Ohio maker - Piqua?

[union son]

I'm wondering if anyone has a record of a gunmaker in Piqua, Miami County, Ohio. I know of someone who has two .50 cal rifles with percussion locks stamped "Piqua, Ohio". I don't have any details about them. It's assumed that they are 19th century but for all I know, they could be modern replicas.

[Tanselman]

The Ohio marked lock plates are a good indication the guns were made in Ohio, but locks were generally imported, marked and re-sold by local hardware stores in the percussion era. To determine the makers of the rifles, look on the top barrel flat several inches behind the rear sight for a name or initials either engraved or stamped into the iron. That is where the gunmaker normally signed his work. Shelby Gallien

[Mark Tyler]

Joshua Cook, Joseph Defrees, John Hawken, L & TJ Hawkins, Joseph Legg, Frank Mitchell, RW Norris, Charles Oblinger, David Oblinger & son, Jacob Snevely, John Stewart, William Stewart, Christian Vogt and Daniel Weldy are some of the gunsmiths that worked in or near Piqua, Ohio. [Hutslar, Gunsmiths of Ohio, 1973].

Please post photos.

[union son]

Holy cow! I never would have guessed that many were near Piqua. Unfortunately, I got the information second-hand from a fellow who had seen the guns in a friend's collection. I'm doing research for the local historical society on manufacturers in Miami County of the 19th and 20th centuries. There are no local records of any gunsmiths, so I thought whomever made these guns should be included in my project. I'm afraid there is little chance that I will ever see these guns for myself, but I sure have alot of names to investigate now. Thanks!

If it is of any interest, Joseph Defrees is the first known blacksmith in Piqua (around 1805), Jacob Snevely came to Piqua in 1820 where he died in 1842, William Stewart was a farmer and John Hayes Stewart was his son, and the Weldys were fruit farmers in SE Miami County. There was an excelsior in southern Miami County named J.L. Norris and the Oblingers were businessmen in central Miami County (one was a tinsmith who started a manufacturing firm for steel roasters). Again, no mention of any of them having been gunsmiths.

[smokinbuck]

Union Son,
If you are doing historical research on Miami County, you need to see volume III of our bookes 'Ohio Gunsmiths & Allied Tradesmen". For a preview of them you can go to our website, aolrc.org. The books are available individually or by set and there is some information on our site.. Let me know if you need information or help.
Mark

[union son]

Oh, that's great. Thanks for cluing me in, Smokinbuck. I definitely want to see that. I looked at all the Miami County makers listed on the website and I was blown away by the long list of names. I have information on many of those names also.

I guess it makes perfect sense that there were so many in Miami County. When it was first settled, around 1789, the Shawnee tribe had the seat of their government in Piqua. They were a very combative tribe and the military was sent to destroy their camps twice (Daniel Boone, Simon Kenton, and George Rogers Clark among the troops). The county was entirely thick forest with 4 rivers and many streams. So, there was alot of hunting, alot of conflict, and later there was alot of trade with the indians along with travelers on their way westward. There was a big market for firearms.