I believe the only Berks County record I have seen for gunsmith Philip Beck was for him applying for 300 acres of land in Berks County in 1794. I think he bought the land from an Abraham Lauck. Abraham may have been his father in law? Beck did marry a Lauck so Beck may have met his wife while working in Berks maybe around 1770? The Lauck family in Berks is worthsome research - maybe Beck learned the trade from his father in law.
The father of JP Beck Johan Christian Beck arrived in 1749 to Philadelphia, he also purchased land in Lebanon in 1762, and was said to be a powdermaker.
There is a sale note of a Longrifle by Christian Beck in 1784 in the Hopewell Forge journal. This date excludes J.P’s Son Christian and his Nephew Christian Beck III. Both his Brother and father used the name Christian— likely his brother was also a gunsmith, as there is documentation of him selling “joiners tools”.
Christ Tulpehocken Lutheran Church in Richland, PA records show Anna Maria Lauk, daughter of Abraham Lauk, Married John Philip Beck on May 12, 1766 (both of them age 15???) So we know at this time period he was living between Lebanon and Wormelsdorf in that Myerstown region. Seems awful young to marry even for Colonial America- an arrangement with Abraham Lauk would make a lot of since in this context. Interesting idea that Abraham could have been his teacher of the craft.
JP Beck was assessed in Lebanon Township in 1780 as a gunsmith. This is the earliest I am aware of, besides the building rifles for the Committee of Safety.
The Salem Lutheran church where he was buried shows he married his second wife Barbara Boshar on the 8th of August, 1802.
One also has to tread lightly as there was a Moravian family with similar names and ages. Interestingly enough there was a Christian Gregory b. abt 1742 in Berks county, who also fought in the Rev war.
I’d love to get to some more historical societies, Lutheran church records, ect and try and figure out more on JP and where he was between 1766 and 1780. I think one has to align the rifles with where he was and it’ll help show the evolution of the builder…and maybe his teacher?