Gateway to the Past In 1963, dreams of our glorious past became alive through the efforts of a cadre of dedicated artisans.

James W. Wright

illiamsburg, Virginia Washington married widow Martha buildings, beautiful gardens and COURTESY OF COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG OF COLONIAL COURTESY was a city of first Dandridge Custis, from a wealthy antique furnishings. Education and This ad from the Virginia Gazette dated August 8, 1761, is the first known advertisement for rifling barrels in Colonial America. importance in the Williamsburg family, and became a historical research to understand, colonies. Nestled near the tidewater familiar local figure. appreciate and respect our founding preservation of all aspects of colonial their father’s trades of gunsmithing Others arrived with little more than a Wbasin of the James River, the city In the early 20th century, after citizens became paramount guiding life. Their studies and research and brass casting. After 1760, when desire to be part of something bigger boasted the College of William and more than a century of neglect, principles. It would become a world of the Kentucky rifle have been James Geddy Jr. purchased the than themselves, and a willingness Mary. Thomas Jefferson, James the Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin leader in setting standards for pivotal in bringing about a better house and lot from his mother and to learn the nearly forgotten manner Monroe, John Tyler and sixteen signers solicited financial support from recreating the lifestyle from appreciation and understanding of established his silversmith and of daily colonial life. As the crafts of the Declaration of Independence seasonal resident John D. Rockefeller colonial American days, early America’s frontier. jewelry business, William and David became more of a focus, literally were alumni of the College. George Jr. to resurrect the fading glory of the as well as in exploration, A Gun Building Tradition: Gun continued to operate the foundry as from the hills of Virginia came a city. His dream of a revived Colonial replication and an exacting building in Williamsburg began a separate enterprise. These findings young man who would become a Williamsburg was to include with John Brush who arrived from verified the history of gunsmithing virtual Pater classis among artisans in more than charming but static London in 1717. He was a master in from before the Revolutionary War general and gunsmiths in particular. the Gun Makers’ Guild in England. in Williamsburg and a concerted Wallace Gusler had been working as James Geddy Sr. established his effort began to address recreating a self-taught gun builder for several shop prior to 1736. His sons, William this craft. years when his work came to the and David, carried on the business The Colonial Williamsburg attention of the young longrifle after their father died in 1744. In Foundation realized that people are collector Robin Hale, a graduate 1750, six years after her husband’s the lifeblood of any organization. student at Virginia Tech. After death, Anne Geddy sold the east lot, Many talented individuals availed graduation Robin learned Colonial forcing her sons to relinquish the themselves to work, study, research Williamsburg needed a gunsmith. He workroom on the property to its new and examine priceless artifacts. saw an opportunity and his interest owner. Subsequently, the brothers helped Wallace to get an interview built a workroom on the west side of A young Wallace Gusler in 1968. and eventually employment at the the foundry. Colonial Williamsburg’s Deane The Geddy brothers advertised Forge, beginning December 3, 1962. in the Virginia Gazette on August When Wallace arrived, Reeves 8, 1751 they were carrying on the Goehring Jr. was working at the “Gunsmith’s, Cutler’s and Founder’s magazine, a repository for a large trade, to include Gun Work, such number of original muskets. Reeves as Guns and pistols, Stocks plain was training Dan Berg in repairing or neatly varnished, Locks and and maintaining the ‘Brown Bess’ Mountings, Barrels blued, bored muskets used in the militia musters and rifled.” This advertisement and musket firing demonstrations. indicates that David and William Working out of the second floor of Geddy were partners, continuing in the guard house and at the powder magazine, Reeves had Berg stock up a smoothbore long gun from Left: The reconstructed Geddy work shop now

holds the C.W. Gun Shop. WILLIAMSBURG OF COLONIAL COURTESY parts. With his experience in casting

