AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: Shreckmeister on August 05, 2012, 07:07:16 PM
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Can anybody provide a bio on George Smith, gunsmith of Westmoreland and
Armstrong County, PA. He was also a miller. Also would like to see an example of
his work. Yesterday a descendant showed me a portrait of him. He was John George Smith Sr.
"He was a gunsmith who manufactured muzzle loading guns. He was a hunter, lover of nature, an expert at calling wild game with a self-made buckhorn call, a fisherman, and trapper. He was a part-time government employee. Ge was employed as a surveyor's assistant, axman, rodman, and chain carrier with the Holland Land Company. It was through this employment he became acquainted with the Armstrong Cty area.
He moved from Brush Creek to Armstrong Cty between 1807 and 1810, first to a location between Distant and Putneyville, remaining there just a short time, then moved to his Father-in-Law's farm on the west bank of Mahoning Creek. According to legend, his first son was born at Petersburg (present-day Timlin) August 4, 1809, which is the area of the west bank of the Mahoning."