BENJAMIN F SHANE

                              BENJAMIN F SHANE GUNSMITH AT COLD STREAM
                                                             WEST VIRGINIA

                                

JOHN SHANE WAS BORN 1803 IN FREDERICK COUNTY VIRGINIA. IN 1821 HE MARRIED CATHERINE MASON. THEY HAD SEVERAL CHILDREN INCLUDING BENJAMIN F SHANE, WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 1827. WE HAVE LITTLE INFORMATION ON BENJAMIN; THE BEST STORY THAT HE LEAVES US IS HIS WELL MADE RIFLES.

                                                        

 

THERE WAS A FRANCIS SHANE LIVING IN THE HOUSE OF  HAMPSHIRE COUNTY GUNSMITH JOHN W. RINEHART ACCORDING TO THE 1850 CENSUS. FOR SEVERAL YEARS I HAD THOUGHT THIS WAS A RELATIVE OF BENJAMIN, HOWEVER, DURING RECENT CORRESPONDENCE WITH HISTORIAN WILMER KERNS, I WAS INFORMED THAT BENJAMIN USED THE NAME FRANCIS OR FRANK. THIS WOULD INDICATE TO US THAT BENJAMIN F SHANE MOST LIKELY APPRENTICED TO JOHN W RINEHART. BENJAMIN MARRIED CATHERINE GILL.  IN THE 1860 CENSUS BENJAMIN IS LISTED AS A GUNSMITH.

 

                                               CLICK IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEW

BENJAMIN SIGNED HIS GUNS IN THE ABOVE MANNER, "B. F. SHANE". ON A FEW OF HIS GUNS HE ADDED "AT COLD STREAM". THERE ARE SOME SIGNED B.F.S. AS STATED EARLIER HIS RIFLES ARE WELL MADE. THE WOOD TO METAL FIT IS SO TIGHT THAT ON MANY OF HIS GUNS THE TRANSITION APPEARS SEAMLESS. A TESTAMENT TO THE DURABLILITY, IS THE CONDITION OF HIS SURVIVING 160 YEAR OLD RIFLES. SO FAR, ALL OF HIS GUNS THAT HAVE SURFACED ARE PERCUSSION LOCK; IT IS DOUBTFUL THAT HE MADE ANY FLINTLOCK GUNS. MOST GUNS MADE AFTER 1835 MADE USE OF A PERCUSSION LOCK.

IN THE BOOK,  "FREDERICK COUNTY VIRGINIA SETTLEMENT AND SOME FIRST FAMILIES OF BACK CREEK VALLEY  1730-1830,"  PAGE 549 STATES A LOCAL STORE ACCOUNT SHOWED THAT SHANE BOUGHT WHISKEY BY THE GALLON.  THIS  DOES NOT APPEAR TO  HAVE HAD A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON HIS GUNMAKING SKILLS THAT WE CAN SEE. WE BELIEVE THAT HIS GUNSHOP WAS LOCATED ON COLD STREAM ROAD SOMEWHERE NEAR EDWARDS RUN PUBLIC HUNTING & FISHING . THERE IS MORE INFORMATION ON HIS LAND TRANSACTIONS IN JAMES  WHISKER'S  "GUNSMITHS OF WEST VIRGINIA".   ON APRIL 17TH 1861 BENJAMIN DIED IN  HIS GUNSHOP FROM INJURIES RESULTING FROM AN  ANVIL FALLING ON HIM. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW MORE DETAILS OF THIS ACCIDENT. HIS WIDOW CATHERINE, MARRIED GABRIEL MCDONALD II IN 1866 AND MOVED TO NEBRASKA.  WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND BENJAMIN'S FINAL RESTING PLACE. WE DO KNOW THAT  HIS FATHER AND MOTHER ARE BURRIED AT BACK CREEK QUAKER CEMETERY.

IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION ON BENJAMIN SHANE OR PICTURES OF HIS RIFLES WE CAN ADD TO THIS POST PLEASE CONTACT US. THANK YOU.

                                                                                --------------

FOR MORE INFORMATION REFER TO

• GUNSMITHS OF VIRGINIA SECOND EDITION BY JAMES BISER WHISKER, PAGE 134

• FREDERICK COUNTY ,VIRGINIA SETTLEMENT AND SOME FIRST FAMILIES OF BACK CREEK VALLEY 1730-1830 BY WILMER L KERNS

• WEST VIRGINIA HISTORY VOLUME XLV 1984 PAGE 125 "EARLY GUNMAKERS OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY" BY WILLIAM H. ANSEL JR

       

THANKS TO COLLECTORS WHO HAVE ALLOWED US TO USE PHOTOS OF THEIR RIFLES; PLEASE DO NOT COPY OR REPRODUCE.

