OTHO & ZEBULON SHEETZ

NOTABLE ANTIQUE GUNS                                                             BY   JIM WHISKER

                                                                      

ARTWORK BY

JEFF PRECHTEL

Click pictures for larger view

Courtesy of The

RICHARD ALAN WOOD COLLECTION

                                                                     
                                                                             
                                                                   


ZEBULON SHEETZ, BORN ABOUT 1793, WAS A GUNSMITH IN BETHEL VALLEY, BLOOMERY DISTRICT, HAMPSHIRE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.  ZEBULON WAS A SON OF HENRY SHEETZ, SR.

ZEBULON SERVED IN THE 77TH REGIMENT, VIRGINIA MILITIA, DURING THE WAR OF 1812, UNDER CAPTAIN JOHN DEAN.  HE WAS DRAFTED IN NOVEMBER 1814, AND HIS SERVICE LASTED APPROXIMATELY "FIFTY OR SIXTY DAYS".(1)

ON AUGUST 26, 1819, HE BOUGHT 59 ACRES OF LAND ON BOTH SIDES OF THE GREAT CACAPON RIVER, IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY (2).  ON MARCH 16, 1822, HE BOUGHT 33 ACRES ON EDWARDS RUN (3).  IN JULY 1835 ZEBULON AND MARGARET SHEETZ SOLD TO JAMES RINEHART A  TRACT OF 40 1/2 ACRES ON EDWARDS RUN, HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FOR $1000 (4).

ZEBULON WAS A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, A MEMBER OF THE HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COURT (5), AND WAS ACTIVE IN LOCAL POLITICS (6).  AN UN-NAMED FOREIGN VISITOR TO AMERICA, QUOTED IN A POPULAR MAGAZINE OF THE TIME, WAS STRUCK WITH THE BEAUTY OF THE BETHEL VALLEY AND WITH ITS RURAL NATURE.  HE FOUND THAT ZEBULON SHEETZ RAN NOT ONLY A GUNSHOP, BUT ALSO WORKED AS A MILLER, A TANNER, SAW MILL OPERATOR, AND AT THE WOOL-CARDING BUSINESS (7).

ZEBULON'S NAME APPEARED ON THE CENSUSES OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FOR 1820 AND 1830, BUT NOT THEREAFTER.  HE MOVED TO INDIANA SOMETIME AFTER 1830. ZEBULON MADE APPLICATION FOR A WAR OF 1812 PENSION ON MAY 18, 1852, GIVING HIS AGE AS 58 AND HIS ADDRESS AS WHITE COUNTY, INDIANA.  HE DIED IN WHITE COUNTY IN NOVEMBER 1868 (8).

OTHO SHEETZ (?-1833) WAS FIRST LOCATED AS A GUNSMITH IN HAMPSHIRE [NOW MINERAL] COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.  ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1811, FREDERICK SHEETZ SOLD TO OTHO LOT 8 IN FRANKFORD [FORT ASHBY] (9). ON MARCH 2, 1812, OTHO SHEETS BOUGHT LOT NUMBER 7 IN FRANKFORD, HAMPSHIRE COUNTY, FOR $57.00 (10).  ON JANUARY 11, 1815, SUSANNA AND OTHO SHEETZ SOLD LOTS 7 AND 8 TO THOMAS CATHER (11).  THE 1820 CENSUS OF INDUSTRY SHOWED THAT OTHO EMPLOYED 3 MEN AND HAD MADE 90 FIREARMS IN THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS, EACH VALUED AT $18.00.

IN 1820, THOMAS SHEETZ, A GUNSMITH IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY, REPORTED THAT HE HAD MADE 90 RIFLES IN THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS AND EMPLOYED 3 HANDS (12).  NOTHING ELSE IS KNOWN OF THOMAS SHEETS.  WE MAY NOTE THAT THE REPORT IS IDENTICAL TO THAT GIVEN \BY OTHO SHEETZ.

