The article below was written by C. Michael Briggs and, due to its size, posted in 4 parts on the American Long Rifle Forum. American Long Rifles (ALR) wishes to retain Michael's article for future study so it has been converted to a web page and placed in the ALR Library. Anyone wishing to contact Michael will find his contact information at the bottom of this article. ********************************************************************************************************
Today we are going to look at the third North Carolina Longrifle School in our list of nine.  The Guilford County - Jamestown  School was later starting than the most of the other Schools on our list, but made up for this by becoming the largest in the State of North Carolina and the South.  I have been able to document and name in my book, 87 men that worked in this School as gunsmiths, gun-stockers, and apprentices between 1795 and 1902. The Longrifles they made were known locally as "Jamestown Rifles" after the small Quaker Community that most of the gun shops were centered around.

My focus today will be on the men who started this School and who were responsible for it's great success over the years.  My research has shown that the three men who can be credited with starting the Guilford School were Thaddeus Gardner, Craft Jackson, and David Grose.

In my second School posting on the Lower Deep River School, I featured the two known local examples of David Grose's Longrifles. Both are of the Lower Deep River School architecture, which would indicate that he lived and worked in either the Centre Meeting House area in Southern Guilford County or the Quaker Community on Deep River in Randolph County prior to  purchasing 120 acres of land in 1806 beside New Garden Friends Meeting House to build a house and gun shop.  In 1805, he was awarded by the Guilford County Court an orphan named John Conner to "learn the art and mystery of a gunsmith". In 1806, the Guilford County Court awarded him a second orphan named David Muly. In 1821, David Grose sold out and moved to Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana. Neither of his apprentices went on to become master gunsmiths in this School so David Grose cannot be said to have had a lasting impact on this school so we will not look at his work again here.

Thaddeus Gardner is known locally as the father of the Jamestown Rifle. His parents William and Suzanna Gardner were part of a large group of Quakers that moved to Guilford County from Nantucket Island in 1772.  Thaddeus Gardner was born here in 1774.  It is not known for whom, where or when he apprenticed to make Longrifles.  He would have been 21 in 1795 and possibly was making Longrifles then, but this cannot be documented.

Thaddeus Gardner purchased land on Deep River and built a home, water powered barrel mill and gun shop on what was then known as the Old Salisbury Road. Today this site is on Gallimore Dairy Road at the location of Greensboro Pipe Company. The foundation of his house is in the woods nearby. Thaddeus was disowned by Deep River Monthly Meeting in 1814 for excessive profanity and failing to mend his ways despite repeated warnings.

Thaddeus Gardner built a large business over the years with the help of his sons William (born 1807), Grafton (born 1817 and later Superintendant of the Confederate Gun Factory in Jamestown, Mendenhall, Jones & Gardner), and Bartlett (born 1819) and apprentices such as William Lamb (born 1806) that was also his nephew.  Thaddeus had a sister Mary Lamb that was disowned by Deep River Monthly Meeting for marrying out of meeting in 1805, she gave birth to William a year later.  He worked for his uncle in the 1820's and must have been his partner for a period as three Longrifles exist signed T.G. & W.L.  William Lamb would go on to become the best known and widely respected of all Guilford County gunsmiths.

In 1836, Thaddeus advertised in a Charlotte Newspaper that he had "Rifle guns for sale, 40 to 50 on hand." He listed his address as Friendship P.O.

In the 1850 Guilford Census of Manufacturing the shop was still open and being run by his son William for his father Thaddeus Gardner age 76. The shop employed two men full time, one man part time, used 2,000 pounds of iron, 1,000 bushels of coal, produced 200 rifle barrels and 100 completed Longrifles annually.  The other 100 barrels were sold to local gun-stockers. 

Though he worked for over 50 years as a gun maker, only a few of his Longrifles survive today. I have only seen five that are signed T.G. and three from his partnership with William Lamb signed T.G. & W.L.  All of the Longrifles that I have seen that were signed T.G.  have short one screw barrel tangs, unlike most Guilford Longrifles that have long, three screw tangs.  I  think Thaddeus did contribute most to what became the School's slender stock architecture and is responsible for the Jamestown Style double set triggers. I also believe he created the Guilford Style broken or interrupted fore-stock molding.  I have never seen a signed half-stock or percussion Longrifle by him, but there must have been some made if the shop was still making 100 completed rifles a year in 1850.  Perhaps one will surface in the future.

This first Longrifle we will look at is the oldest known example of his work.  I date this Longrifle between 1800 and 1810.  It has an early Guilford Style twisted star or daisy patchbox.  It also features an early colonial style two screw side plate and a broken or interrupted fore-stock molding that stops and starts around the ram rod thimbles. On later Longrifles the molding stops and starts around a diamond inlay.