14 A m e r i c a n T radition • t h e j o u r n a l o f t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y l o n g r i f l e a s s o c i at i o n • j a n u a r y 2010 WILLIAMSBURG OF COLONIAL COURTESY A m e r i c a n Tradition • t h e j o u r n a l o f t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y l o n g r i f l e a s s o c i at i o n • j a n u a r y 2010 15 The “movie rifle” documented in the 1968 film, The Gunsmith of Williamsburg. RIC LAMBERT

guard and butt piece, fabricating the Shop on Prince George Street. flintlock rifles, commented on the stock and sheet brass mounts using Gusler’s lifelong friend Gary state of knowledge at the time: “It brass, Reeves also only hand tools. He completed this Brumfield, who had hunted with was obvious back in Salem, when introduced Berg to first rifle in only eight days. This Wallace using their homemade we saw the early rifles in Kindig’s foundry work at the Deane bold move was the catalyst for the book, Thoughts on the Kentucky Forge, which became Berg’s re-establishment of gun building in Rifle in it’s Golden, Age we had main interest. Dan went on to be a Colonial Williamsburg. been missing what characterized foundry man at the Geddy Foundry, Reeves would head the shop, firearms from before and around a position he held until retiring. but as a summer employee who had the Revolutionary War. And the In the meantime, Wallace worked five weeks in 1962 and six early guns really appealed to us.” became frustrated forging items for weeks in 1963, making only $100 a From the beginning, the gun shop sale to tourists. During the spring week with lodging, he soon moved on epitomized Colonial Williamsburg’s of 1963, working on his own after to his main vocation, that of a history goals. It was a fortuitous day when hours, Gusler built a flintlock rifle teacher. In 1963, the Williamsburg this shop was established, not only using an original barrel and lock Gunsmith Shop opened in one room for the Foundation, but also for with commercially cast brass trigger above the Deane Forge Blacksmith future aspiring gun builders who A beautiful brace of silver would have an interest in building mounted pistols, one of two identical RIC LAMBERT sets, each a joint effort by George Suiter, Clay Right: An early photograph of Gary Brumfield at work in the shop. flintlock firearms, and the desire to Smith, Richard Frazier and Richard Sullivan.

Below: Current Gun Shop Master George Suiter (r) rifling a hand forged gun barrel with journeyman Clay WILLIAMSBURG OF COLONIAL COURTESY Smith assisting, while journeyman Richard Frazier works on a lock. COURTESY OF COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG OF COLONIAL COURTESY Current Shop Master George Suiter engraves a silver pistol butt cap cast at the Getty foundry.

Left: Three pistols made in the Williamsburg gun shop. (Top) made by Wallace Gusler in 1971, with touch-marks of Jon Laubach and Gerry Abbott, indicating it is a hand-forged barrel; (middle) an iron mounted pistol with set triggers and hand- forged barrel by Gary Brumfield; (bottom) signed by Jon Laubach and George Suiter. It is the first project George worked on in the shop, 1977. COURTESY OF COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG OF COLONIAL COURTESY RIC LAMBERT

16 A m e r i c a n T radition • t h e j o u r n a l o f t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y l o n g r i f l e a s s o c i at i o n • j a n u a r y 2010 A m e r i c a n Tradition • t h e j o u r n a l o f t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y l o n g r i f l e a s s o c i at i o n • j a n u a r y 2010 17 Six Sh o p Ma d e Ri f l e s Fr o m Co l o n i a l Wi l l i a m s b u r g

RIC LAMBERT Wallace Gusler, the “First Williamsburg Rifle.”

RIC LAMBERT Jon Laubach – his personal rifle.

RIC LAMBERT David Wagner – passed away in 2005.

OMAR GUERRA Ed Thomas – an early apprentice and journeymen, passed away in 2009.

RIC LAMBERT Gary Brumfield – the second shop Master.

RIC LAMBERT George Suiter – current shop Master A hand made double barrel, swivel breech rifle.

