Gerald E. Dickerson Jr.
Firearms Appraisal Associates
John Spangler
Serving collectors and students of firearms and Military History
Henry E. Leman
RIFLE BARREL
Octagon,
43 ¼” long (approximately), 1.1” (approx.) across the flats at the breech
end. Caliber cannot be determined but based on the thickness of the chamber wall
at the location of the touchhole; it seems to have been near .45 caliber.
Heavily encrusted with rust from the muzzle to
approximately 8” from the breech end. It is reported that the moderately
rusted breech end was sticking out of the ground while the remaining length was
buried in the ground. The severe corrosion has progressed completely through the
wall of the barrel section between 8 & 11 from the muzzle and 16" from the
breech, leaving the bore exposed for that part of its length. The accumulated
rust is near 3/8" thick on the forward 6" of the barrel. The rear sight
dovetail slot is identifiable at 10” forward of the breech end. The presence
of the ignition "touch hole" on the right side flat, 1/2" forward
of the breech end, identifies this barrel as from a flintlock.
The
accumulated rust was removed from the breech section (for about 8”) by
electrolysis and faint die stamping was revealed. Very light filing of the top
flat in the vicinity of the stamping allowed the word LANCASTER to be read
although some letters were not decipherable. If any other marking (s) were originally
Present
they are no longer detectable. The lettering style and size of the
word LANCASTER, is quite similar to that found on some guns made by Henry Leman of
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, circa 1837-1860.While one would expect the Leman name
to be a part of the barrel marking, the
The
accompanying article on Henry E. Leman by Charles E. Hanson, Jr., documents
several purchases of flint lock Leman rifles with 42" barrels during the
1850's.
These
"dug-up" relics are actively collected today. An interested collector
of such items would very likely be eager to acquire the barrel in light of the
historically significant location of its discovery.
THE
PENNSYLVANIA- KENTUCKY RIFLE
LEITNER, JACOB
Yorktown, Pennsylvania. Tax list 1799.
LEMAN,
HENRY E.
In the beginning of this biography of Henry E. Leman,
it might be interesting and important to point out that claims have been made on
a number of occasions that gunsmiths named Leman worked in Lancaster County in
the eighteenth century. Such trade activities might be documented at a later
time; however, at the moment the records of the Lancaster County Court House do
not support the hypothesis of Leman production before the time of Henry E.
Leman. Nor are there any guns known to the writer, which can be attributed to a
Leman gunsmith of the eighteenth century.
Henry E. Leman was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania,
on March 8, 1812. At the age of sixteen he is reported to have been apprenticed
to Melchoir Fordney, one of Lancaster's most outstanding gunsmiths. In 1831 he
moved to Philadelphia
And
worked for the Tryon Company, which was manufacturing guns in a factory. .
Advertisement of H. E. Leman in a Lancaster Business Directory for 1843. Although
there is evidence that Leman was a prolific producer of
arms, only a
few can be found in collections throughout the country.
H.E. LEMAN
LANCASTER, PA_
PLATE
227
The upper sketch is of a trade musket with a
flintlock, octagon-to-round barrel 36 1/4 inches long with a
Birmingham proof mark on the left-side facet of the octagon near the
breech. The total length of the gun is 51 inches. On the lock plate, in front of
the hammer is a fox like animal over the letters "PA' and H. E. Leman,
Lancaster. The lock-bolt plate is in the shape of a dragon as found on
other trade s. The Blirm proof mark on the barrel suggests that Leman
imported the barrel. He may rave also Imported Ten lock and engraved it in his
factory in Lancaster. The gun is exhibited at the Kit Carson Museum, Trinidad,
Colorado.
The barrel has been sawed off the lower gun, which is
now owned by Mr. E. A. Hawks of Concord, Massachusetts.
'
Henry 1.
Kauffman PLATE 228
Rifle with percussion lock, full stock of maple with
artificial grain, brass mountings, octagonal barrel 40 inches long marked H.
Leman, Lancaster, Pa., Warranted. This type of rifle was probably made early in
Leman's career. The patch box, trigger guard, and toe-plate are
attractively engraved. Much of the artificial grain remains on the specimen.
