J. E. WILLIS gunsmith

[Mark Tyler]

Compliments of Whisker... 7/13/11


Willis, James Eshton. According to the tax re­cords, James Eshton Willis was a politician, mer­chant (1870), land speculator, grocer (1868), inn keeper (1856, 1857, 1860, 1863), and gunsmith (1878) in Kittanning, Armstrong County. Roy Chandler showed a photograph of a patchbox from a signed J. E. Willis rifle in Kentucky Rifle Patch­boxes and Barrel Markings  It did not resemble any other western Pennsylvania work we have seen. Willis advertised his services as a gunsmith in the Allegheny Valley Dir. of 1878, on Water St., Kittan­ning.  There are more papers in Willis' file in the Armstrong County Court House than we have seen for any other individual. The story which emerges is this. Willis was a profli­gate who wined and dined many women. He liked to carry large sums of money, often $7000 or more. When he was found in an alcoholic stupor on the evening of 8 August 1879, he did not have his usual large roll of bills.  Willis' estate was declared insol­vent when the money was not located. His land holdings and shop inventory were extensive. but so were his debts. The papers give us a very clear picture of a man who was unkind to his family and disliked by them. Statements from many neighbors showed they did not like him because of his life style.  He had been jailed for public intoxication within the past year, and this was not unusual behavior for him. He had been in a fight in which part of his ear was torn off and that was sewn back on by a surgeon.  He was hospitalized for acute alcoholism. He reportedly drank a pint of gin a day.

 

Death of J. E. Willis, Esq., On August 9, 1879, at 3 o'clock p.m. in Cowanshannock, this county, at the residence of his son‑in‑law, Mr Samuel Kinley.  The subject of this obituary took a last farewell of Mother Earth, it is hoped, to his everlasting gain.  Mr Willis was born in Natchez, Miss., 31st December 1827, and accompanied his parents, when quite young, into the adjoining country of Indiana.  He married in 1846 and removed to what is known as Bon­ner's Furnace, near Kittanning, where he worked for Jere. Bonner, Esq., for a period of 5 years, when he leased the old stone tavern.

                                                  [The Valley Times, 15 August 1879]

 

His inventory was extensive, and we give here but a few representative samples:

 

2 old muskets, 40¢

1 rifle barrel & molds, 65¢

1 small revolver, 30¢

1 Belgian rifle, $1.50

1 single barrel shotgun, $2.10

1 rifle, $2.50

breech loading rifle, $7

2 double barrel shotguns, $7 and $6.20; 1 sabre, 45¢

2 old pistols, 15¢

box gunsmith's tools, 55¢

pair of field glasses, $2.25

breech-loading musket, 60¢

Belgian rifle, $2.25

small shotgun, $2

2 powder flasks, 15¢ and 40¢

large shotgun, $4.35

 

            The accounting of Willis' estate showed that William King had several unsatisfied claims for gunsmithing services against Willis' estate. It is obvious that King was doing Willis' work. Among the claims were:

 

spring link, 25¢

new stock on shotgun, $4.50

cutting off gun barrel, $.50

new gun lock, $1.50

new butt piece, 50¢

new lock screw, 75¢

freshing out a barrel, 75¢

new plug & nipple, 75¢

new main spring, 50¢

new stock on a double barrel shotgun, $3

2 new locks, $3

half stock 1 rifle, $4

stocking a rifle and putting on some 18 pieces of silver, $8

varnishing a stock, $1.50

new stock on a rifle, $5

 




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Does anyone have information on the gunsmith J. E. WILLIS?

[Shreckmeister]

The only reference I find is John Willis, PA musket maker to Committee of Safety in assoc with Benjamin Town, contracted 12-6-1775 to make
2000 firelocks at 4 pounds 5 shillings each.   I don't know if this rifle
could be from a maker of that era with a conversion to percussion or
not?

[Mark Tyler]

I was told the rifle was made in the Kittanning, PA area.

[Shreckmeister]

Come to think of it, I do recall a Willis in the area.  I'll ask Gordon Brennaman about it.  He will know. 

[Mark Tyler]

The 1870 Kittanning Borough, Armstrong County, PA Census lists: J E Willis, 47, M, W, Hardware Merchant.

[msmith]

Sellers has him down for a halfstock....The 1860 Census has him listed as a Innkeeper and 32 years old,living in Kittanning PA..As Tylers says a Hardware Merchant in 1870..I can't find him in 1850..Might be a merchant who stamped his name on barrels of rifles made by other craftsman???

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

Would like to thank Dr. Whisker for this most interesting biography.
Hurricane

[Mark Tyler]