 

 

 

                                                                           

Patchbox Sunday #3

           The following patchbox rubbings were taken from rifles made by  Benjamin Franklin Shane.

                                                                        

Benjamin Franklin Shane was a Hampshire County gunmaker on Cold Stream Road near Capon Bridge circa 1850.  For more info BFS.     

                                                    Hope You Found These of Interest.

                                                           Thanks, JDM & BMS...

                                                                              FB

JOHN "HENRY" TOPPER

WANTED HENRY TOPPER RIFLES PLEASE USE CONTACT FORM IF YOU HAVE ONE OR KNOW OF ONE FOR SALE.

                                                               HENRY TOPPER
                                                          Click For Larger View                       

John "Henry" Topper born 1777 in Northampton Pennsylvania, son of Andrew Topper 1747-1831. Andrew was son of Christian Topper 1715-1789. Christian left Germany in 1748 to settle in America.

Henry Topper can be found in early 1800 records of Cumberland Township, Adams County PA. Henry may have learned the trade of gunsmith near Gettysburg PA and may have had a gun shop there.

In the 1810 and 1820 census Topper is found in Hampshire County Virginia, now West Virginia.

1810 Census

1820 Census

In the 1820 Census of Industry, Henry states that he is engaged in the gun making business, and has one employee. Indicating that he had purchased wood and iron.  The previous year he made twelve guns. Toppers Gun shop was on Cold Stream Road not far from where the Edwards Run Public Hunting & Fishing area is today. Probably not much more than a stones throw from where the gun shop of Zebulon Sheetz' was located. With running water from the waters of Edwards Run and the Cacapon River combined with Iron from near by Bloomery, this was an ideal location. Some years later, Benjamin F Shane, James Rinehart and Christopher Sloanaker would find this area just as suitable for making guns as their predecessors.

A few years back I read in "Historical Records of Old Frederick and Hampshire Counties Virginia" By Wilmer L. Kerns, of a cemetery where the daughters of Henry and Maria Topper where buried. In another source I had read that MR Kerns had indicated that the engraving on the headstones were probably that of Henry Topper himself. The precision and skill required for such results, were the reason for this conclusion.  Recently I became aware of a rifle signed H T that was attributed to Henry Topper. Upon inspection of the rifle and comparing it with the one on page 98 of " Long Rifles of Virginia" by James T. Butler and James B.Whisker, I concluded the same. To our knowledge these two Topper rifles are the only surviving guns made by him. 

The Other Surviving " Henry Topper Rifle" Pictured on page 163 "Gunsmiths of Bedford, Fulton, Huntington & Somerset Counties" by James Whisker & Larry W Yantz also pictured on page  98 " Long Rifles of Virginia" by James Butler & James Whisker" 

I  happened to recollect the mention of the Topper Graves in the book by Wilmer L. Kerns. I decided to find out where this cemetery was. After a little online researching we found the cemetery and obtained permission to visit the graves. The cemetery is on private property. After visiting the graves and inspecting the rifle, I have come to the conclusion that Wilmer L. Kerns had came to three decades earlier. While we were aided with the help of the  Henry Topper Rifle. I feel that Henry engraved the headstones for his daughters. You will see that in the following pictures that they are "Asterisk Like" symbols on the headstones as well as on this rifle. On the rifle there are three on the barrel, four on the cheek piece inlay and four on the toe plate.

Maria Ann Topper

Born 1807

Died 1809

Susanna Topper

Born 1809

Died 1810

* H * T * on top flat of octagon barrel & asterisk to the right.

Click Pictures For larger View

               

While many gunsmiths have used symbols such as stars, pinwheels, fish, and even the asterisk.  It is very possible that since the deaths of his baby daughters, that his use of the symbols was done in remembrance of them. The asterisk in Greek means little star. This symbol is also close to the ancient christian symbol spelling fish in Greek, only lacking the circle that surrounds that symbol.

The flintlock rifle made by Henry Topper has a 44 inch long rifled 50 cal barrel.

Even on the side plate below there is a design that closely resembles the etching on the bottom of  Maria's headstone.

Similar design on both the sideplate above & the headstone below.

In 1827 Henry Topper sold his gun shop, house and land to Christopher Slonaker another Hampshire County Gunsmith. In the 1830 Census, Henry Topper is in Napier, Bedford County Pennsylvania. A few years later he is found living in Westmoreland County Pennsylvania.  He dies there and is buried in Saint Vincent Cemetery in Latrobe in 1839.

