Author Topic: Monroe County Gunsmiths  (Read 4546 times)

Offline fm tim

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Monroe County Gunsmiths
« on: February 01, 2011, 04:05:56 AM »
I am attempting to compile a list of gunsmiths in Monroe County, PA.  Monroe County would have been the northern part of Northampton County in the late 1700 to early 1800 years.

At this point, Nicholas Hawk from Gilbert PA. is the only one I have located.  Christian Charles Roth is mentioned as a possible apprentice.  He worked in Wilkes Barre PA which is just North-West of Monroe County.

Geographically, Monroe extends from just above the Blue Ridge, North of current Northampton County to about Scranton Pa.  From the Delaware to a bit East of the PA Turnpike.  Stroudsburg is the biggest municipality.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

Offline spgordon

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Re: Monroe County Gunsmiths
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2011, 04:13:52 AM »
There's a cool interactive map that shows the formation of each PA county here:

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~george/countyformations/pennsylvaniaformationmaps.html

Monroe pops up in 1836.

Scott
« Last Edit: February 01, 2011, 04:16:05 AM by spgordon »
Check out: The Lost Village of Christian's Spring
https://christiansbrunn.web.lehigh.edu/
And: The Earliest Moravian Work in the Mid-Atlantic: A Guide
https://www.moravianhistory.org/product-page/moravian-activity-in-the-mid-atlantic-guidebook

Offline Shreckmeister

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Re: Monroe County Gunsmiths
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2011, 08:38:10 PM »
Hey, that was helpful.  Wish they had put the year in each county as
they were established. 
Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.

Offline Roger Fisher

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Re: Monroe County Gunsmiths
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2011, 10:01:12 PM »
I am attempting to compile a list of gunsmiths in Monroe County, PA.  Monroe County would have been the northern part of Northampton County in the late 1700 to early 1800 years.

At this point, Nicholas Hawk from Gilbert PA. is the only one I have located.  Christian Charles Roth is mentioned as a possible apprentice.  He worked in Wilkes Barre PA which is just North-West of Monroe County.

Geographically, Monroe extends from just above the Blue Ridge, North of current Northampton County to about Scranton Pa.  From the Delaware to a bit East of the PA Turnpike.  Stroudsburg is the biggest municipality.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

Ol Nicky Hawk's gun shop was found near Gilbert, Pa taken down and stuck together again by the boys from Jacobsburg 'Histerical' Society at Boulton, Pa. Some of Ol Nicky's rifles are around (I know of one).  Ol Nicky was a great engraver too good for his own good.  The story is that he ended up for a term in the slammer....I have no idea if he was put in with Bubba as a cell mate or not ;D ::)

There was also a maker by the name of Claus or Klaus moved from Northampton county area to Summit Hill, Pa which at than time I do believe was just out of the then Northampton County (now Carbon Co)

Offline Blacksmoke

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Re: Monroe County Gunsmiths
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2011, 12:16:18 AM »
Roger:  Wasn't N. Hawk wanted by the U.S. treasury for engraving plates for counterfeiting?   :o  I was at the new location where his shop was moved to - the Henry museum grounds, several years ago.  Can't believe how small it is.  I did a "show and tell" for Tim Lubenesky KRA pres.  in Hawk's shop.  What a privilege!    Hugh Toenjes
« Last Edit: February 02, 2011, 06:46:02 PM by Blacksmoke »
H.T.

Offline Roger Fisher

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Re: Monroe County Gunsmiths
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2011, 06:39:12 PM »
Roger:  Wasn't N. Hawk wanted by the U.S. treasury for engraving plates for counterfeiting?   :o  I was at the new location where his shop was moved to - the Henry museum grounds, several years ago.  Can't believe how small it is.  I did a "show and tell" for Tim Lubinsky KRA pres.  in Hawk's shop.  What a privilege!    Hugh Toenjes
Yes thats the story!

Yes, the Henry Homestead and ol Nicky's reconstructed shop are alive and well.  We shoot there at 2 rondys June and Oct.  Little primative range and a fine woodswalk down along the Bushkill creek....  So I was probably stumbling around there during your show and tell...I have missed very few of those shoots since they started....

Offline fm tim

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Re: Monroe County Gunsmiths
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2011, 08:51:47 PM »
spgordon,

Thanks... Very helpful in getting things located in NE PA