Note: Shreckengosts were settlers on Penn's Spread Eagle Manor
in Northumberland Cty mid to late 1700s before they moved to Armstrong
Cty in 1804.
In 1882, Wm Anderson, lumberman of Belknap PA purchased this gun from Lincoln Shreckengost, Putneyville, PA, son of Wm for $34. Gun was made by Wm and signed W.S. Gun was passed down to Wm. Anderson's son Clover Anderson. Clover is the young man holding the gun in the attached picture.
Clover passed and left the gun to his brother Merle Anderson around 1970, Merle gave the gun to his grandson in 1989 and he is the current owner. The gun has a George Gulcher lock and was used for hunting
into the 1960's.
Was told that it is 32 caliber and Merle used to hunt deer with it. They would wound the deer with the gun in the hollow they hunted in and then 2 or 3 guys would walk the deer out of the hollow alive and then finish it off closer to transportation so they didn't have to carry it the whole way.
(Never heard of anything like that before).
Here are William Schreckengost's gunsmithing tools and a display of several guns by William.
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=9681.msg91382#msg91382
Comments:
The best S'gost rifle I have ever seen. The old photograph is solid gold.
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1. With the presentation of this gun and the others of this family makers in the Museum,
2. with the addition of the family history
3. and pictures of this gun in the hands of its owner as well as family pictures
4. The pictures of many guns and tools used by these family smiths
4. The tidbits of 19th C. hunting strategy presented
I would like to say to all, we have reached a new height in our efforts. In all the resources in print I own, I can not recall, any that has a Gunsmith's history and family so completely and accurately documented for posterity.