18 A m e r i c a n T radition • t h e j o u r n a l o f t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y l o n g r i f l e a s s o c i at i o n • j a n u a r y 2010 A m e r i c a n Tradition • t h e j o u r n a l o f t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y l o n g r i f l e a s s o c i at i o n • j a n u a r y 2010 19 replicate technologies used in their guns for our custom orders. The individuals accurately presenting our construction. The conscious decision economic downturn of the early past, have given the world a better to take an exacting approach to nineteen-nineties hurt the market understanding of the early American gun building was made, and has for these expensive guns and in frontier. Years of dedication, hard continued to this day. The arduous 1994, after Gusler returned as master work and long hours have paid huge challenges of rediscovering the of the shop, once again commercial dividends not only to the colonial hidden past became a mission, and locks and barrels were offered as a capital community of Williamsburg, as some of the few “institutionalized less costly option.” but to the society of the Longrifle tradesmen” the Gunsmiths of The year 1968 proved to be a Culture as well. Williamsburg were allowed the milestone for the education and freedom and time to research and inspiration of traditional gun redevelop the skills of 18th-century builders. The Colonial Williamsburg A Cadre of Gifted Artisans: gunsmithing. Foundation produced The Gunsmith The next major challenge would of Williamsburg, a docudrama of small Wallace Gusler (b.1942) started be a hand-forged rifled gun barrel. shop technology showing a flintlock as an interpreter in the Historic Throughout 1963-64 there was much rifle made in a traditional manner Trades Department at Colonial research and experimentation to from start to finish. All the materials, Williamsburg in 1962 and in two discover methods and techniques of including the wrought iron, as years was promoted to Master this technology. Even visits to ‘pick well as the tools and construction Gunsmith. In 1972 he left the Gun the brain’ of legendary gunmaker methods used were exacting to Shop to become the Curator of RIC LAMBERT Hacker Martin were of little benefit. the 18th century methods. Still Mechanical Arts, Furniture and Arms “Contrary to popular stories” says available as a DVD, it remains the for the CW Foundation, and then the Wallace, “Hacker never actually premier documentary on building Director of Conservation before he forged a rifle barrel. He could not flintlock rifles with period tools and returned as Master of the Gun Shop understand, with barrels readily technology, continuing to influence in 1994. During this tenure, Wallace available, why I would even want makers today. wrote Furniture of Williamsburg to try it.” Pressing the issue, Hacker Contemporaneously another and Eastern Virginia 1710-1880, and COURTESY OF COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG OF COLONIAL COURTESY finally told young Gusler “If you Journeyman Richard Sullivan recently completed important development for the Decorated Firearms 1540-1870 with want to forge a rifle barrel you an all hand made rifle with 18th century tools. craft of building traditional rifles Professor James Lavin, and has been need a great big fire and three big came from Albert Sullivan, one of published in numerous magazines dumb men!” Knowing of no other guide. There they offered colonial the first major antique rifle collector and journals. He remains active resources, in order to learn the flintlock guns “lock, stock and to seriously treat revival firearms teaching at the annual Western techniques of gun barrel forging, the barrel,” as well as less expensive as a collectable art form. Sullivan Kentucky University Longrifle fledgling gun shop was on its own. firearms with commercially made commissioned rifles by highly Seminar and other Workshops. He “Hacker did teach us how to make locks and barrels. talented craftsmen including Carl served as the first President of the cherry reamers” added Wallace “but A life of study, research and Pippert, Bob Ditchburn, William Contemporary Longrifle Association that was about it.” Hacker was not practical experience has shaped Buchele, and George Stanford as and was the first recipient of the being guarded about forging barrels Wallace’s and Gary Brumfield’s well as Wallace Gusler. The interest CLA’s Distinguished Service Award. “He was one of the most helpful gun definition of a handmade firearm. in authentic and historically correct In 2001 he was once again honored makers I ever met; he just did not To the journeymen and masters styled colonial era firearms was by the presentation of the CLA’s know for sure.” of Colonial Williamsburg, it rapidly growing with the Colonial Pioneer Award. Also a member of Finally, in the early 1965 Gusler includes using strictly 18th century Williamsburg gun shop taking the the Kentucky Rifle Association and successfully forged a gun barrel technology. lead in setting standards in the the National Muzzleloading Rifle tube. “I had to use 1020 (mild) Gary Brumfield commented: study of traditional workmanship Association, he was awarded the steel” explained Wallace “because “While by far the greatest number and methods. The motto of Colonial Distinguished Service Award by I could not obtain wrought iron. of rifles that have been made in Williamsburg is ‘that the future may the Kentucky Rifle Association in Since I had no help that winter, I the shop over the years have used learn from the past.’ For 47 years 1986. Wallace retired from Colonial fashioned it from three pieces and commercially available locks and literally hundreds of thousands of Williamsburg in 2004 and resides in butt-welded them together.” With an barrels, this was driven by the visiting tourist have been influenced Queen’s Lake outside Williamsburg. understatement, he added: “It made economics of producing rifles for by interpretation and demonstration for a very difficult task of reaming customers and in no way lessened at the Gun Shop at Colonial the bore smooth.” the shop’s goal of redeveloping and Williamsburg. Not only have they Top right: Tomahawks by Jon Laubach (top) In the winter of 1966 the gun keeping alive the traditional skills learned about early American and Wallace Gusler (middle). The belt axe shop and its 24 year old Master, necessary to make an all hand-made technology and the role the gun has (bottom) is by George Suiter. The plug bayonet is by Jon Laubach. Wallace Gusler, moved into the rifle. In the mid-nineteen eighties played in frontier life, but also about Ayscough shop where they had a we had a huge backlog of potential the exploration, expansion, and Right: Forging a barrel tube under the careful forge, a wall of tools, work benches, customers and decided to switch settlement of colonial America. The eye of Gary Brumfield (left) assisted by Jon a barrel boring machine and a rifling to making only totally hand-made efforts of a handful of passionate Laubach (foreground) and (almost obscured) Dave Wagner. WILLIAMSBURG OF COLONIAL COURTESY

