The Guilford County or Jamestown School grew slowly over the years and reached a peak in 1850 when the census show there was 18 gunsmiths and 18 gun-stockers working in the School. In addition to the Gardner and Lamb families already discussed, there was a number of other families that worked together in this School including the Armfields, Couch's, Ledbetters, Wards, Woods and Wrights. From the census of manufacturing records I believe this school made over 20,000 Longrifles during the Nineteenth Century.
Most Jamestown Rifles made after 1840 were made as half-stocks with percussion locks. The School did develop a few unique features. 90% of all Jamestown Rifles have a long, rounded on the end, three screw barrel tangs. 70% of the Jamestown Rifles that I have seen have a double brass dovetailed front site. Most Jamestown Rifles will have a roman numeral stamped on the barrel (William Lamb and Anderson Lamb often used Arabic numbers on their barrels). Each rifle would have come with a bullet mold with the same number stamped on the side flat. I have five rifles that still have their original mold still with them. One is even signed on the mold by the maker O. M. Dixon.
The last gunsmith was Solomon H. Ward. His shop was closed in 1902. His shop was very prolific as only Anderson Lamb has more signed rifles that survive. S.H. Ward was a large man and made few rifles himself, but had three workers that stocked rifles for him.
The other very good gunsmith from this School whose rifles are very sought after is Jabez Stephens. He was born in 1816 and worked in the late flint period in this School. His gun shop was located on Bull Run Creek where the lake at Adams Farm is now located. He signed his rifles simply J.S.
The late Dr. Harley Mackintosh of South Carolina owned the best two rifles by him that I have seen. This first rifle had the best engraved patchbox I have ever seen on a Guilford Longrifle.
Here is a photo of it.
The second rifle was one of Harley's favorites. It is a small, almost boys rifle size, half-stock, with a flintlock, that was all silver mounted with a Silver Eagle patchbox. The patchbox lid is signed simply "Lamb & Stephens" for William Lamb & Jabez Stephens. Here is a photo of the patchbox.
Here are some photos of three of Jabez Stephens Longrifles. This one is mine. It is a half-stock and is signed J.S. Like many of his rifles, the side plate has an engraved fowl on it that my friend Arron Capel calls a "Jabez Stephens Running Chicken". This is not something I have seen on Longrifles by any other local maker. This rifle is a half-stock with an original flintlock.
Side plate with "Running Chicken".
Unusual Star patchbox.
Cheek rest side view
J.S. stamp on barrel.
This second Jabez Stephens rifle is also mine. It was the first Patchbox Jamestown Rifle I purchased over 25 years ago.
Twisted Star or daisy patchbox.
Cheek rest side view.
Note Eagle Inlay and scalloped pick holder to compare to next rifle.
This last Jabez Stephens Longrifle is on display at the South Carolina State Historical Museum in Columbia, S.C. It features three running chickens on the side plate and has two hidden storage boxes under hinged doors on the toe plate. It is the only rifle I have seen with this feature.
Three "Running Chickens" on the side plate.
Molding on bottom of stock.
Hinged doors on toe plate.
Broken fore-stock molding with false silver wedges on the inlay.
Note Eagle inlay and scalloped pick holder.
I will now show you a few of the best of the later half-stock percussion Longrifles from this School that I have found over the last thirty years.
