taken with a grain of salt. No court record of the above transaction has been found. The Kanawha County Clerk's office has a deed dated 8 April 1800 in Deed Book A page 391 in which John Jones conveyed 123 acres of land on Gauley to James Sims for the sum of five shilling.

                                                                     

In 1926 Peters and Carden were given a similar account of the story. The old plug horse and rifle were still part of the deal but the tract of land was 600 acres.

James Sims, great-grandfather of Miletus Sims (who is now living at Swiss and is 94 years of age), came from Culpepper county, Virginia, in 1795, and bought a 600-acre tract of land from Morris and Jones for which he paid on (sic, one) old plug horse and a muzzle-loading rifle. This tract of land was partly in Nicholas and partly in Fayette county.[6]

Col. Edward Campbell, author of a series of articles which appeared in the Chronicle in 1883, wrote about James Sims:

Going up Gauley River to the mouth of Little Elk, which empties into the river two miles above the ford, we come to the settlement made by J. Windsor. James Sims also made a small improvement at this place. He came from Jackson’s River in Bath County, Virginia. He was a gunsmith and blacksmith, and did but little farming. He had a large family of children, both male and female. Mr. Sims also brought the first darkies that were ever seen in these parts. He had two sons that were also gunsmiths and made the best of rifle guns. As these guns were much in demand with the increasing settlers they did a lucrative business. They both married young, and settled near their father and did some farming in addition to their work on guns. James lived to see his family settled here and elsewhere. His sons, William and Martin, remained here until they were old men and died leaving large families. James Sims was said to be 90 years old when he died.[7]

Col. Edward Campbell, the son of John Campbell and Nancy Hughes, was born in 1800 and acquired the basics of an education from his parents. Shortly after the formation of Nicholas County in 1818, he was appointed a justice of the peace and travelled throughout the county performing legal services for many of the outlying settlers who found it inconvenient if not impossible to make the long trip into Summersville. Campbell possessed an extraordinary memory for names and facts about the earliest inhabitants of Nicholas County, and some sixty years following his days as a travelling justice, he wrote down his reminiscences of the early settlers and the way in which they lived. Campbell’s memoirs have always been held in high esteem by historians, and where validation is possible he has seldom been found in error in any of his remarks.[8]

After Indians were driven away from the Kanawha valley about 1794, gunsmiths and hunters were still in demand in this region because of the abundance of wolves, bears and other wild beasts. Among the gunsmiths and hunters of the period were James Sims of Gauley river and his son, William.[9]

When William H. Maginnis wrote this statement in 1947 several guns made by William Sims were known to still be in existence. William learned his trade from his father James who turned the business over to his son. No known gun made by James has been preserved.

                                                                         

On 8 June 1802 James Sims and his son William were seen on a list of men to whom $2.50 was paid for each wolf-scalp presented. Part of the routine work, as seen in the minute-book, of the Kanawha County court was the payment of bounties for scalps of wolves.

Miletus Sims (1831-1927), who was about 14 years old when his great-grandfather James Sims died, described him as "a physical giant, fair of complexion, a great hunter and woodsman and inclined to thrift. He built the best house on Gauley in those days - two story, hewn oak logs and a massive chimney."[10]

Mrs. Ruberta Malva "Bertie" Simms Wicker, a daughter of Miletus, wrote a three-page missile to Rev. Shirley Donnelly in 1969. "His (Miletus) grandfather, William Sims, was a fine gunsmith and lived at the mouth of Little Elk, now Swiss, W. Va. There the family built a log cabin that was two stories high. It had a little ladder arrangement in one corner, where they could climb up to shoot at the wolves which prowled through there at that time. I remember the house very well as I am now 97 years old."

                                                                       

In 1835 James Sims was 80 years old when he sent this statement or letter of reply to the Pension Bureau following  questions of the authenticity of his claim to be a veteran of the Revolution. James mentions he gave a new rifle and $500 in continental money to one William Noll (?) whom he hired as a substitute, most likely about 1775. Was this new rifle one of the first he manufactured? [11]

                                                                         

