Riflemakers List

Palm, John

School: Berks (Pennsylvania/PA)

John Palm was a versatile gunmaker located on Second Street, Womelsdorf, Heidelberg Township until he died in 1865. His work shows little influence by the earlier Womelsdorf makers, making a variety of rifles from plain guns to fancy silver inlaid rifles. Palm often numbered his rifles alongside his signature. He also worked in neighboring Lancaster County for a short period during the early 1800s.

Blackburn, John

School: Maryland

Emmitsburg Blackburn was born October 17, 1786, and was a son of Alexander Blackburn, He was apprenticed to John Armstrong to learn the gunsmith trade on April 15, 1804, for a term of three years. During the War of 1812 Blackburn was in Hagerstown and served as a private of infantry in a company known as the Hagerstown Militia. Captain George Shrycok led this company, which was part of the 24th Maryland Regiment, to Bladensburg where they found on August 24, 1814. In this same company was Samuel Hawken. Blackburn was one of 11 soldiers from Washington County who deserted in the fall of 1814. For further reference, see Arms Makers of Maryland. For additional information see, Maryland Longrifles Hartzler/Whisker.

Wolf, Elmer P.

School: Maryland

Frederick County Elmer P. Wolf was born March 31, 1868, a son of Herman and Mary Gordon Wolf. He was reared at Foxville and learned the gunsmithing trade from his father. He married Eliza Jane Stottlemyer and had a sawmill and made guns in Eyler’s Valley north of Thurmont. For further reference, see Arms Makers of Maryland. For additional information see Maryland Longrifles Hartzler/Whisker.

Fitzwater, Nelson

School: Maryland

The federal census of 1860 for Randolph County, (West) Virginia, census listed Nelson Fitzwater as having been born in Maryland in 1816, working as a gunsmith. His wife Sarah, aged 34, and their children were born in Virginia. They were residing in the house of a shoemaker named John DeWitt. For additional information see Maryland Longrifles Hartzler/Whisker.

Thompson Isaac

School: Mecklenburg (North Carolina/NC)
Isaac Thompson was a gunsmith in the Paw Creek section of Mecklenburg County. He was known to engrave a silver inlay in the top flat of a barrel with his full name also with is initials (in script) on other examples. There were two Isaac Thompsons one born in 1780 and another about 1802; it is unknown which was the gunmaker.
Source: Ivey, William. North Carolina Schools of Longrifles 1765-1865. Thomasville, NC: Published by the Author, 2010. Print.