This is a early version of the Guilford style twisted star or daisy patchbox

Broken or interrupted fore-stock molding.

Lock Mortise - original flintlock, never converted.

T.G. stamp on barrel.

Colonial Style two screw side plate.

There is another early Thaddeus Gardner Longrifle with a sliding wood patchbox and the same early two screw side plate in an collection in Charlotte, N.C.

Cheek rest with pick holder.

This next Thaddeus Gardner is probably the best known of all Guilford Longrifles.  It is the only Guilford Longrifle that John Bivin's decided was worthy of being in the first edition of his book "The Longrifles of North Carolina."  For the most part John did not think that Guilford Longrifles had the artistic merit of some of the other Schools in North Carolina.  In his book, John attributes this rifle incorrectly to Thomas Gluyas who did not even start his apprenticeship until 1846 and then moved to Mecklenburg County in 1853 to make longrifles.  We now know that he signed his rifles T. Gluyas, not T.G. 

This Longrifle was made around 1820 I believe and is the best example of Thaddeus Gardeners work.  It features a non-typical Guilford Patchbox, great comb architecture, and the broken or interrupted fore-stock molding that stops and starts around silver diamond inlays.

Un-typical patchbox for Guilford School.

Lock mortise and original flintlock.

Note comb architecture.

Short one screw barrel tang. 

Toe plate with hidden patchbox release.

T.G. stamp on barrel.

Engraved entry pipe and fore-stock molding.

Broken or interrupted fore-stock molding.

cheek rest side view

side plate.

cheek rest with pick holder.

Over the last thirty years three early Longrifles have surfaced signed T.G. & W.L.  One of these was re-stocked during the period of use that I purchased just to get the barrel.  We will take a quick look at these.

I purchased this first Longrifle over 25 years ago from a collector in Statesville, N.C.

Cheek rest side view.

Here is how the Longrifle is signed.  Note that the G. is upside down.  I imagine that young William Lamb got quite a cussing out for this mistake, remember Thaddeus was known for being for his excessive profanity.

Here is the barrel from the re-stocked T.G. & W.L. Longrifle that I purchased.  William got this one right.

Here are a few photos of the third T.G. & W.L. Longrifle that has surfaced. (I think probably more exist, but this is all that any of us local collectors have seen so far.)  This rifle has a slightly different stock architecture with a small beaver tail tab on the comb as usually found on Salem School and Davidson School Longrifles.

Beaver tail tab on comb.

Comb view.

Two screw side plate.

Cheek rest with pick holder.

William Lamb went on to become a master gunsmith in his own right and made many wonderful Longrifles, a number of which survive today. He built his first gun shop at the intersection of present day Hwy 68 and Gallimore Dairy Road, which is only 300 yards from his uncle's Thaddeus Gardner's Mill and Shop.  He stayed there until 1844 when he purchased 33 acres of land on Deep River and built a water powered barrel mill and gun shop with Anderson Lamb. This is about 4 miles South of his first shop.  I have read in several books and articles over the years that the two were brothers, but I have been able to prove that they were actually brother in-laws.  William married Anderson's older sister, Frances Lamb.  William taught Anderson to make rifles and they were partners for 3 years.  There are a few Longrifles and one flint pistol that are signed A. & W. Lamb that came from this partnership.  Anderson would go on to become the most prolific Jamestown Gunsmith as more of his rifles survive than of any other maker.  

William Lamb was known locally as Capt. Billy.  Over the years he had a number of partners and apprentices including Jabez Stephens, Henry Wright, his sons Henry Clarkson Lamb (born 1829 and later Confederate Contractor H.C. Lamb & Co.), Jesse G. Lamb (born 1831), Obed M. Dixon, B. Franklin Briggs, Phillip Jean, Francis Ledbetter, Emsiah Trogden, and John Ward.

In the 1850 census he is listed as owning a barrel mill with Henry Wright, employing 4 men with monthly wages of $60, equipped with water power, using 4,000 pounds of iron and 1,600 bushels of coal to make 400 rifle barrels annually.   

Here are some photos of a W. Lamb signed Longrifle that I purchased recently in New England.  It is one of the better examples of his work.  I believe this rifle was made in the late 1820's or around 1830 due to the stock architecture.

Guilford twisted star or daisy patchbox.

Lock mortise with original flintlock.

Comb architecture, cheek rest, pick holder.

Silver worked into brass on butt plate, entry pipe and all ram rod thimbles.

Toe plate with hidden patchbox release.

Note: nose cap, inlay with false silver wedge, ram rod thimble and original ram-rod.

Broken or interrupted fore-stock molding and inlay with false silver wedge.

Here is a wonderful example of his later work.  Around 1840, most Jamestown Longrifles were made as half-stocks with percussion locks.  This longrifle is in great condition.

