Rifles and Muskets on the Swatara: Clandestine Hummelstown Factory Armed the Revolution--Chapter 4--Local Talent
By the year 1820 over 100 gunsmith could be found in the city of Lancaster alone, and dozens plied their trade in the Harrisburg region. But in 1778 the situation was quite different in the area around Hummelstown. Did the few gun builders who were available locally assist Dehaven and his workers? It is purely speculation, but they could have halped out physically at the facility, or they could have made components at their own shops and brought the parts to Hummelstown to expedite the assembly of arms there.
Specifically, if we limit our inquiry to those gunsmiths known to have been working within two hours' horse ride from the factory in 1788, we end up with a short list. Looking at only those for whom there is primary documentation in official court, tax, church, or estate inventories, we are left with only a half dozen possible suspects. The most likely two are John P. Beck (1751-1811) of Lebanon and Martin Shell (1737-1796) of the Hanover/Paxton area. Both of these men are viewed today as grand masters of Pennsylvania gunbuilding and both are documented as having repaired revolutionary firearms. The best products of these craftsmen are prized by collectors today. They turned out not only utilitarian firearms, but also works of beauty with woodcarving as fine as that on any Chippendale chair. Beck was influential not only for his fine products, but also for the impact he had on other regional builders. Shell was the patriarch of several generations of gunsmiths in Dauphin County including Daniel and John Shell, both active in the 19th century in Paxton and Hanover Townships, Dauphin Co. The town of Shellsville is named after Martin.
Four other names surface as nearby gunsmiths during the Revolutionary War, yet little is known about them. Phillip Fishburn (1737-1796), one of the first inhabitants of Derry Township, was known to have repaired arms during the Revolution. Adam Baum (d. 1785) also of Derry, reportedly was active at the time and he would have lived probably no further than three miles from the gun factory. Adam also had two sons in their teens, Daniel and John, both documented as gunsmiths. They could have apprenticed at the factory. Michael Poorman was listed as a gunsmith in 1772 in Heidelberg Township, later to become part of Dauphin County. Rifle scholar Joe Kindig believed that Poorman was closely associated with Shell. The final possibility was one Benedict Imhoff (1758-1800), a relatively obscure man, but listed in the records of both Heidelberg Township and Middletown. It certainly appears that he was in the immediate area and he had the necessairy capabilities to be of assistance.
Again, the relationship of this small group of gunsmiths to the factory is purely speculation. They may or may not have been associated with the gun plant; it is reasonable to think that there was some connection and perhaps one day documentation will surface that provides some answers. What we do know is that there was, for a brief but critical time in our country's history, a gun factory at Hummelstown wherein both muskets and longrifles were built for the revolutionary cause.
J. W. H.
2009