 Any information on John "Henry" Topper or guns made by him would be appreciated.

For more information on Topper or other Hampshire County gunsmiths see;

'West Virginia History Volume XLV 1984"   William H.Ansel, James B.Whisker

"Gunsmiths of West Virginia" , James B.Whisker, Fred R. Lambert

"Historical Records of Old Frederick and Hampshire Counties Virginia" Wilmer L Kerns

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

                                        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

J J Good Gunsmith, Singer Sewing Machine Agent & Inventer

 Joshua Johnson Good was born in Albemarle Virginia in 1834.  He was the son of Jacob Good (1799-1881) and Lucy Wiggington (1799-1880).  His grandfather was Felix Good SR of Hampshire County. 

                                                                                   

                                                                     Joshua Johnson Good

In the 1850 census the Goods are living in Hampshire County,  Joshua is 16 years old and his father Jacob's occupation is listed as a miller.  In the 1860 census, Joshua is in Atchison, Kansas listed as a Gunsmith.  He is listed as a gunsmith in the 1860 Atchison City Directory.  In June 1863 there was a Joshua G Good listed on the registration for the draft in Butler Ohio.  His occupation is gunsmith, so I presume the G is a misprint.  In 1867 Joshua married Mary E Renaker in Harrison Kentucky.  In the 1870 we find him & Mary, with two children in Cynthiana Kentucky.   In this census he is listed as a Singer Sewing Machine Agent and Gunsmith.  In the 1880 census,  Joshua is listed as a Sewing Machine Agent.

Joshua was also an inventor and held several patents, including one for,  safety fenders for locomotives, autographic register improvement, improvement for plows & a machine for folding strips of paper. 

Joshua's wife Mary died in 1886, he died in 1900, both of them are  interred at Battle Grove Cemetery in Cynthiana Kentucky. 

 So now the question, whom did he apprentice to and how many guns did he make here in Hampshire County, or in Kentucky?  

The rifle pictured has a commode lid cap box on the cheek side, similar to a couple of  Benjamin F Shane's rifles.  Another candidate, is Evan P Ward.  The Good family lived close to the Wards.  J J Good had a son named Evans P Good, possibly named after Evan P Ward?  How many guns did he make while living in Hampshire county?  Finding a Hampshire county rifle made by Good would be difficult,  he wasn't here more than eight years after he completed his training.  There should be more guns existing while he lived in Kentucky, but we have not seen any.   

 We hope that more rifles  by J J Good will surface and please send us photos if you have one , we would love to see it.  Thanks to James Whisker for the use of his photo & all the help he has been to us.  BMS                              

                                                                                    FB

Thanks to a descendant of Joshua for the use their portrait. 

  

JAMES EDWARD NELSON GUNSMITH & CONFEDERATE SOLDIER

CAPON BRIDGE & close vicinity, was home to many of Hampshire County's early gunsmiths. As we have discussed in past blogs, we give much credit to the Northwestern Turnpike & Bloomery's iron production for fostering the gun making industry in that area.  We have  covered a few of these gun makers  in  previous blogs. Today we are going to share with you what little information we have on James Edward Nelson.

                                                                       

                                    RIFLE MADE BY JAMES EDWARD NELSON
                                                       Click images for large view



James Edward Nelson came into this world on  August 24,1830.  James was the son of Lorenzo Nelson & Mary (Caudy) Nelson. James was the Great Great Grandson of James Caudy, early Hampshire County settler , Indian fighter and the famed legend of "Caudy's Castle".*

In the 1850 census James is listed as a "Farmer".  In the 1870 & the 1880 census he is listed as "Gunsmith". From whom he learned the trade we do not know. However, it may have been one of the Rinehart Brothers, James or John W, most likely the latter.  From earlier research we have found that Zebulon Sheetz influenced James Rinehart. James no doubt taught  his younger brother John W the trade. We also know that Benjamin Shane, Nathaniel Oates & Michael Rannels ( all 3 became  gunsmiths) lived in the same house as John W Rinehart in 1850. This indicates to us that John W did not mind sharing the knowledge and teaching the  skills  required  to pursue the  art  of gun making.
                                                                     

The Image Above Is A Tracing of Furnishings From a Signed Nelson Rifle. 

Exactly where James, had his gun shop we do not know. It is possible he moved a few times in his career. Census records show, Capon Bridge, Bloomery, & Forks of Capon.