Biographies
285
H. I. Kauffman
PLATE
230
Percussion lock rifle, maple stock, plain brass
mountings, octagonal barrel 44 inches long, marked H. Leman, Lancaster, Pa.,
Warranted, on top facet of barrel. This rifle had the usual artificial grain,
which Leman used, but the style of patch box is rarely found on Leman rifles.
Rifle with percussion lock marked Leman, Lancaster,
Pa. Plain brass mountings, set triggers; plain maple stock with artificial
grain, and octagonal barrel marked H. Leman, Lancaster, Pa. It is obvious that
Leman used both round and elliptical patch boxes on his rifles.
Musket with percussion lock marked Leman, Lancaster,
Pa. Full stock of walnut wood, brass mountings, round barrel 33 inches long,
marked Leman, Lancaster, Pa. This gun is identical in size to the
"Mississippi" models made by contractors like Tryon and Whitney.
THE
PENNSYLVANIA KENTUCKY RIFLE
Rifle with percussion lock, half stock of plain
maple, brass mountings, set triggers, and octagonal barrel marked H. Leman,
Lancaster, Pa., on the top facet of the barrel.
The brass tacks on the butt and the leather on the
fore stock are usually considered evidences of Indian ownership of a rifle. The
tacks were presumably added by an Indian to decorate the rifle and the laced
rawhide to repair a break in the stock.
After
1850 the factory at Oregon was not used and in 1861 his increased business
Pistol with under-hammer percussion lock, stock
of plain maple, brass mountings, octagon-and-round barrel marked
Leman, Lancaster, on a side facet. This is the only Leman pistol known to the
writer.
In 1873 Leman
moved to a larger factory at James and Christian Streets, where he continued in
business until 1887, when his factory
was closed. In 1888 his business. is
not listed in the Lancaster Business Directory but a Frank B. Leman is listed as
a gunsmith at 538 Middle Street,
Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The writer is not aware of any relationship between the
two men.
In the early years of his business activity Leman is
thought to have made most of his own parts, although he certainly made a few
guns with Birmingham proof marks on the barrels and possibly English locks. This
practice is difficult to
The invention of the percussion lock doubtless
stimulated many craftsmen to improve on the early pattern. The function of this
side hammer or "Mule ear" lock was satisfactory but it never was
popular with gunners and few of them were made. Some of them were made by men
who seem to have been experimenting rather than producing locks in quantity. A
side hammerlock in the author's collection has the mainspring on the outside of
the lock plate.
Although this lock is the only one known to the
writer made by Drepperd of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, it is not surprising that he
made one. He was a fine craftsman and it is reasonable that he would try his
hand on this strange style. It is also possible that he made it for a customer
who specifically asked for such a lock. It is obviously the shape of a standard
percussion lock and is beautifully engraved in the style and workmanship of a
fine lock maker.
explain
in any other way than by the fact that he could import barrels and locks cheaper
than he could make them here. His barrels were rifled in his factory and the
mountings were cast in a small foundry connected with the business. In 1875 he
started buying barrels made by the barrel specialists in Berks County.
Leman made a great variety of guns throughout his
career. Perhaps the rarest and most interesting is a type of trade gun with a
flintlock, which is illustrated in Plate 227. Its barrel is 36 inches long with
an octagonal section nine inches long at the breech. On the lock plate a
fox-like animal is impressed with the initials "PA." Beneath
this mark "H. E. Leman, Lancaster" is engraved. On the left side facet
of the barrel a Birmingham proof mark is found and a small replica of the emblem
that appears on the lock plate. A typical dragon ornament is used as a
lock-bolt plate. The presence of a flintlock on this gun suggests that it
was made in the early years of his career.
A long rifle in the author’s collection with a full
stock and a percussion lock was probably made about the same time as the trade
gun, for it has ribbed ramrod pipes identical to those on the trade gun. It has
a patch box, which reaches to the butt plate and is engraved with an interesting
motif. Its barrel is 40 inches long and is octagonal throughout. The stock has a
simulated curl, which Leman seems to have used on many of his rifle stocks.
A close examination of Leman's products indicates
that in the beginning of his career he was an alert and aggressive businessman.