20 A m e r i c a n T radition • t h e j o u r n a l o f t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y l o n g r i f l e a s s o c i at i o n • j a n u a r y 2010 A m e r i c a n Tradition • t h e j o u r n a l o f t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y l o n g r i f l e a s s o c i at i o n • j a n u a r y 2010 21 Gary Brumfield (b.1946) worked fowlers and pistols, and a fabulous a class project. Dave began working apprenticeship began under George content in the research, or in their EMPLOYEES OF THE CWB three summers beginning in1965 swivel breech rifle. He is known for in the Colonial Williamsburg gun Suiter and finished under Wallace striving to be more exacting. It GUNSHOP THROUGH ITS 47 at the Deane Forge shop, while making cased sets with workmanship shop as a summer helper while in 1995. He has completed twelve seemed to be a point of contention YEARS OF OPERATION earning his degree at Virginia Tech. rivaling the finest period gun attending Millersville University. hand-made rifles and pistols. Clay in their approach to recreating the In 1969 Gary joined the US Army. makers. George is a graduate of Graduating in 1980 with a degree left Colonial Williamsburg in January authentic Williamsburg gun shop Editor’s Note: We thought it might interest With a drawdown, Gary opted Trinidad State Junior College’s in Industrial Arts, Dave taught 2009 due to staff reductions. that the Francis Street building our readers to see a list of the employees for a short tour as a Spec 5 and Gunsmithing Program. Prior to one year as a high school shop was never a gun shop; however, in who have worked at the gun shop during worked as an Armorer. In April Williamsburg, he was employed at teacher before returning to Colonial Richard Sullivan is the latest gun 2008, that changed when the shop its existence. In alphabetical order: 1972, Gary was employed full time the Douglas barrel making company Williamsburg as an apprentice under builder at Colonial Williamsburg to relocated to the Geddy site where Jerry Abbott at the Williamsburg gun shop. After from 1975 to 1977. Building on the Gary Brumfield and Jon Laubach. have completed a rifle lock, stock and they would be building firearms at a Peter Alexander Wallace moved to another job at foundation of Wallace and Gary, new Dave was an excellent student who barrel with traditional tools. Richard documented site. Dan Berg Colonial Williamsburg, Gary became methods of die forging lock parts learned quickly and soon joined built flintlock rifles as a hobby before More than two centuries later, Nick Blanton a journeyman and ‘Shop Manager’ in were developed by George and his the ranks of the few contemporary becoming an apprentice in 2003. the Geddy workshop is again alive Walt Brinkley 1972. In 1974, he was designated as journeymen, as well as a technique artisans who have made a rifle with the sounds of hammers, rasps Gary Brumfield Shop Master. Under his leadership, for charcoal bluing barrels. entirely by hand with 18th century and gun making, replete with Mark Christensen the gun shop focused on handmade technology. On September 18, 1986, Full Circle: The dreams of a the dusky smells of the coal fired Jay Close rifles, fowlers and pistols. When Gary Jon Laubach (b.1946) from he was promoted to Journeyman. glorious past come home forge, varnishes and vegetable oils. J.P. Cottingham relocated in 1990 to another job at Allentown. Pennsylvania, served in Dave taught classes at the With George Suiter as the Master William Fenstermacher Colonial Williamsburg, he had been Vietnam in the US Navy as a Search NMLRA Gunsmithing Seminar Having known several of these Gunsmith, assisted by journeyman Richard Frazier the longest serving gun shop Master, and Rescue swimmer aboard the at Western Kentucky gun makers for many years, I was Richard Sullivan, fine hand made Jeff Geyer having held the position for 18 years. DD723 (destroyer) USS Walke. always struck that they were never colonial rifles, fowlers and pistols Harold Gill III Gary was the editor of the Journal After leaving active RIC LAMBERT are being crafted just as in Susan Gilliam of Historical Armsmaking Technology duty, Jon centuries past. The dream Lindsay Grigsby (JHAT), and was published in of Reverend Dr. Goodwin, Reaves Goehring Jr. numerous magazines. who imagined a glorious Wallace Gusler Shop built rifle with fire blued forged iron mounts future dedicated