Captain Woodard Illinois Gunsmith?

[Dave R]

I have recently acquired some new (at least to me) information about a Captain Woodard from Grayville ILL that built muzzleloading flintlock rifles sometime in the early to mid 1900's? The letter I have indicates he completely built the flintlock mechanism and most of its parts, I have asked several oldtimers from Grayville and no one seems to know anything about him or his guns, I dropped by to visit with M Kemper this evening and he mentioned that if anyone would know about MR Woodard, Curt J would possibly know!Curt would you or any ALR contributors  please shed some light on this well kept gunsmith secret!

Regards!
Dave R

PS Possibly this post should be under the Contemporary builders heading ?

 

[Dave R]

Someone must know something about this south eastern Ill builder

[Curt J]

Hmmmm! I used 1900 as a cutoff point for the research for my books, so this man wood be later than what I have studied. There was a William Woodward who was listed as a gunsmith in Johnson County, Illinois, in the 1850 censis. He is the closest surname match that I have. Johnson County and White County (Grayville), are not all that far apart. I'm wondering whether your "Captain Woodard" could have been related? I'll do a little digging.

[Dave R]

Attention!
Any new news on  Captin Woodard?
Thanks!
Dave R

[Curt J]

Dave, There is a "Dempsey Woodard" listed in Grayville, in both the 1920 and 1930 census. He was born in Tennessee in about 1875, and is listed as a farmer in both census listings. He had a son William, who was born in Illinois in 1900.

[Curt J]

I just found him listed in Grayville in the 1900 census also. He is listed as a DENTIST, and was born in Tennessee in July of 1875. His son William was born in August of 1895, according to this listing.

[Curt J]

Dempsey Woodard is listed in the 1910 census as a dentist in Benton, Franklin County, Illinois.

I have an idea that he is your man.  There were no other Woodards in White County during the period you are looking at.  Perhaps the "Captain" title came from the Spanish-American War?

[Dave R]

Curt,

Thanks for the helpful info on Woodard! I have a little more to add, William C Woodard was a former Captain in the U.S. Army, He lived in Grayville IL, He built roman nosed rifles in the Pennsylvania Simon Miller style,William built his own Flintlocks, It appairs I will acquire some of his partially machined / forged  flintlocks mechanisms very soon! If anyone knows anything more about this artist please drop me a line!

Thanks!
Dave R

[Ben Gorey]

The following is an excerpt from "Muzzle Blasts" Bulletin of the NMLRA for April 1939:     "A new gun shop is announced; William C. Woodard, Grayville, Ill.  Mr. Woodward will make Kentucky flintlock type rifles. As we understand it, he is giving full time to this activity. Mr Woodard does the thing we appreciate - sends his fee and joins the NMLRA, we wish him well".     There is no additional information given.  The NMLRA may have more info. or possibly an "older" member may remember him.  Could be he worked earlier part time.

[Dave R]

Ben,
This is the type of info we are looking for! I had an elderly man drop by our place today that once lived in Mr Woodards home many years ago, He brought me several solid steel lockplates in various stages of production, They were milled out of solid steel, With them was a box of misc parts and a flyer that Mr Woodard had to send to possible customers! I saw the barrel straightening stand some years ago at a local resale shop and he said he sold it to him!I hope to some year publish an article in Muzzleblasts about this artist! This elderly Gentleman ran into one of Mr Woodards daughters friends at a store recently but unfortunately failed to ask her any info about the family or if she knew the whereabouts of one of his guns!It will be an intresting puzzle to put together! Mr Woodard lived only 14 miles from my home!

Thanks!
Dave R