The Harmon gunmakers in PA/TN

[Dennis Glazener]

I just had a good talk with Dave Byrd about his latest book "Genealogy of the Harmon Family of Gunmakers of Greene County TN" (info here https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=57748.0 )

I was not familiar with this prolific family of TN gunmakers  and am curious if any of that families guns have shown up in PA/VA areas. The reason I ask is that Dave said several of the Harmon's apprenticed near Lancaster PA. If I remember correctly they lived there about 10 years. They later moved to Bedford County VA then to Greene County TN.

Just curious, migration paths of gunmaker families have always interested me.
Dennis

[Tanselman]

A number of the Harmons moved from Greene Co., TN on to Kentucky. Several other KY gunmakers, brothers John and William Kelsay for instance, were trained by George Harmon of Greene Co. before moving to Wayne Co., Kentucky, and one married Harmon's daughter and the other a niece. I will have to get the book to see if Byrd's info connects to any of the Kentucky Harmon gunsmiths. I have one beautiful rifle signed "L. Harmon" from Kentucky...still trying to figure out which Harmon he is. Looks like I really need to get a copy of the book. Shelby Gallien