to the past, Alan Gutchess by Wallace Gusler. is realized in the revived Kevin Harding Colonial Williamsburg Steve Hicks University and authored articles in Gun Shop. Two centuries Carson Hudson attended Trinidad JHAT (volume two), including one after its role as a city of Ronnie Jacobs State Junior College and received on making a barrel crowning tool. first importance, Colonial Shawn Johnson an Associate degree in their When his health deteriorated in 1998, Williamsburg is again the Art LaBonte He served gunsmithing program in 1970. He Dave moved back to Mifflinburg premier city to those who Jim LaRue as President of started worked as an apprentice where he continued to do fine gun love, admire and respect Jon Laubach the Contemporary from 1970 to 1974 under Wallace work until he suffered a fatal heart our heritage, and strive Mike Lavin Longrifle Association, and and then Gary. In 1974 Jon achieved attack February 27, 2005. to reconnect with our Bill Little coordinated the annual Gun journeyman status. He relocated to founding colonial ancestors, Paul List Building Seminar and Workshops the Toolmaker to the Historic Trades Richard Frazier (b.1946) spent especially for those building Bill Lloyd hosted by Western Kentucky program in 1988. Jon has forged five years building muzzleloaders Kentucky Rifles. Larry Luck University since 1984. In 1998 Gary more gun barrel tubes than any other at Silver Dollar City in Pigeon Glenn McIntyre received the CLA Education Award. builder at Colonial Williamsburg. Forge, Tennessee, before coming Jay “Roddy” Moore He is featured in a DVD on how to to Williamsburg. He began his Bruce Moyle During 1992-1994 Ken Schwarz, hand-forge a gun barrel, assisted apprenticeship with Gary in 1988, The last day at the Francis Street Randy Schon Gun Shop. Master George Suiter Clay Smith Master Blacksmith of Anderson by his son Chris Laubach and Mike and continued under Wallace in (front left) with journeymen Richard Forge, managed the Gun Shop Miller. CLA Executive Director 1995. Richard is not only a talented Sullivan (front right), Clay Smith Tom Strohfeldt with George Suiter as Journeyman Gordon Barlow refers to Jon as “the gun maker, but also a scholar of 18th (back left) and Richard Frazier George Suiter (back right). Supervisor. Wallace returned to best unknown gun maker.” Jon century studies. Richard forged two Richard Sullivan the Gun Shop as Master in 1994 never seeks publicity, allowing his gun barrels, and became part of a Frank Tate and continued until his retirement work to speak for itself and readily select group to build very fine cased Blair Taylor in 2004. shares his hard-earned secrets with sets of flintlock pistols. He retired Ed Thomas – deceased 2009 anyone who is interested. after 20 years in 2008. Dave Wagner – deceased 2005 George Suiter (b.1953) served his References: Joe Wheeler apprenticeship with Gary Brumfield David L. Wagner, Jr. (1956-2005) Clay Smith (b.1956) began working Anecdotes, recollections and details obtained through interviews with Wallace Gusler, Liza Gusler, Bill Wilde George Suiter, Reeves Goehring, Jon Laubach, Clay Smith, Richard Frazier, and Richard Sullivan. Chris Wright from 1977 to 1984, achieving the became interested in rifle building at Colonial Williamsburg in 1988 as a My particular appreciation goes to Gary Brumfield for his investment of many hours to assist in official title of Shop Master in 2004. when his Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, summer interpreter before spending producing a better and more accurate article. Personnel records only go back several George has labored at the gun shop shop teacher showed The Gunsmith two and a half years with blacksmiths Gordon Barlow. Following the Tradition; Celebrating the Artisans of the Contemporary Longrifle Association, years. Possibly we have missed individuals longer than anyone, 32 years. He of Williamsburg documentary. The Peter Ross and Ken Swartz at the Texarkana: Scurlock Publishing Co., 2008. or perhaps misspelled a name. If so, please Mark Silver and Wallace Gusler. Three Centuries of Tradition; the Renaissance of Custom Sporting Arms in accept our apologies. created numerous hand made rifles, teacher allowed him to build a rifle as Anderson Forge. His gun building America, Minneapolis: Minneapolis Institute of Arts and Scala Publishers Ltd., 2003.

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