ON JANUARY 27, 1820, SUSANNA AND OTHO SHEETZ SOLD THEIR REMAINING LAND IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY (13).  IT WAS MOST LIKELY THAT AT THIS TIME OTHO MOVED TO OHIO ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO RECORDS OF HIS LAND PURCHASES UNTIL 1824.  IT IS LIKELY THAT THE SHEETZ FAMILY REMAINED IN FLUSHING TOWNSHIP, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO, WHERE OTHO DIED IN LATE 1832 OR EARLY 1833 (14).  THE INVENTORY OF THE ESTATE OF OTHO SHEETS WAS TAKEN ON MARCH 9, 1833, AND SHOWED:

6 GUN BARRELS, $18.00
1 SHOT GUN, $10.00
19 GUN STOCKS, $ 2.37
1 GRINDSTONE, $2.00
1 LOT OF FILES, ASSORTED SIZES, $3.50
1 LOT OF PLANES, $0.75
1 PLIERS, BEVELING VICE, $1.00
1 TUMBLER GRINDER, $0.75
1 PAIR SHEARS, OIL STONE, TRIGGERS, $1.00
1 LOT OF PATTERNS & FLASKS, $1.25
3 DRAWING RODS, FRAME & BITS, $1.00
1 LOT OF CHERRIES & PUNCHES, $1.50
1 LOT OF PATTERNS, $0.37
1 BOTTLE OF OIL ACQUA FORTIS, $0.62
1 DRILL & BOW, $0.12
14 CHISELS & 2 DRAWING KNIVES, $1.75
1 SCREW VICE, $2.50
2 SLEDGES, 2 HAMMERS & 4 TONGS, $3.50
1 LOT OF SWEDGES, $2.00
1 CRUCIBLE & BRASS, $0.18
1 ANVIL, $10.00
1 BELLOWS, $7.50
29 NEW FILES, $2.50
1 PIECE OF IVORY, $0.62
1 LOT OF SAND PAPER, $0.37
6 POUNDS OF SHEETS BRASS, 1.50


THE GUNS

TWO KNOWN GUNS ARE CO-SIGNED "O. & Z. SHEETZ," FOR OTHO AND ZEBULON.  THEY WERE ALMOST CERTAINLY MADE BEFORE OTHO LEFT HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FOR OHIO.  BOTH EXHIBIT TYPICAL HAMPSHIRE COUNTY STYLING.  THE CARVING AND ENGRAVING PATTERNS ARE WITHIN THE PATTERNS ESTABLISHED BY THE SHEETZ FAMILY WHILE THEY WORKED IN WEST VIRGINIA.

                                                                                   

THE DESIGN AND EXECUTION ARE BOTH EXCELLENT.  ONE WHO WISHES TO RECREATE A WESTERN VIRGINIA RIFLE OF C.1815 COULD FIND NO BETTER INSPIRATION THAN THE  O. & Z. SHEETZ RIFLES.

                                                                             

TOP TO BOTTOM

R P

Z SHEETZ

Z SHEETZ

Z SHEETZ

O & Z SHEETZ

THE ONLY REAL QUESTION, AS WITH ANY AND ALL CO-SIGNED RIFLES IS:  WHICH CRAFTSMAN DID WHAT PART OF THE WORK?  WHATEVER THEIR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP MAY HAVE BEEN, THEY MADE AT LEAST TWO BEAUTIFUL GUNS TOGETHER.

                                                                         

PAGE 147 GUNSMITHS OF VIRGINIA

JAMES BISER WHISKER

Zebulon Sheetz

Courtesy of The

RICHARD ALAN WOOD COLLECTION

END NOTES
1 FROM HIS APPLICATION FOR A WAR OF 1812 PENSION DATED MAY 18, 1852.
2 HAMPSHIRE COUNTY DEED BOOK 22:  13.
3 HAMPSHIRE COUNTY DEED BOOK 22:  404.
4 HAMPSHIRE COUNTY DEED BOOK 31:  92.
5 ALTHOUGH CALLED A "COURT" THESE MEN WERE IN FACT WHAT TODAY ARE KNOWN AS COMMISSIONERS.
6 H. MAXWELL AND H. L. SWISHER, HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA, FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE PRESENT [1923], 277.
7 SATURDAY EVENING POST, JANUARY 25, 1840.
8 FROM FAMILY RECORDS COURTESY OF MARK SMITH TO WHOM I AM INDEBTED FOR A COPY OF THE PENSION APPLICATION.
9 HAMPSHIRE COUNTY DEED BOOK 17:  94.
10 HAMPSHIRE COUNTY DEED BOOK 17:  235.
11 HAMPSHIRE COUNTY DEED BOOK 19:  47.
12 U.S. CENSUS OF MANUFACTURES, 1820.
13 HAMPSHIRE COUNTY DEED BOOK 22:  39.
14 BELMONT COUNTY WILLS AND ESTATES.  THIS WAS FIRST  LOCATED BY THE LATE BOB MCAFEE.

