Anthony Tetwiler, Bedford County, Pennsylvania gunsmith

Introduction: Anthony Tetwiler, also known as Anthony Detwiler, is known as a Bedford County gunsmith from a census record, a tax record, and a directory entry.

1810: Calculating from the information on Anthony Tetwiler's tombstone, he was born in 1810. The 2017 book "Gunsmiths of Bedford County, Pennsylvania" gives Anthony's parents names as Jacob Detwiler and Mary Susannah (Wenger) Detwiler, and reports that Anthony Detwiler's birth occurred on August 20, 1810.

1817: According to her tombstone, Anthony Tetwiler's wife Susan was born April 2, 1817.

1833: The 1850 census suggests that Anthony Tetwiler had a son named George Tetwiler who was born circa 1832. A George Detwiler is buried at Saint John's Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Blair County, Pennsylvania, where his tombstone includes the statement, "George Detwiler, Born Oct. 24, A.D. 1833, died April 19, 1898." A website indicates that this individual is a son of Anthony and Susan (Rhodes) Detwiler.

1835: The 1850 census suggests that Anthony Tetwiler had a daughter named Mary Tetwiler who was born circa 1835. According to the death certificate of Mary (Detwiler) Dixon, she was born February 24, 1835 in Blair County (which did not yet exist), her parents were Anthony Detwiler and Susan Rhodes, and she died on January 26, 1912.

1837: The 1850 census suggests that Anthony Tetwiler had a son named Peter Tetwiler who was born circa 1837. A website indicates that Anthony S. Detwiler and Susan R. (Rhodes) Detwiler had a son named Peter Tetwiler who was was born on March 6, 1837 and died in 1865.

1840: I did not find Anthony Tetwiler in my difficult-to-read copy of the 1840 census records of Holidaysburg, which was then in Huntingdon County.

Circa 1840: The 1850 census suggests that Anthony Tetwiler had a son named Joseph Tetwiler who was born circa 1840.

Circa 1842: The 1850 census suggests that Anthony Tetwiler had a daughter named Catherine Tetwiler who was born circa 1842.

Circa 1844: The 1850 census suggests that Anthony Tetwiler had a son named Anthony Tetwiler who was born circa 1844.

1846: The 1850 census suggests that Anthony Tetwiler had a son named John Tetwiler who was born circa 1846.

1846: Pages 5 to 8 of the 1896 book "A History of Blair County, Pennsylvania" provide the text of the act establishing Blair County that was approved by the governor of Pennsylvania on February 26, 1846.

1848: The 1850 census suggests that Anthony Tetwiler had a daughter named Peggy Tetwiler who was born circa 1848. The inscription on a tombstone at the Albright Church of the Brethren Cemetery in Blair County, Pennsylvania includes the following, "Margaret wife of John H. Fry died Jan. 30, 1918 Aged 69 y. 5 m. 10 d." Calculating from the date on her tombstone, Margaret was born in 1848. A website indicates that Margaret's parents were Anthony and Susan (Rhodes) Tetwiler.

1850-1861: The 2001 book "Gunsmiths of Bedford, Fulton, Huntingdon, & Somerset Counties" by Whisker & Yantz indicates that Anthony "Detwiler" was in Huston Township in Blair County from 1850 to 1861, and made guns in the style of those made in Huntingdon County.

1850: The November 25, 1896 obituary of Mrs. Anthony Detwiler indicates she had a son named Christian. A website indicates that Christian "Christ" Tetwiler was born in 1850, his parents were Anthony and Susan (Rhodes) Tetwiler, he died on June 3, 1912, and is buried at the Newry Lutheran Cemetery in Blair County, Pennsylvania.

1850: Anthony Titwiller is enumerated as a 40-year-old gunsmith in the 1850 census of Huston Township, Blair County, Pennsylvania. Living in the same household are 33-year-old Susan Titwiller, 18-year-old George Titwiller, 15-year-old Mary Titwiller, 13-year-old Peter Titwiller, 10-year-old Joseph Titwiller, 8-year-old Catherine Titwiller, 6-year-old Anthony Titwiller, 4-year-old John Titwiller, and 2-year-old Peggy Titwiller, all Pennsylvania-born.

1854: The following obituary is from the August 21, 1929 issue of the "Altoona Tribune" newspaper. It lists several children of Anthony and Susan Detwiler, and indicates that Abram was born in 1854 at Clover Creek. The referenced Clover Creek originates in Woodbury Township, Bedford County at 40.234336, -78.308663, and enters Blair County after flowing northward about 1.82 miles. Clover Creek empties into the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River at 40.477148, -78.176458. Abraham "Abram" Detwiler is buried at the Holsinger Cemetery in Bedford County, Pennsylvania where his tombstone inscription includes, "Abraham Detwiler 1854--1929".

