KRA Bulletin | VOLUME 40 | NUMBER 2 | WINTER 2013

Focused on regional craftsmanship rather than individual biography, this Winter 2013 Bulletin presents a comprehensive study of the longrifle makers of Guilford County, North Carolina. The lead article traces the development of what collectors now identify as the Early Deep River School and its evolution into the Jamestown School, documenting the architectural, decorative, and stylistic features that distinguish these regional traditions.

Drawing on surviving rifles, signed examples, court records, apprenticeships, and land transactions, the research reconstructs the working networks of gunsmiths including Matthew Osborne, David Grose, Craft Jackson, Thaddeus Gardner, William Lamb, and others. The Bulletin places Guilford County within the broader narrative of Southern longrifle production, emphasizing its significance as the most prolific center of trained gunsmiths in the region during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Usage Note: This Bulletin is provided for the private research and educational use of Kentucky Rifle Association members. Redistribution or reproduction without written permission is prohibited.

KRA Bulletin | VOLUME 40 | NUMBER 1 | FALL 2013

Misidentification and attribution errors surrounding gunsmiths of the same name have long complicated the study of Pennsylvania longrifle makers. This Fall 2013 Bulletin addresses one such problem through a detailed investigation of Christian Beck of Jonestown, distinguishing his work and career from those of similarly named relatives previously conflated in published scholarship.

Using tax records, church registers, estate filings, and close examination of signed rifles, the article reconstructs Christian Beck’s apprenticeship, working life, and stylistic lineage as the son of John Philip Beck. The research clarifies generational relationships within the Beck family, resolves longstanding confusion regarding Christian Beck “the Earlier” and “the Later,” and provides a documented framework for accurately identifying rifles produced in and around Jonestown during the early nineteenth century.

Usage Note: This Bulletin is provided for the private research and educational use of Kentucky Rifle Association members. Redistribution or reproduction without written permission is prohibited.

KRA Bulletin | VOLUME 39 | NUMBER 3 | SPRING 2013

Across the early nineteenth century Ohio frontier, few gunmaking families matched the scale, versatility, or craftsmanship of the Clarks of Lebanon. This Spring 2013 Bulletin examines the rise of the Clark family as Ohio’s most prolific early gunsmiths, tracing their apprenticeship lineage, workshop locations, and market strategies during a period of rapid western expansion.

Through detailed analysis of surviving rifles, workshop records, census data, and period correspondence, the article reconstructs the careers of James Clark and his sons, documenting their transition from flint to percussion arms and their role in supplying expanding frontier markets. The study situates Clark family rifles within the broader economic and cultural context of early American gunmaking, emphasizing quality, adaptability, and regional influence.

Usage Note: This Bulletin is provided for the private research and educational use of Kentucky Rifle Association members. Redistribution or reproduction without written permission is prohibited.