Jacob Stoudenour

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

Has anyone seen or have a gun signed " Jacob Stoudenour. All those that I can easily find pictured are said to be signed "J.S."

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

Somebody must have a recollection of seeing a signed ( not "JS") Stoudenour by Jacob??? Please speak up. Could it be that all the "J.S." attributed Stoudenours were by John and not Jacob? Could  the published books on Bedford rifles be wrong???

Here is the URL for the signed only known "John Stoudenour" for your review.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=13505.0

Hurricane

[Shreckmeister]

What is the relationship between John & Jacob.  I have found reference to that name being used interchangeably ie. Johann being interpretted as
John and Jacob.

[g rummell]

What is the relationship between John & Jacob.  I have found reference to that name being used interchangeably ie. Johann being interpretted as
John and Jacob.

John SR was the father of John Jr. and Jacob.

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

I was able to answer the question myself. Today I stumbled upon a booklet by Calvin Hetrick and published by Shumway in 1973 entitled" The Bedford County Rifle and Its Makers." Its is a well illustrated booklet of 43 pages, with pictures of 15 signed Bedford rifles. In describing 3 of Stoudenours rifles, Ketrick specifically states that they are signed "Jacob Stoudenour" on the barrel and signed "J.S." on the lock. Additionally he lists " all" of the Bedford makers known to him, but fails to mention "John Stoudenour" who clearly existed, made and signed one gun in the style of his brother. Inquiring of many, it is alleged that another might exist signed, but not dated , as the one I am familiar with (1834)  is. It seems remarkable that John, obviously similarly skilled to Jacob , may have only made one (perhap two) guns and achieved the high level of product quality and artistic merit of Jacob

An additional theory could be that Jacob made this gun for John.()  Ketrick mentions a gun signed on the barrrel in an inlay, Moses Wright, but made by White. Ketrick's assumption is that Peter White made the gun for a Moses Wright. He relates a story about this gun and a dispute between White and Wright with the gun being finaly  sold to a third party, a gentleman named Crissman.

Here is the John Stoudenour to which I refer.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=13505.0Hurricane

[wildcatter]

Ran across this researching Jacob Snyder:

Margaret was born in 1795.  She married Jacob Stoudnour also born in 1795.  The couple attended the Zion Church in Friends Cove, Colerain Twp., Bedford Co., PA.  They had no children.  Jacob was listed as a gunsmith and farmer in tax records.

Jacob apprenticed to Peter White to learn the gunsmith craft.  Peter White learned his trade from John Armstrong of Emmitsburg, Maryland.  Both men were well known gunsmiths.  Jacob Stoudnour guns were very popular among the Bedford County people.  He probably turned out more muzzle loading rifles than any other gunsmith in Bedford Co., PA.  He is one of five men known to have produced flintlock rifles.  Since percussion system did not become widespread until after 1825 it is probable that he made 40 or 50 rifles as flintlocks.  He made some percussion ones.
Jacob and Margaret owned a tract of land containing 260 acres, having thereon erected two log houses, two log barns, and an apple orchard thereon.  Jacob died January 27, 1863, aged 67 years, 11 months, and 4 days.  He left in his will to William Moore, apprentice gunsmith, his tools and stock on hand.  To his wife Margaret out of personal property he left - three beds, the household and kitchen furniture, one horse, his buggy, two cows, four head of hogs, four sheep, hay and feed for above stock. Jacob is buried in Colerain Twp., Zion Church Cemetery at Friends Cove, according to the rights of the German Reformed Church.  Margaret died March 28, 1878, aged 82 years, 10 months, and 21 days. 

Hannah was born February 28, 1776 or March 1, 1776.  She married John Stoudnour, brother of Jacob Stoudnour.  They were the parents of five children.  Hannah died May 12, 1854, at the age of 78 years, 2 months, and 12 days.  From will filed in Bedford Co. Courthouse (Nancy), Rachel. Sarah, Hanna Mary and Elizabeth.  Guardians named:  John Schell Jr. and Anthony Smith. 

We are unsure of John’s other children, as story has it John had 23 children and was hoping for another to make it an even two dozen.  We find that after Barbara died, John Matthew married his second wife, Elizabeth.  We find these children born during their marriage.

[rlm]

Wildcatter, while it is documented that Peter White was indeed located for a while in Emmitsburg, it is a streach to asssume that he was apprenticed to Armstrong.

[Shreckmeister]

Was it an assumption or do you have support for the apprenticeship?
You stated it with confidence.

[wildcatter]

I was up in Pennsylvania, doing research on Jacob Snyder and ran across an old will document that referred to Jacob's wife.  I then referenced her family and ran across an account of two familes, one of which was the wife of Jacob Stoudenour.  This was copied verbatim from that document. I don't have any idea if it is accurate or not just remembered this thread and wrote it all down.  Seems to me that somebody thought it was worth writing down back some time ago.