From Jim Whiskers York book.
Frederick Zorger (1734-1815). gunsmith. York boro. According to his tombstone inscription, Zorger was born in December 1734 and died on 28 May 1815. In 1778 Zorger lived on George and High Sts., York. On 17 March 1778 Zorger was listed as a "tenant gunsmith" on the York militia roll. Either Zorger was unusually adept at evading the tax enumerators or he disappeared from York for prolonged periods of time. After 1788 we cannot locate him in extant lists until 1799. There was a Frederick Zorger in Newberry Township during much of this time, but he was a farmer and distiller. The gunsmith In York boro. Kindig [p. 285] listed the Zorger In Newberry as a blacksmith and thought he was the same as the gunsmith. Gunsmith Zorger appears rather regularly until 1805, during which time he had a house and half-lot, valued at $400. Zorger was an arms maker at the York Arsenal during the War of 1812. In one of his sketches Miller showed Frederick Zorger at work as a goldsmith. Frederick had a son George and a daughter Elizabeth who married George Gonder. A pair of pistols made by Zorger and lodged in the Winterthur Museum are often regarded as the finest made in America [Cook; Kindig, pp. 285-91; Program, p. 52; tax].
Lewis Miller (p. 127) described the gun barrel boring mill owned by Zorger and other York gunsmith, "The bore mill burnt In 1800. It was a little more than a mile from town, near the little bridge on the Baltimore Turnpike. The mill was useful to our gunsmiths in York. [The owners were] Philip Heckert, Conrad Welshans, Michael Edwards, Jacob Welshans, Jacob Letter, Joseph Welshans, Ignatius Leitner, Martin Fry, Jacob Doll, Henry Pickel, George Brenise [and] Frederick Zorger."
The will of Frederick Zorger was entered for probate on 7 June 1815 [Will Book M: 513]. It showed nothing of the gunsmith's trade.
Frederick Zorger, II (1767-1847). gunsmith. 1841-47, North Ward, York boro [tax]. After 1847 this Frederick Zorger was listed as a machinist.
George Zorger, Sr. armorer. Noted in May 1821 payroll. Noted as inspector of filed locks in August 1822. In August 1822 George Zorger milled the following: 396 lock pins, 720 breech pins, 1017 tumblers, 374 sets of guard screws, 1294 bows, 1294 plates, and 798 jaws. Noted in January 1835 as lock inspector. York County. undated. Both Kindig [pp. 285-91] and Gardner [Small Arms Makers, p. 218] discuss George Zorger as a maker of fine pistols which resemble Model 1808 North contract pistols. That suggests George Zorger was active in or near York about 1810.
Other members of the Zorger family noted at the U. S. Arsenal at Harper's Ferry are: Armistead Zorger. In the U. S. Census of 1850 Zorger gave his age as 32 and in the Census of 1860 he said he was 49 years of age. In both cases he said he lived in Bolivar. In 1860 Zorger was listed as a gunsmith, not as an armorer. Noted on payroll records of August 1822 as a maker of breech plugs. In February 1835 he filed 736 swivels. Charles Zorger, noted as a parts maker on payroll of February 1822. In February 1835 he milled and fitted parts and made guard bows, earning $23.67. Ed W. Zorger (1815- ), noted in the U. S. Census of 1850. George Zorger, Jr., inspector of filed work, 1820-30. Noted on May 1821 and February 1835 payrolls. In December 1830 he was paid at a rate of $55 per month. H. Zorger. In one month in 1830 he filed 407 swivels. Washington Zorger, noted in August 1822 payroll records as a filer of swivels. In 1830 Zorger was paid for "punching 1112 guard plates." Noted in payroll of February 1835 as a maker of swivels
