Any comments on this J. Furney rifle?

[Dietle]

The mysterious John Furney was supposedly a Bedford County, Pennsylvania gunsmith who moved to Ohio. The gun shown at the following link appears to be one of his signed rifles, or at least one of his signed barrels, but it sure isn’t anything like a Bedford County gun. Does anyone have proof that John Furney moved to Ohio? Maybe a census record that says he was a gunsmith? Was there more than one J. Furney gunsmith? Is there anything about this gun that says Ohio? Here’s the link to my new J. Furney rifle page: https://korns.org/gunsmiths/J-Furney-rifle-5252025/J-Furney-rifle-5252025.html

[LynnC]

Hi Dietle,

That certainly is a very late period style rifle with that fish belly stock.

Could you detect any filled dovetails under the barrel rib. This would confirm a recycled barrel.

[Dietle]

LynnC, Thanks. I will ask the owner of the gun (or rather, his son) about barrel dovetails, but given how much the rib overlaps the barrel flats, I doubt any dovetails are visible. One thing I just found out is the barrel measures only 13/16" inches across the flats: extremely slender.

[Tanselman]

Pulled this off internet:

John Furney/Forney son of Philip Furney of Bedford County PA
By Sandra Hall August 31, 2004 at 08:39:33
I have been looking for the parents of Sarah Forney Potter for many years. About all I had was this census record in StClair Twp in 1850: Maria age 50, Mariam 20, Sarah 18, John 16 and Aaron 14. All born in PA.

When I started looking at the Furney spelling I found land, tax and census records linking John Furney born about 1800, gunsmith son of Philip Furney and Catherine Wymer to Maria/Mary Furney/Forney in the above census record.

I construct the family this way.
John W. Furney occupation gunsmith was born about 1800 in Maryland. He may have been with his family in Woodberry Twp, Bedford County or working for another gunsmith when he married Mary ____ about 1822. He died in Ohio in 1871, she died in Altoona in 1880 or 1881.
Children
Perhaps Elizabeth born about 1823 married Amos(Moses) Berkheimer about 1842 in St. Clair or Union Twp.
Daughter born about 1827
Mary Ann born 1830 (Mariam in the 1850 census) married Jacob T. AMICK 1850 in St. Clairsville
Sarah born about 1832 married John Potter of South Woodbury Twp about 1855
John C. born about 1834 married Mary Furry of South Woodbury Twp about 1856, he died about 1858.
Aaron born about 1835 not married by 1880.

Probably John and Mary separated before 1850 as John is in Ohio in 1860 and 1870.

Shelby Gallien

[Dietle]

Thanks, Tanselman.

[Dietle]

This morning, I found proof that the gunsmith John Furney was living in Ohio in 1870. Now I need to update my John Furney biography page to reflect this new fact.