Henry Lechler. gunsmith. Henry Lechler, Sr. was variously an "under sheriff" (1785), constable (1789) and innkeeper (1797). In 1807 he was taxed as a "gentleman." There is no evidence that this man was a gunsmith, and there is no evidence that Henry Lechler, gunsmith, was the son of this Henry Lechler. In 1797 Henry Lechler, freeman gunsmith, appeared on the tax list. He was not listed in 1793 and the lists of 1794 through 1796 are missing. He was not on the tax list of 1799. Although his advertisements say that he served a "regular apprenticeship" in Lancaster, we do not know with whom he worked. From 1797 through 1843 his name was on the tax rolls of Carlisle, Cumberland County. His advertisement, below, from 1817 says that he has "returned" to Carlisle, but tax lists do not confirm his absence. On 8 January 1817 the Carlisle Gazette reported his marriage to a Mrs. Catherine Capp of Harrisburg.
A Henry Lechler, Jr., was a gunsmith in Philadelphia from 1831 through 1855 [Kauffman, The Pennsylvania-Kentucky Rifle, p.281]. Lechler's work is discussed in Kindig [pp.472-73] and Hicks [U.S. Ordnance, II, 60-63].
"GUNSMITH BUSINESS, HENRY LECHLER from Lancaster has commenced the GUN & RIFLE MAKING BUSINESS in the house of Mr. W. Blair in the main street in the borough of Carlisle, where makes new gun and rifle locks and repairs old ones...."
[Kline's Carlisle Weekly Gazette, 1 May 1797].
GUN SMITH BUSINESS, HENRY LECHLER, From Lancaster, informs his friends and the public in general, that he has removed his shop, into the house in York street, formerly occupied by George Hoover, and opposite Mr. John Hunter's tavern; continues to make RIFLES and SHOT GUNS In the neatest and newest fashion, and warrants all Rifles which are made by him to be equal to any made in the state, as he has served a regular apprenticeship to the above business -- he hopes from the good encouragement he has got, to give satisfaction to all who may employ him with their custom. Repairing done in the neatest and best manner. N.B. He wants a quantity of Curled Maple plank of about two inches and a quarter or half inch thick, for which he will give the highest prices.
[Kline's Carlisle Weekly Gazette, March 28, 1798].
GUN FACTORY. The Subscriber has returned to Carlisle and informs his friends and the public generally that he has recommenced the GUN SMITH BUSINESS in the house lately occupied by Andrew Borden, Esq., where he is ready to meet the demands of any person desirous of having good and elegant work executed, and upon moderate terms as formerly.
[Carlisle Gazette, 16 October 1817].