James Sims Pensioner Serv 9 mo. Receives $30 pension. I the undersigned James Sims in pursuance of the requisites of the Secretary of the War gives the following narrative ________ services as a Soldier in the War of the Revolution & statement of my age to-wit. I am in my 79th year of age. I am a native of Culpepper County & lived in that county during the War of the Revolution. In my nieneteenth or twentieth year of age (I cant tell in what year) I was drafted for 3 mo. & marched from Cupepper Country under Capt. John Tults (?) (don’t recollect the names of his subaltern officers) Capt Tults company was attached to a Regt commanded by Col Jno Slaughter which went from Culpepper. The Regt. Marched to Norfolk. Can’t recollect the names of any towns through which we marched on going to Norfolk. We were discharged at Norfolk in time to get home before the three months expired. In less than one year after the preceding term, (I cant tell in what year) I was drafted again for 3 mo. And hired a substitute whose name was William Noll (?) gave him $500 in continental money and a new rifle gun. In the year in which Cornwallis was captured at Yorktown I was drafted again for 3 mo. Set out from Culpepper under a Capt. Whose name I have forgotten. We were preparing to set out on the march for nearly one week, when the news of Cornwallis’ defeat was received & we were ordered to return home & done so, having been in service this latter term about one week – I was a Sergeant & they ended my services — Saml Price wrote my Declaration to whom I gave this same narrative of my service. That I now give. I agreed to give him $20 if he brought me my money In ______________of all which I hereto subscribe my name. Jany 10, 1835
His
James      X      Sims
Mark

The original Revolutionary War application papers were sent to W. G. Singleton, U.S. District Attorney, at Winchester, Virginia, on 13 March 1835. Upon an examination of his claim by the U.S. District Attorney, James Sims' name was dropped from the pension rolls, 21 March 1835, as it was shown that he did not render the alleged service.

Although James Sims' service during the Revolutionary War was not accepted as proof for a pension, the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) have accepted his "providing supplies" and approved him as a Revolutionary War patriot. How I would love to find a document showing he provided arms of his own making.

© 2015 Cathy Meder-Dempsey  

See Updated Article Here

---

[1] William Griffee Brown, History of Nicholas County, West Virginia, Dietz Press, 1954, p.375

[2] Rev. Shirley Donnelly, "Nicholas County Had Fine Gunsmith, Too," Beckley Post Herald, 24 September 1965 p. 4.

[3] William H. Maginnis, "Guns Made by Pioneer on Gauley River," The Charleston Gazette, Sunday, 10 August 1947 p. 20.

[4] George R. Penick Jr., comp., The Penick Papers (a Sims family compilation) (compiled in 1978-1980).

[5] Lela Wolfe Prewitt, “James Sims of Culpeper, Fayette & Nicholas Cos., (W) Va.,” Ancestors & Descendants of Thomas Sims of Culpeper County, Virgina Edmund Butler of Virginia and Kentucky with Allied Families & Other Culpeper Data, Compiled and published by Lela Wolfe Prewitt, Fairfield, Iowa, 1972, p. 156.

[6] J.T. Peters and H.B. Carden, History of Fayette County, published by the Fayette County Historical Society, Inc., 1926, page 610.

[7] Edward Campbell, “Early Settlers of Nicholas County, Virginia,” Nicholas County, (West) Virginia Records of the Pioneers 1818-1860, p. 63

[8] Ibid., p. 54

[9] "Guns Made by Pioneer on Gauley River"

[10] Ibid.

[11] James Sims, Revolutionary War Pension Application papers, File No. S.19494

Illustrations by Jeff Prechtel

We are grateful and very pleased with this wonderful article  Cathy Meder-Dempsey shared with us. 

GEORGE YOUNG GUNSMITH

WE ORIGINALLY POSTED A BLOG ON GEORGE YOUNG IN MARCH OF 2013.  SINCE THEN, WE HAVE FOUND NEW INFORMATION.  ALSO WE HAVE ADDED SEVERAL  PICTURES. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO  SHARED THIS INFO & PICTURES  WITH US. WE ALWAYS WELCOME NEW FACTUAL INFORMATION & PHOTOS.

 THE STUDY OF THE AMERICAN LONGRIFLE IS CONTINUOUS  , WE WILL NEVER HAVE THE COMPLETE STORY ON THESE MAKERS OR THEIR RIFLES.

                                                                 
                                                       TOP   GEORGE YOUNG
                                                    MIDDLE   JAMES RINEHART
                                                    BOTTOM  GEORGE YOUNG
                                                    Click Images For Larger View
                                                                         
                                                                       
                                                                         

 

 He Would Sign His Barrels, G. Young. He Would Use Either A Silver Plate Inletted Into The Barrel With His Signature On It, Or Would Scribe His Name Directly Onto The Barrel.