Circa 1859: The 1880 census indicates that Anthony Titwiler had a daughter named Susan who was born circa 1859. A website indicates that Anthony and Susan (Rhodes) Tetwiler had a daughter named Susan who was born January 14, 1857, died March 25, 1935, and is buried at the Holsinger Cemetery in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.

1860: The following excerpt is from the 1860 census records of Huston Township, Blair County, Pennsylvania.

1861: The 1880 census indicates that Anthony and Susan Detwiler had a son named Silas who was born circa 1863. According to the obituary of Silas Detwiler that was published in the February 8, 1937 issue of the "Altoona Mirror", he was a son of Anthony and Susan (Rhodes) Detwiler and was born on December 28, 1861 in Huston Township (Blair County, Pennsylvania). He is buried at the Holsinger Cemetery in Bedford County, Pennsylvania where his tombstone inscription states "Silas Detwiler born Dec. 28, 1861. Died Feb. 6, 1937."

The death certificate of Silas Detwiler indicates he was born at Bakers Summit on December 28, 1861, indicates that his father was Anthony Detwiler, and identifies the surname of his mother as Rhoades.

1866-1876: The 2001 Whisker & Yantz book indicates that Anthony "Detwiler" was in Middle Woodberry Township in Bedford County from 1866 to 1876.

1870: The 1953 edition of the book "American Gun Makers" puts Anthony Detwiler in Woodbury Township of Bedford County in 1870. According to Kauffman's 1960 book "The Pennsylvania - Kentucky Rifle", Anthony Detweiler is identified as a gunsmith on the 1870 tax roll of Bloomfield Township, Bedford County. Kauffman's information is hard to reconcile with the simple fact that Bloomfield Township was not incorporated until late in 1876. Sellers' 2008 book "American Gunsmiths" puts Anthony Detweiler in Bedford (presumably meaning Bedford County) based on an 1870 directory entry.

1870: The following excerpt is from the 1870 census of Middle Woodbury Township, Bedford County:

1876: The 1884 book "History of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton Counties, Pennsylvania" includes the statement, "Bloomfield township was organized December 8, 1876. Previous to that date it had been included in Woodberry township." and includes the statement, "Bloomfield formed part of Middle Woodberry township until 1876."

1877-1880: The 2001 Whisker & Yantz book indicates that Anthony "Detwiler" was in Baker's Summit in Bloomfield Township, Bedford County from 1877 to 1880.

1877: The following image is from the 1877 book "County Atlas of Bedford Pennsylvania". I suspect that the church that is illustrated on the map is the current municipal building that is located at 40.264007, -78.420844. In the Bloomfield Township portion of the atlas, I found no other candidate to be the Anthony Tetwiler residence.

1878: In the 1878-1879 edition of "Farquhar's Official Directory of Bedford County, Pennsylvania", Anthony Tetwiler (Detwiler) is listed as a farmer at Baker's Summit in Bloomfield Township.

1880: In the 1880 federal census of Bloomfield Township, Bedford County, Anthony Detwiler is enumerated as a 70-year-old Pennsylvania-born gunsmith. Also living in his household are 63-year-old Susan, 30-year-old John (laborer) 21-year-old Susan and 17-year-old Silas (laborer).

1885-1892: The 1983 booklet "Gunsmiths and Gunmakers of Bedford and Somerset Counties Pennsylvania 1770-1900" puts Anthony Detwiler in Bloomfield Township, Bedford County from 1885 to 1892 and gives the surname as Detwiler/Tetwiler/Setwiler.

1886: Sellers' 2008 book "American Gunsmiths" puts Anthony Detweiler in Bloomfield, Pennsylvania based on an 1886 directory entry.

1893: Anthony Tetwiler (Detwiler) is buried in the Holsinger Cemetery (40.24609876, -78.42401483) near Bakers Summit, Bedford County. The inscription on the tombstone states "Anthony Tetwiler died June 19, 1893 aged 82 yrs 9 mos 29 ds". In the German language, the T and D are more or less interchangeable. I don't know why the 2017 book "Gunsmiths of Bedford County, Pennsylvania" indicates that Anthony Detwiler's death occurred on August 20, 1893. It could be a typo based on the August 20, 1810 date of birth the book provides for Anthony Detwiler.

1896: The following obituary is from the November 25, 1896 issue of the "Altoona Tribune" newspaper. It indicates that Anthony Detwiler was already deceased before his wife's obituary was written. She was buried in the same cemetery as the Anthony Tetwiler who died June 19, 1893. I don't understand why her tombstone states, "Susan wife of Anthony Tetwiler born April 2, 1817 died Nov. 26, 1886."

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