Mohn's Store Rifle Barrels

[dseitzinger]

My family settled in the Wyomissing Valley in a town originally named Mohnsville and now is named Mohnton, PA in the early 1800's.  From around 1800 until 1900 there were as many as 5-7 gun barrel making operations along the Wyomissing Creek.  My Great (3) fathers owned and operated Mohn's Store from ~1840 until 1890 in Mohnsville.   They sometimes acted as a wholesale distributor for the barrel makers.  Some of the barrels they stamped with the name "Mohn's Store" on the barrels.  One example is in the Landis Valley Farm Museum in Lancaster County PA including a metal stamp.  I am interested information on a gun with this barrel stamp with the intent to some day own one.  Not sure if the stamping is visible or under the barrel when used in a gun by a gunsmith.  David Seitzinger

[Shreckmeister]

This is an interesting subject.  Do you know which gunsmiths were using his products or which were nearby at that time?  Was it during that entire period that they
were selling barrels?  Please share more info.  Do you have any primary documentation?

[Avlrc]

Never seen that , but did once own this rifle with C Kohl marked on it. Kohl made rifle barrels on the Wyomissing.

[Bill-52]

David,

If you've not already done so, you might want to use the ALR Search function on "Wyomissing".  There have been numerous posts on this barrel maker region.  Also, you might want to reach out to ALR member "eastwind" (Patrick Hornberger) who has done research on the Wyomissing  Creek barrel makers.

FWIW, I have a Wyomissing barrel made by Deeds.  The markings are on the bottom barrel flat.

Best of luck with your research.

Bill

[dseitzinger]

I reached out to Patrick Hornberger and he provided the following:

"Apparently, at the height of the barrel business, barrel makers on the Wyomissing Creek brought their barrels into the (Mohn's) store for pick up by wagons, who then took the load into Reading to be shipped by train to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. I found records which confirmed that process. What we don't know is why some barrels were marked by the barrel factory and sometimes the maker and occasionally "Mohns Store". The vast majority found do not have the store stamped on them. It could be that those stamped with the store may have been bought by the store from the individual makers and then stamped the stores name on them. It was not unusual for hardware/general stores to follow this procedure-think of the early Sear & Roebuck and its sale of guns it never made."

My research adds the following:

Mohn’s Store was opened 1846 by Benjamin and Samuel K Mohn.  Mohnton was known as Mohn’s Store initially and was the designation for the post office until the name Mohnton was adopted in 1906.  Any gun barrel with this designation would be after 1846.  Benjamin Mohn,
Samuel K Mohn, and WD Mohn are part of my grandfather family tree and are tied to Mohn's Store and the community post office.  I have nothing on where they participated in barrel making or gun smithing.  I have found a long rifle sold in 2009 that was engraved with B Mohn on the barrel. 

My family did not discuss history very much so I am trying to follow a weak trail.

[dseitzinger]

I grew up along the Wyomissing.  We spent many hours fishing in Kohl's Mill dam which is just down stream from Schnaders barrel making building.

[JCKelly]

Discussion of Schmutz Deich ("greasy ditch",around Mohnton) may be found in the spiral-bound book Gunmakers of the Wyomissing Creek. Published in 1976, by the Governor Mifflin Area Bicentennial Committee. Shillington, Pennsylvania.

I think my copy came from abebooks.

[MGillman]

I have a barrel stamped Mohn on a SWVA rifle.

[dseitzinger]

Can you provide a picture of your Mohn rifle and somme information on the time it may have been constructed?