                                                                         
                                                                   

 George was one of Hampshire County's finest gunsmiths. Born in Harpers Ferry in 1802. The son of Peter and Catherine Young. Catherine was a sister to William Hollenback Sr who was a gunsmith who made rifles near Fort Ashby.  William had a son by the same name, who was a gunsmith  as well. Sometime before 1815 both Peter and Catherine died, leaving George to be raised by his grandmother Margaret Hollenback.  In 1815 George was indentured to Frederick Sheetz.  Frederick Sheetz is to  many students of the Hampshire County Long Rifle the finest maker Hampshire County ever had.  While many have agreed that Young must have apprenticed to Sheetz, we did not have positive proof until recently , when the following record was uncovered.  Much thanks goes to our friend  for sharing this with us:

                                               "To the Court of Hampshire"

The subscriber was some eight or ten years ago appointed guardian for her grandson George Young. And now on account of her age and infirmities,  wishes to relinquish the same favour of Fred'k Sheetz, Esq.  To whom she inclines binding the boy that he should to learn the Trade of Gunsmith, he having arrived to the age of nearly thirteen years. It is also the desire of the boy that he should be bound to Mr. Sheetz. Given under my hand this 15th day of Apl 1815.

Signed,  Margaret ( her mark) Hollinback
George Young was born 7th Augt 1802
Signed, Margaret ( her mark) Hollinback
In the presence of A. King and Zebn Sheetz

The witness "Zebn Sheetz"  was no doubt Zebulon Sheetz, Gunsmith and brother to Frederick. This leaves lil wonder why George became such a skilled maker of long rifles.

EARLY SIGNED GEORGE YOUNG RIFLE

                                                              "Long Rifles of Virginia"
                                                                          Page 99
                                                                         

                    This Signed George Young Rifle Has Never Left  The County, Or The Original                                                                          Owners  Family.

                                                          Engraved Toe Plate

                                                 He Mostly used Incised Carving

"Long Rifles Of Virginia"

Page 100

                                                           1830 Circa made in Romney

                                   Same Type Side Plate That Zebulon Sheetz Used

You Can See The Influence of  Frederick Sheetz 

                           This George Young Rifle Likely Blew Apart  Shortly After It
                                    Was Made in About 1830. The  Carving Is Not Worn.

                                                  Maybe The Result Of To Much Powder,
                                                          Or Failure To Seat The Ball

                                   Nearly Identical Carving To Signed George Young Rifle.
                                         Rifle Was A Master Piece Before Its Destruction

Click Pictures For Larger Image

George Young's Work Rivaled  That of Frederick Sheetz

George Young's Will

Estate Inventory 

George served his apprenticeship at present day Headsville. This is where Frederick located his gun shop and mill, after leaving Fort Ashby. For many years Headsville was called "Sheetz' Mill". This was one of the mills that Union Troops burned during the Civil War.


George married Elizabeth Nicholson in 1824. She was born in 1805. Together they had eight children.



We  find George Young in the 1830 census in Hampshire County. George bought lot 17 in Romney  in 1832. There he opened his gun shop and made some of his finest rifles. I believe that lot 17 is on the corner of South Bolton and Rt. 50, where Voit's garage is presently located.

George did incised carving on the maple wood stocks on some of his rifles. He  liked to use silver wire inlay and other silver inlays. He was a excellent engraver as can be seen on the brass patchboxes and on some of the inlays. The use of rectangular shaped nail heads can be seen on his rifles. This was  nearly a trademark of Frederick Sheetz, to whom he apprenticed with. You will find some of his rifles are flintlock. Most of the rifles made after 1830 were percussion. While he did make some real fancy rifles, he also built rifles for the average person of his day. We are fortunate that a few of his rifles have survived.

George Young Left Romney Area Around 1840,  and headed West to Perry County, Illinois.  In the 1850 & 60 census he is listed as a gunsmith.  In the 1870 census he is listed as a farmer.  He is buried in the IOOF Cemetery in Du Quoin Illinois. After the death of George, his wife Elizabeth, and some of their children relocated to Orange County, California. Elizabeth Young, died 1888 and is buried in the Santa Ana Cemetery.
                                                                   

                                                       
                                                                     

Here is a link with information on George Young's sons.

George Young, Civil War Veteran, Orange County California Genealogical Society Civil War Veterans Project (occgs.com)

Here is a link to an interesting story about George Young and a Neighbor.
Reports of Cases at Law and in Chancery Argued and Determined in the Suprem... - Google Books
Note: Silkwood was originally from Hampshire County it is possible that Young and Silkwood left Hampshire County about the same time, so this feud may have started here. After this incident two of Youngs's sons married daugheters of Elam Silkwood.

For more information on George Young and other West Virginia Gunsmiths:
"Gunsmiths of West Virginia" By James Whisker
"West Virginia History Volume XLV 1984" Pages 125-158 William H. Ansel & James B. Whisker

Photos From Page 99 & 100 " Long Rifles Of Virginia" Courtesy Of James B Whisker





THANKS TO THE COLLECTORS WHO ALLOWED US TO POST PICTURES OF THEIR RIFLES.  PLEASE DO NOT COPY.