A tribute to Joe Kindig, Jr.

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

Many of us respect and think of Joe Kindig, Jr amongst the most significant contributors, if not the single most significant contributor, to  our knowledge and passion for the Kentucky Longrifle. As has been done so well by Wayne Heckert and others for Henry Kauffman, I began to wonder whether there were others who knew Joe Kendig,Jr and  could /would enlighten us all with stories that may have never been recorded thus far. Perhaps, his biography will be written and the remarks that follow this suggestion will add to our appreciation of his scholarly work. Likely there are still some who knew him personally.
Hurricane

[Blacksmoke]

Hurricane,  I second that!  I remember when I first heard about Joe Kindig Jr. back in the early 70's- I was very jealous- that one man should have such a huge collection of the rifles the I had a passion for. but thanks to him for sharing that collection with us through his documentation and books. So yes I would like to more about the man.   Hugh Toenjes

[famouseagle]

I lived in Eastern PA in the early 70s and read about a display of the Kindig collection at the York County Museum (I think).  I beleive it was in 1971.  I drove there and was treated to the best collection of guns I have ever seen on display.  They were all in glass cases so one could walk around and see either side.   I remember taking a lot of photos, which I still have  - somewhere.

[Karl Kunkel]

Merrill Lindsay's "The Kentucky Rifle" is a collection of color photographs of 77 rifles from this display.  It was published by the York County Historical Society in 1972.

[lew wetzel]

kindig also had a grand collection of 18th.cent.furniture.....he was a great man...

[tom patton]

In 1961 or 1962 I had  just started collecting guns and owned about 8-10 Winchesters and had a flintlock Kentucky on approval.It was signed "Douglas"and I  thought it might have been made by Douglas of East Tennessee.I was on my way to New York and Mr. Kindig's book had just come out so I thought that I would stop in York and get an opinion from Mr. Kindig as to the rifle and it's value.As I said I was very new to the world of Kentucky rifle and had no idea as to what to expect.I went into the antique shop and Mr. Kindig was there. I told him who I was and what I had and asked for his opinion as to what the gun was and what it was worth.I later heard about how brusque he could be but I was young and naive so I just blundered in and asked about the gun.He was extremely courteous and gentle and must have felt sorry for me. He looked at the rifle and told me that it was a Huntington County,Pa. rifle and worth about $300.00. I guess he saw that I was disappointed and asked if I was interested in Kentuckys and I told him I was. There must have been at least 100 or more rifles around the large room like so many brooms.He reached over to the wall and pulled out a flintlock. He told me it was an unsigned George Eister and that I could have it for $2000.00. That was a lot of money at that time.I told him I didn't have that kind of money and he then asked me how many guns I owned. I told him I had about 10 {mostly Winchesters and one muzzleloading half stock East Tennessee rifle for which  I had paid $35.00}.He tossed the Eister back against the wall as though it were a broom.He then told me about a rifle he had recently sold to a man who then owned only one rifle. He said that he had owned the gun for some 35 years.That rifle was bought by a friend of mine and is a well known gun today and Mr. Kindig said that the buyer loved the gun.Then he told me that I should sell all that I owned and buy one pearl of great value. A good friend who knew Mr. Kindig well later told me that he was surprised that Mr. Kindig didn't say that I should buy that pearl from him.Well I had neither the good sense nor funds to buy the Eister which I believe was a fowler with some carving.I have often fondly thought about my visit to Mr. Kindig's shop and the courteous treatment I had received from a giant of our world who took pity on a young, naive,and inwxperienced collector. I have owned a lot of guns since then and finally found my pearl of great value.
Tom Patton