This rifle is all silver mounted with silver cap box and Christian Silver fish inlays.

This rifle has the typical Jamestown Double dove-tail front site. It is the only W. Lamb I have seen with this feature.

W. Lamb stamp on barrel.

Typical long, round ended, three screw barrel tang.

Full Silver side plate, this was top of the line for 1850.

After William brought his two sons into the business in the mid 1850's he changed his stamp to W. Lamb & Sons.  I have seen two rifles with this stamp that were Full-stock and Flintlock which showed you can still order either up to 1860 if that was what you wanted.

It also has a full silver side plate.

Cheek rest side view.

Now we will move on the to third founder of this School Craft Jackson.  Not much is known about his early life, where or when he was born or apprenticed to be a gunsmith.  I do know that he purchased 337 acres of land on the West bank of Deep River, where the present day Jamestown Golf course is now located. In 1811, the Guilford County Court awarded him a 14 year old orphan named Isaac Jones. The two worked together until 1818, when Isaac Jones became a master gunsmith in his own right.  

If you had asked me five years ago were there any rifles that I knew of that were signed or could be attributed to Craft Jackson I would have had to tell you no.  Luckly, there are several signed Isaac Jones Longrifles that exist so we have something to base his work on. During the past five years, two early unsigned Guilford Longrifles have surfaced that I attribute to Craft Jackson. They both have similar stock architecture, patchbox shape, engraving style and other features with two early signed Isaac Jones rifles, that I feel very comfortable in this attribution.  

The first Longrifle that we will examine dates to between 1795 and 1800.  It is the finest Guilford or Jamestown rifle that I have seen to date.  It has a 1 3/4 inch wide butt, with the most drop I have ever seen on a local stock.  It still shows faint traces of relief carving on both sides of the comb and is the only carved rifle known from this school. The rifle also has small beaver-tails on the rear of both sides of the lock mortise. The rifle has gadroon engraving on top of the butt plate, rope molding on the entry pipe and ram rod thimbles and chevrons engraved on the nose cap. This is the only North Carolina Longrifle I know of with these features.  Craft Jackson must have been one hell of a gunsmith.

Note early Guilford Twisted star or daisy patchbox and compare with the next three rifles.

Note traces of  relief carving on comb.

Early two screw side plate.

Gadroon Engraving on butt plate.

Short one screw tang.

Toe plate and pick holder

Note trigger guard and small beavertail on the rear of the lock mortise.

Entry Pipe with rope molding.

Ram rod thimbles with fore stock molding

Nose cap with chevrons.

Note traces of relief carving below comb and the small beavertail on the rear of the lock mortise.

Have any of you ever seen any other Longrifle with these decorative features? If so, from where and who made it?

This next Longrifle belonged to a friend of mine here in North Carolina that recently passed away. It surfaced a couple of years ago in Texas.  It is obviously from the same hand as the first rifle.  It has the same 1 3/4 inch wide butt, (this is not normal for Guilford County Longrifles).  I believe this second Longrifle is a little later and was made around 1810, about the time when Isaac Jones began his apprenticeship. This second rifle has an identical shaped early Guilford twisted star patchbox with the same engraving.  What is different is that it is side hinged.  This is only the second North Carolina Longrifle I know of with a side hinged patchbox.  This rifle does not have any carving or decorative carved features on the butt plate, entry pipe, ram rod thimbles or nose cap.  It is also different in that it does not have the small beaver-tails on rear of both sides of the lock mortise and that it does have the typical Jamestown style three screw barrel tang. I believe that this feature might be one of Craft Jackson's contributions to the features of this School as it is not found on later rifles by Thaddeus Gardner.

Note wide butt and comb.

Note long three screw barrel tang

Note identical shaped patchbox with the same engraving hand.

Lock mortise without beaver-tails.

 Ram rod thimble, nose cap, similar fore-stock molding.

Two screw side plate.

Cheek rest with pick holder.

There are two early examples of Isaac Jones signed Longrifles, both are identical. One belongs to my good friend Joe Byerly and the other is in the storage room of the Greensboro Historical Museum and is not on display. Both of these rifles have a wide butt, very similar to the Craft Jackson rifles.  These four are the only Guilford rifles I have ever seen with a wide butt.  Both of the early Isaac Jones rifles have  early twisted star Patchboxes. As you will see they are identical to each other and similar to both of the Craft Jackson rifles including the engraving.  Both early Isaac Jones rifles have small beaver-tails on the rear of both sides of the lock mortise. This is not a common feature, never seen on a Thaddeus Gardner or David Grose Longrifle.

Here are some photos of the early Isaac Jones rifle that belongs to Joe Byerly.