He seems to have followed the trends of the times in the style of gun he
produced and he certainly made a large variety of guns. It appears that his
early sporting rifle with a full‑maple stock became a half-stock
with the same patch box that be had formerly used. The round and oval patch
boxes were later used on the half-stock rifles, of which he apparently
made a great many for local trade and shipment to the West.
He also manufactured muskets from the 1840's to the
Civil War period. A number are known with 33 inch barrels, which are about the
same size and shape of the "Mississippi" models, but Leman's lack the
brass patch box. Some of these muskets have iron mountings throughout while some
are made of mixed brass and iron parts. He also made the regular models in the
early 1860 period, similar to Springfield and other makes.
Rifle
with percussion lock marked Conestoga Rifle Company, full stock of maple covered
with red paint, brass mountings, octagonal barrel 40 inches long marked
Conestoga Rifle Company on the top facet of the barrel.
Double rifle and shotgun with percussion locks, brass
mountings, silver inlays and patch-box cover, walnut stock, round barrel
marked H. Leman, Lancaster, Pa.
The same catalogue includes data on the legendary
Conestoga rifles which name Leman is thought to have used for rifles of poorer
quality than his standard products. This theory is supported in the catalogue,
for his regular rifles are listed in a price range from $10.25 to $11.25, while the Conestoga rifles sold for $7.75 to
$9.50, the full stock with a patch box being cheaper than a
half stock with a patch box. The Conestoga Rifle from the V. Nolt collection
with a coating of red paint is a particularly interesting weapon.
I
the large number
of Leman locks found on guns made by other gunsmiths suggests that he did a
considerable business in that line. The appearance of his name on a lock plate
cannot be regarded as evidence that he made the gun on which such a lock is
found,
Leman refused to make breech-loading guns, and
it is interesting to speculate how long he could have continued had his business
activities not been terminated by his death. By the end of the nineteenth
century there was a reduced demand for muzzle-loading guns, and it is
doubtful if he could have stayed in business much longer without changing to
breech-loading guns.
Henry Leman was the last great gunsmith to have lived
in Lancaster; he was spoken of by people who knew him as a man of AM and
integrity. The writer has read a number of letters written by him, in which he
appears to have transacted his business with courtesy and honesty. If there is a
special niche in heaven for gunsmiths, he should be there.
Fairview (ten miles up Allegheny), Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. 1837.
Southampton Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
Tax lists 1863, 1867, 1874
Leman,
Riflemaker
Elchholz Leman was born in Lancaster, PennMarch 8, 1812, and died there March 12, 1887. d lived in Lancaster County for generais no evidence that any of them wereas and still is pronounced in three dif- Leamon and Lemon. The gunI friends and many of his descendants said However, some of Henry's cousins spelled theirleamon and he himself said that was the correct I'll do the same: if it was good enough for enough for me,I was correct in identifying the Lemans . They came to Lancaster County,
~,1805-1832. and J. Fordney, over a field of a dozen other makers who 1807-1836. submitted rifles for examination and trial. Price of the roline, 1809-1851. rifles was $14.00 each and in general they were flintlocks
E., 1812-1887. with long patch boxes and barrels about 42 inches long.
Cecilia, 1814-1834. Each rifle had a woolen cocover and was accompanied by a
ret Adelia, 1817-1842. mold, wiper and charger. They were to be packed in boxes Leman was apprenticed at age 16 to Melchior of not more than 25 rifles each. First proof was one-half three years. He then went to work for George ounce of powder and two patched balls. Second proof was a journeyman gunsmith in 1831 and stayed one-half ounce of powder and one patched ball. Finished he opened his own shop in part of his father's rifles were inspected. Apparently the contract was completed satisfactorily: he had finished 3 10 rifles by July 14, nation of training in his youth, three years 1838. to a master workman in the Lancaster For some years Deringer and Tryon edged him out one years working experience in a busy government rifle contracts and James Henry did the same, probably influenced his development of for rifle sales to the American Fur Company. However,Leman boldy entered the manufacture of Indian trade guns and received a government contract make 500 of them, together with 250 plain Powder and pouches, on February 8, 1842. In August of the a year he was awarded another contract for 600 Northv,,, guns of two barrel lengths and 300 each of powder horns and shot pouches. He was now in direct competition the Tryon Company and by 1855 he had eliminated competitor for government Northwest gun contracts.