Searching Confederate records show us that James Edward Nelson was a Sergeant with the 41st & 23rd Virginia Cavalry. Fortunately he survived  the war to return home to continue his trade.
                                                                               

                                                                         

THE 41ST VIRGINIA CAVALRY MERGED WITH THE 

23RD VIRGINIA CAVALRY

 APRIL 1864

JAMES

SERVED IN BOTH

James died 1882 , you can find his grave  marked by a monument stone in Parks Hollow Cemetery on a  small hill, in the valley that lies between Schafenaker & Cooper Mountain.

About the rifle.
                                                                             

ENGRAVED IN SCRIPT ON TOP OF BARREL

J. E. N.

Click image for large view

                                                                                                                                                               

 The rifle is signed between the rear sight & the breech on the top flat of the octagon rifled barrel, in script J E N .
                                                                         

DOUBLE SPUR BRASS TRIGGER GUARD

PERCUSSION CAPBOX ON CHEEK SIDE

ENGRAVED BRASS SIDE PLATE

PERCUSSION LOCK

ACORN FINIAL ENGRAVED BRASS PATCHBOX

BRASS NOSE CAP

NICE ROMAN NOSE MAPLE STOCK

This percussion rifle is a little shorter than most full stock rifles of the period. It may have been cut down from the muzzle end for war use or somebody just liked a short rifle. There is no evidence of it ever being cut at the breech due to corrosion as many percussion rifles have been.  The barrel is only 32.250 " long and the overall length of rifle is 48". It is a .40 cal with a heavy barrel of 1.125" across the flats. This makes for a fairly hefty rifle @ 11 pounds. Has a double set trigger that works perfectly, with less than a pound pull on the hair trigger, made for accurate shooting. One can imagine it being used by a Confederate Militia member or sniper during the Civil War. However, there is no strong supporting evidence of this & the caliber seems a little small for such work. It is more likely that it helped provide some Hampshire County Family squirrel, rabbit, turkey & deer meat. This rifle sports the typical Hampshire County acorn finial on the engraved, friction lid, brass patchbox. The Roman nose maple stock is expertly done. Also has the engraved brass capbox on the cheek side, as many 1840-1880 Hampshire County Rifles do.  Other brass furnishing includes engraved side plate, nose cap, butt plate, entry pipe & ramrod pipe & very petite double spur trigger guard. This rifle's workmanship indicates that James was a very competent gunsmith.


* http://www.historichampshire.org/scenic/caudy.htm







AS ALWAYS, THIS BLOG IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND WE LEARN MORE EVERY DAY. IF YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON JAMES EDWARD NELSON OR A PICTURE OF HIM OR HIS WORK & WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO SHARE IT WITH US, PLEASE CONTACT US USING THE "CONTACT US" AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE.

James & John W Rinehart Gunsmiths

                                     

James & John Rinehart were sons of Abraham  & Mary Rinehart. James Rinehart, born 1811 in Virginia, Died 1883. James Rinehart was a Gunsmith in Hampshire County WV, (VA) from at least 1835-1848. In about 1848 he left Hampshire County to go West to Ross County Ohio. While in Hampshire County James bought Zebulon Sheetz's land.  More than likely this included Zebulon's gun shop, located on Cold Stream road near Capon Bridge.  Very probable that James apprenticed to Zebulon.  James usually marked his guns, J R on barrel flat in block letters. While his brother John W Rinehart would sign his JWR or J W Rinehart in script.  One thing of note, there seems to be more surviving Rinehart Rifles  than  those of any other maker from Hampshire County.  Hampshire County makers were rather fond of the acorn patchbox & Roman nose.  These two features became popular in HC from about 1825 or a little later through the end of gun-making in Hampshire County.

                                     Click Images for Large Image

                                       

J R 

                                                                     J R

The Above Tracings Taken From Two Rinehart Rifles.

John W Rinehart born 1826 , made rifles in Hampshire County up to and into the early 1850s. While here he was a most proficient maker if the number of surviving rifles are an indicator.  He also shared the art of gun making with others.  We believe that Nathaniel Oats, Benjamin Shane & Michael Rannels learned the trade from John.  All four can be found living in the same house in the 1850 census. In 1852 John pawned some  belongings to Nathaniel Offutt, it was about this same time he left Hampshire County.   John Rinehart went West as many gunsmiths from the East had done.  We find him making rifles in Lexington Missouri in 1860. He is listed as a gunsmith in the 1860 census. In the 1880 census he is listed as merchant. The rifle pictured  below, signed J W Rinehart is one he made while in Missouri.

                                     

J W Rinehart

J W R 

John died in 1893 in Lexington Missouri.

We will add more photos of their work in the next few weeks. If you have  photos of their rifles or portraits we would greatly appreciate.

Thanks to those who worked with us on this.

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