Compare the patchbox and engraving with the Craft Jackson rifles.

Toe plate.

Long three screw barrel tang.

Lock mortise with small beaver-tail on rear.

Two screw side plate with small beaver-tail on rear of lock mortise.

Cheek rest with pick holder.

Here is a photo of the identical patchbox on the early Isaac Jones at the Greensboro Historical Museum.

The Guilford County or Jamestown School grew slowly over the years and reached a peak in 1850 when the census show there was 18 gunsmiths and 18 gun-stockers working in the School.  In addition to the Gardner and Lamb families already discussed, there was a number of other families that worked together in this School including the Armfields, Couch's, Ledbetters, Wards, Woods and Wrights.  From the census of manufacturing records I believe this school made over 20,000 Longrifles during the Nineteenth Century.  

Most Jamestown Rifles made after 1840 were made as half-stocks with percussion locks.  The School did develop a few unique features.  90% of all Jamestown Rifles have a long, rounded on the end, three screw barrel tangs.  70% of the Jamestown Rifles that I have seen have a double brass dovetailed front site.  Most Jamestown Rifles will have a roman numeral stamped on the barrel (William Lamb and Anderson Lamb often used Arabic numbers on their barrels).  Each rifle would have come with a bullet mold with the same number stamped on the side flat.  I have five rifles that still have their original mold still with them.  One is even signed on the mold by the maker O. M. Dixon.

The last gunsmith was Solomon H. Ward.  His shop was closed in 1902. His shop was very prolific as only Anderson Lamb has more signed rifles that survive.  S.H. Ward was a large man and made few rifles himself, but had three workers that stocked rifles for him.  

The other very good gunsmith from this School whose rifles are very sought after is Jabez Stephens.  He was born in 1816 and worked in the late flint period in this School.  His gun shop was located on Bull Run Creek where the lake at Adams Farm is now located.  He signed his rifles simply J.S.

The late Dr. Harley Mackintosh of South Carolina owned the best two rifles by him that I have seen.  This first rifle had the best engraved patchbox I have ever seen on a Guilford Longrifle. Here is a photo of it.

The second rifle was one of Harley's favorites.  It is a small, almost boys rifle size, half-stock, with a flintlock, that was all silver mounted with a Silver Eagle patchbox. The patchbox lid is signed simply "Lamb & Stephens" for William Lamb & Jabez Stephens.  Here is a photo of the patchbox.

Here are some photos of three of Jabez Stephens Longrifles.  This one is mine.  It is a half-stock and is signed J.S.  Like many of his rifles, the side plate has an engraved fowl on it that my friend Arron Capel calls a "Jabez Stephens Running Chicken".  This is not something I have seen on Longrifles by any other local maker. This rifle is a half-stock with an original flintlock.

Side plate with "Running Chicken".

Unusual Star patchbox.

Cheek rest side view

J.S. stamp on barrel.

This second Jabez Stephens rifle is also mine. It was the first Patchbox Jamestown Rifle I purchased over 25 years ago.

Twisted Star or daisy patchbox.

Cheek rest side view.

Note Eagle Inlay and scalloped pick holder to compare to next rifle.

This last Jabez Stephens Longrifle is on display at the South Carolina State Historical Museum in Columbia, S.C.  It features three running chickens on the side plate and has two hidden storage boxes under hinged doors on the toe plate.  It is the only rifle I have seen with this feature.

Three "Running Chickens" on the side plate.

Molding on bottom of stock.

Hinged doors on toe plate.

Broken fore-stock molding with false silver wedges on the inlay.

Note Eagle inlay and scalloped pick holder.

I will now show you a few of the best of the later half-stock percussion Longrifles from this School that I have found over the last thirty years.

As I mentioned earlier, Anderson Lamb went on to become the most prolific of all Jamestown Gunsmiths.  He built a water powered barrel mill on Bull Run Creek in 1847 just off of Mackay Road.  He had a number of apprentices over the years and brought his son Jesse (born in 1846) into the business in the late 1860's.  His early rifles are signed A. Lamb.  After his son joined the business the rifles are marked A. Lamb & Co.

Here is the best A. Lamb & Co. I have seen or owned to date. It has a beautiful tiger stripped maple stock, is all silver mounted, has a full silver side plate and silver cap box and is in great condition.  

Full silver side plate.

This next Longrifle was made and signed by Evan Johnson. His gun shop was located near the modern intersection of Wendover Ave. and Tarrant Road. He was the third most prolific maker of Longrifles in this school and many of his rifles still survive.  This is my favorite that I have seen of his.  This rifle features a silver Christmas tree inlay with a diamond and heart piercing (both symbols of love) top with a silver star of David.  The cheek rest has a unusual inlay with a Man in the Moon Piercing and a Liberty head figure.