The Mecklenburg School of Longrifle Makers
Discovery Identification Documentation
When: 10 AM 2 PM Saturday December 6th
Where: Charlotte Museum of History 3500 Shamrock Drive Charlotte, N.C. 28215 Phone 704-568-1774
Who: C. Michael Briggs will be on hand with some of his Mecklenburg School Longrifles, and he is also inviting anyone with any information, portraits, or related artifacts, history and documents on the men that made longrifles in Mecklenburg County to bring their items to the museum that day to be identified, documented, and photographed. If you have an old longrifle that you think may be from this area or related items such as powder horns, hunting bags, or paper documents such as wills, deeds, or receipts pertaining to the men listed below, they will be of interest to him and may be included in the upcoming book.
Briggs is doing research for a book he plans to publish in 2015 on the Longrifle Makers of the Mecklenburg School. Here is a list of Mecklenburg School gunsmiths who worked in Mecklenburg Gaston Lincoln Counties between 1760 and 1830 on whom he is seeking more information. [School is defined as a regional architectural style.]
1. Zenas Alexander: Apprenticed under Isaac Price in 1787. Died in 1826. One signed rifle exist. He worked as a gunstocker and silver-smith.
2. Christian Arney: He was born in 1795 and died in 1840. He lived just west of the Catawba River in Lincoln County. Two signed rifles exist.
3. Henry Bernhart: He was hired by Thomas Polk in 1792 to make a new gun lock, trigger, and trigger plate.
4. John Black: He was born in 1763. He apprenticed under Isaac Price in 1778.
5. Samuel Black: He is believed to be the youngest of the Black brothers. It is not known whom he trained under. Two signed rifles as known to exist.
6. William Black: He was born in 1785 and died in 1827. It is not known whom he trained under. Two signed rifles are known to exist.
7. CG: A Mecklenburg School rifle exists that is signed CG on the patchbox lid. CG has not been identified at this time.
8. Abraham Henderson: He was born in 1762 and apprenticed under Isaac Price in 1776.
9. LH: Two Mecklenburg School rifles exist that are signed LH on the patchbox lid. LH has not been identified at this time.
10. Henry McBride: He was born in 1797. He apprenticed under Zenas Alexander in 1810.
11. James McKee: He was born in 1788. He apprenticed under Zenas Alexander in 1805. One signed rifle Appalachian School rifle known.
12. James Mitchell: He apprenticed under Zenas Alexander in 1798.
13. John Penney: In 1777, he was hired by Joseph Wallace to stock three guns, one with brass patchbox.
14. Isaac Price: He was born in 1747 and died in 1811. He is believed to have been the founder of the school.
15. John Price, Jr: He was the brother of Isaac Price. He was born in 1749 and died in 1787.
16. Thomas Price: He was the son of John Price, Jr. When his father died in 1787, he was bound as an apprentice under his uncle Isaac.
17. Elisha Smartt: He was born in 1795. He apprenticed under Zenas Alexander in 1810.
18. Isaac Thompson: he was born in 1802. He lived in the Paw Creek Section on Mecklenburg County. Five signed rifles are known to exist.
19. David Youmens: He is listed in several records as being a gunsmith in Mecklenburg County.
Briggs will give a brief program on how to identify Mecklenburg School rifles at 10 A.M. The public is invited to attend. Admission is free, but please register online at charlottemuseum.org to reserve a seat! For information contact C. Michael Briggs at 336-340-6707.