ARTICLE REPRINTED FROM THE OCTOBER, 2013 ISSUE OF MUZZLE BLASTS MAGAZINE COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL MUZZLE LOADING RIFLE ASSOCIATION (WWW.NMLRA.ORG).  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

**SPECIAL THANKS TO AUTHOR JAMES B. WHISKER & THE NATIONAL MUZZLE

                                             LOADING  RIFLE ASSOCIATION**

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SHOOTING MODERN MUZZLE LOADING RIFLES, ANTIQUE LONG RIFLES , AMERICAN HISTORY & MUCH MORE. CHECK OUT   THE  NMLRA TODAY.
                                                                            http://nmlra.org/

THANKS TO THE COLLECTORS WHO ALLOWED  US PHOTOGRAPH THEIR RIFLES & USE                                                      OF THEIR PHOTOGRAPH.
                                                   PLEASE DO NOT COPY

WILLIAM BENSON, PRESTON COUNTY

                                                                   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.

 

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.   

 

CORNELIUS IMAN, GUNSMITH GRANT & HARDY COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 1830-1885

        

                                                                               

CORNELIUS IMAN RIFLE

CLICK IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEW

                                  

                                         

       THE FOLLOWING RESEARCH WAS PROVIDED TO US BY JAMES B. WHIKSER

Iman, Cornelius 1830-1885). gunsmith. Cornelius Iman was a son of Emanuel and Barbara (Seitz) Iman and was born in Pendleton County. He married Hanna Kimble (1836-1929), daughter of James and Jane (Porter) Kimble. They had issue: Susanna (b. 11/19/1856); James Monroe (b. 7/30/1854); John (b.1858); Abraham (b.1860); Mary A. (b.1862); William Edgar (b.1868); Sara Jane (b. 6/27/1870); Rhoda Viola (b.1872); Rutherford (b.1876); Alice (b.1879); Henry (b.1882); Henry (b.1882); and Alva (b.1879). In 1862 Iman enlisted at Greenland, Grant County. His enlistment papers described him as a gunsmith, standing 5'11" tall, with black hair and dark eyes. He served in Company I, 7th Virginia Infantry, Union Army, known as the Bloody 7th as they had the highest casualty rates of all WV units. They were the only WV unit in The Army of the Potomac and fought in every major battle in the east including Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Cold Harbor, siege of Petersburg, and Appomattox. Hardy County Home Guards, Private under Captain Daniel C. M. Shell Co. on roll dated 12 November1862 .He contracted scrofula and on 13 February 1863 was given a medical discharge from the army. In 1870 he lived near Patterson Creek, Grant County, with real estate valued at $300 and personal valuation of $100. In 1870 he was a gunsmith living in Union district, south of Petersburg, near Mill Creek, Grant County [Census]. Cornelius died on 7 June 1885 at Pansy, Grant County: Cornelius E. Iman; white; male; born - Pendleton County, WV; died June 7, 1885 in Milroy Dist., Grant County, WV; aged 55 years 1 month 20 days; parents - Emanuel and Barbara Iman; occupation - gunsmith; cause of death - heart disease; death source - Hannah Iman (wife). His widow was granted a government pension because his death was related to the disease contracted in the army [Death Register No. 1: 25 Grant County; Census; Ancestry].

                                 

                                                             CIVIL WAR PENSION

                                 

                                                                 1860 CENSUS

                                                             HARDY COUNTY

 Below is a beautiful halfstock 36 cal rifle made & signed by Iman. The rifle & accouterments where Cornelius Iman's personal hunting outfit, according to family history. 

                                                                        

Click Pictures for Larger View

                         Pictured Below is another halfstock  rifle made and signed by  C E Iman

                                                        Click pictures for larger view

Below is a signed full stock rifle. 

                                                                            

                                                                      

Below signed C E Iman Fullstock Percussion Rifle 

                                                 Below Is An Attributed Iman Rifle 

                                                                        

Recently Added Another Fine Rifle Made by C E Iman

Cornelius Iman's Grave just off RT 93 in Scherr WV

SPECIAL THANKS TO JAMES  B. WHISKER, FOR SHARING THIS RESEARCH WITH US.

PHOTO OF CORNELIUS IMAN RIFLE FROM PAGE 136  "GUNSMITHS OF WEST VIRGINIA" , BY FRED R. LAMBERT & JAMES B. WHISKER. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION FROM  JAMES B WHISKER.

IF YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON CORNELIUS IMAN OR PICTURES OF HIS WORK , WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOU CONTACTING US.

THANKS TO THOSE WHO SHARED PICTURES OF THEIR RIFLES WITH US . 

Hope You Enjoyed, BMS