During these years Leman made a wide variety rifles for the regular civilian market. Many of the su specimens are long Lancaster rifles, often stocked in pi maple artifically striped. As early as 1840 he also repaired muskets and other arms for the state at Philadell) Harrisburg, and Meadville Arsenals.
Leman was an energetic businessman. An advertisement in the
Lancaster Intelligencer advised the
readers that "The subscriber has constantly on hand several
hundred Rifles, of every description, and particular.
About 1850
the country mill near Catfish was abandoned and
Leman built a new factory in Lancaster, at the plate corner of
Walnut Street and Cherry Alley, which utilized and steam
power. The building was still standing a few years. speeded
up production. On January 17, 1852, he wrote one of the
western fur trading companies, "The style and ill finish of the Rifles
have improved since we are now in the rathiago, divided into row houses. The new
factory consolidated his operations and avail new factory." According to the
1850 census Leman had 34 employees. During
the year ending June 1, 1850, he bought 50 tons of bar
iron, 2,500 gun barrels and 2,500 pounds of frizz brass. Production
for that year was 5,000 gun U.S.2,500 complete
guns. In 1851,
Henry married Anna Dubois daughter of Louis
Dubois and Anna Hull of Newburgh,
I
take pleasure in saying that during my intercourse with you for these last twenty
years, none other than the be feelings have existed between us, and having as
You know
been extensively engaged in the Indian trade in all its branches among the prominent items are the articles Of Rifles which you have supplied me with and am happy to add that the largest portion of my purchases have been of Your manufacture and in every case they have given entire satisfaction and in no instance within my recollection have one of your rifles proved imperfect in any one of its parts. The Ewing Brothers, still trading with Indian,
Indiana, Missouri, Iowa and Kansas, made theat purchases:July 2, 1852 16 Indian flint rifles at $7.00.
8 Indian percussion rifles at $7.25. 16 Indian flint rifles Browned at $7.15. 7 Indian percussion rifles Browned at $7.40.
1 Indian percussion rifles Browned backstrap. October 15, 1856 24 Indian Rifles at $7.00 2 Indian Rifles backstrap browned at 7.75.
2 Indian Rifles backstrap browned, engraved at $8.00 4 Indian Rifles backstrap browned, percussion at
$8.00 June 18, 1853: 36 Flint Indian Rifles @ $7.50 36 Flint Indian Rifles Browned @ $7.65. A Leman's letterheads at this time had the embossed inscription: "Henry E. Leman, Manufacturer of Rifles & Rifle Barrels, Lancaster, Pa." In one letter he wrote that
all rifles were shipped in cases marked "Rifles from Leman, Lancaster Pa." He also remarked that all I were hardened and checked by flinting and that "We never made any other than 'Buck horn Sights."' Lots of Lemans were going to California and a special
heavy model was stamped "Bear Rifle" on the I specimen in a private collection is made for a .58 caliber ball.
In 1855 a bitter controversy erupted between government inspectors of contract rifles and Northwest guns and
Edward Tryon. Major P.N. Hagner examined Lenian rifles in the store of Newlin & Marshall in Phila,
delphia.
They had brass patchboxes and could be Purchased for $8.00. He pronounced them
superior tO Tryon's
Indian rifles "I think it will prove as good a as you could find on
the market for your purpose."
Leman
percussion Northwest gun, caliber 0.70, 36 inch barrel, ca.
However, the next apparent result of the controversy 1857,
and a late Leman flintlock Northwest gun, caliber 0.70, 361/4
was a heavy procession of Northwest gun orders
inch
barrel, period 1860. Both from the Museum of the Fur Trade,
serviceable
"Indian rifle" for the West. It was strongly made
with heavy barrel, varying in caliber from.44 to .58,and
a plain maple stock artificially striped. The breech plug
was substantial and the nipple drum turned in against
the lug so that it had to be removed before the plug
could be taken out. This
special model was extremely popular with Indians
and had practically no competition from other makers.
Government agents bought them by the hundreds and
so did the trading firms dealing with the Plains Indians.
