It has been a while since I have posted anything on this site. I thought I would share some information on my greatest find.
I decided five years ago to write two books on the Rowan School of Longrifle Makers and the Mecklenburg School of Longrifle Makers in North Carolina. Researching both schools has each presented its own set of challenges. There are less than 20 Mecklenburg School rifles known to survive and less than 40 examples known from the Rowan School.
When John Bivins' published his landmark book
The Longrifles of North Carolina in 1968, he did not mention a Mecklenburg School as he did not know that one existed. [I am always careful when talking about Bivins' work that I do not say that John was wrong, but his information was dated. This is what was known in 1968. Since then new research has turned up additional documentation and new rifles have surfaced that now give us a more informed picture of the story.]
The credit for identifying a Mecklenburg Longrifle School goes to William W. Ivey, who gave a program in the 1980's to the K.R.A. titled "North Carolina Schools of Longrifles." Bill was able to pinpoint the "W.B." rifle and similar rifles by Isaac Thompson and "S.M.B." as having been made in Mecklenburg County. In 2012, Robert Leath, Chief Curator at M.E.S.D.A. and his research team were able to finally identify the maker of the W.B. rifle as William Black of Charlotte.
When I started my research on the Mecklenburg School I learned there was a lot of documentation on two early gunsmiths Isaac Price (1747 - 1811) and Zenas Alexander (1771 - 1826), but no known signed or attributed rifles by either gunsmiths were known to survive.
Over the last five years I have been able to identify nineteen rifles as being made by the Mecklenburg School and one silver mounted pistol.
Zenas Alexander was born in on Christmas Day in 1771. His family had moved to Mecklenburg County from Cecil County, Maryland in 1768. After his father Zebulon Alexander died, he was bound as an apprentice under Isaac Price in July 1787 to learn the trade of a gunsmith. Isaac Price is the first documented gunsmith to work in this School and probably founded the School.
Zenas was to receive £13 value in tools for his business at the end of his apprenticeship. Mecklenburg Court record [3-230] show that in April 1795, Zenas ask to be released from his apprenticeship with Isaac Price. The court ruled, “Chairman of the court on Behalf of Zenas Alexander vs Isaac Price, Covenant, Jury Charged. Find the Covenant was not performed and asses the Plaintiffs Damage to £53 & Costs. Appeal prayed & granted. Reasons filed.” (Source: Jim Williams)
Zenas would work as both a gunsmith and silversmith in Charlotte up until his death in 1826. He would take in three young men as apprentices to train as both gunsmiths and silversmiths. James McKee in 1805; Henry McBride in 1810; Elisha Smartt in 1810. While no signed rifles by Zenas Alexander were known to survive, there are three silver spoons and a silver cream pitcher known that have his touch mark.
While I was doing my research on the two schools I decided to partner with the Rowan Museum in Salisbury and the Charlotte Museum of History. I then contacted the local newspapers in both cities and had them write articles about the projects and request the public bring in to the museum [on a specified day] any old rifles they may have to be identified and also requested they bring any photos, deeds or documentation on local gunsmiths they may have. The response from the public was outstanding. Many people brought in rifles and documentation that was of use to me.
A lady brought in an old Longrifle to the Rowan Museum for me to identify. It was in the black. The rifle was so dirty that your hands would get dirty holding it. I noticed that the rifle had a 1 3/4 inch wide butt that was stepped. I have not seen this feature on a North Carolina rifle before. The rifle was early, but in poor condition. The rifle did have a patchbox with a heart piercing in the finial. I have seen three other North Carolina rifles with heart piercings in the finial, all three were from the Catawba Valley School, so my first thought was this was an early rifle from that school. I photographed the rifle for future documentation. I did notice that the rifle had a decorative tab extension on the ram-rod entry pipe. This feature is exclusive to the Mecklenburg School.
When I loaded the photos of the rifle on my computer the next day and enlarged the photos I began to see things in the pictures that I could not see while holding the rifle. The first item that caught my attention was a mirrored engraved cartouche on the patchbox lid and the base of the finial. This is a Mecklenburg School feature and is found on most rifles from that school.
I then noticed what might be initials engraved on the patchbox lid. Most rifles that are signed from both the Rowan or Mecklenburg Schools are signed on the patchbox lid. I could not decipher what the initials were.
I had created a sign-in sheet at the museum and was able to find the Lady's name and phone number. I always recommend that people do not clean these old rifles. I called her and requested permission to come to her house and violate that rule. [If this was in-fact an early Catawba Valley School rifle, it would not be worth the price of the expensive restoration the rifle needed. If however, it turned out to be an early Mecklenburg School rifle it would be worth the expense. If the rifle was signed and the maker could be identified, that would be even better.] She agreed and we set a time for us to meet.
I cleaned only the patchbox lid. There were initials present, but I could not decipher them. After studying for five minutes, I then remembered to turn the patchbox lid upside down. It was then the initials Z A appeared. I had finally found a signed Zenas Alexander rifle. I discussed the cost of the needed restoration. I then made a generous offer and purchased the rifle and paid for the restoration. It is the best find of my collecting career.
Zenas Alexander - Early Mecklenburg School Longrifle
3/4 view
Note the stepped wrist and the silver inlay on the cheek-rest is engraved "W A."
Zenas Alexander's first cousin was William Alexander, the son of Hezekiah Alexander who built a famous stone house that still survives in Charlotte.
This rifle may have been made for William Alexander.
Early Mecklenburg School sideplate
This is the patchbox lid turned upside down. Note the "Z A" initials and the mirrored engraving on the lid and base of the finial. These are strong Mecklenburg School features.
Here is a view of the patchbox from the normal side.
Note the relief-carved beaver tail around the tang and the tab at the wrist.
Early lock and triggers
Decorative tab on ram-rod entry pipe. This feature is found on most the rifles from this school.
Note the step near the top of the butt plate. I have not seen these feature on any other early North Carolina rifle. Was this used in other states?
Zenas Alexander was the only Mecklenburg School gunsmith who also worked as a silver-smith. Here are photos of a silver mounted Mecklenburg School pistol.
It is possible that the pistol was made by him, but it is unsigned.
Note: Mecklenburg School fore-stock molding.
Silver mounted southern pistols are very rare.
My book on the Mecklenburg School is over 90% complete and will be published this summer. I have so far photographed all but one of the known rifles from this school and have made arrangements to photograph it soon. I am still hopeful that additional Mecklenburg School rifles will surface.
I will have advance copies of the book at Wayne Elliott's Tennessee Show in April. Wayne Elliott, Mel Hankla and myself are scheduled to give a full day seminar on southern Longrifles at M.E.S.D.A. in Old Salem in September.
Thanks for viewing my long post. Any comments are welcome.
Michael Briggs
