Introduction
Although my main antique firearm-related interest is the gunsmiths of Somerset and Bedford counties, Pennsylvania, I created this page to see if anyone has anything to add to what is known about the gunsmith George Nunnamacher. During the first decade of the 1800s, he worked in Huntingdon County, which adjoins Bedford County. The surname was spelled various ways in old records, including Nunnamacher, Nunnemacher, Nunnamaker, Nunamaker, and Nunemaker.
L. Dietle
Chronology
Mr. DeCamp was wondering if George Nunnamacher was apprenticed to the gunsmith John Armstrong of Emmitsburg. Since apprenticeship agreements are often recorded, I inquired at the Maryland State Archives. An archivist there told me that Frederick County apprenticeship records for the pre-1802 time period I was interested in are ordinarily found in a 1794 to 1801 indenture records volume at C799-1. The archivist reviewed the index for C799-1 to see if George Nunnamacher was listed, but the closest name he found was George Newcommer. At the archivist's recommendation, I also searched the 1778-1803 land records, but did not find an apprenticeship agreement involving George Nunnamacher.
1798: The 2001 book "Gunsmiths of Bedford, Fulton, Huntingdon, & Somerset Counties" by Whisker & Yantz indicates that George Nunnamacher was identified with a £ 80 valuation at Emmitsburg in 1798. The information source, although not identified, may be a tax list.
1799 to 1803: George Nunemaker's August 5, 1799 mortgage to Henry Geyer for Lot No. 21 (including a house thereon) of Shield's addition to Emmitsburg, Maryland was recorded February 5, 1800 on pages 308 to 310 of Frederick County Land Record Liber 19. Click here to see the recorded mortgage, which identifies George Nunemaker as a resident of Frederick County, Maryland.
Click here to see page 66 (MSA CE 108-44) of Frederick County Land Record Liber 24, which documents George Nunnamaker's November 11, 1802 release of the 1799 mortgage, When he signed the release, George Nunnamaker was a resident of the town of Huntingdon in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It is approximately 86 road miles between Emmitsburg, Maryland and Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. The release was recorded in 1803.
Here is my attempt at a transcript of the 1803 record:
Exam'd & delivered Grantee} At the request of Henry Geyer the following release Was recorded the eleventh day February 1803 to wit Know all men by these presents that I George Nunnamaker of the Town of Hunting in Hunting County Pennsylvania, for and in consideration of the sum of three hundred and Seventy five pounds Current money to me in hand paid by Henry Geyer of Emmitsburgh Frederick County, Maryland, the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge and myself fully contented and Paid. Have _____ed released and forever quite claim and do by these presents ______ release and forever quit claim unto the said Henry Geyer his Land and ass signs forever a Certain Lot of Ground in Sheild's addition to Emmitsburgh known by the number Twenty one in the platt of the said to Emmitsburgh. To have and to hold the said Lot together with all the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining to him the said Henry Geyer his heirs and assigns for ever and whereas the said George Nunnamaker did obtain from the Said Henry Geyer a Deed of Mortgage for the above said lot & premises bearing date the fifth day of August seventeenth hundred & ninety nine and whereas The said George Nunnamaker ___ fully satisfied and paid I do for myself and my heirs and assigns Covenant with the said Henry Geyer his heirs and assigns that he and they shall and may from henceforth have hold use Occupy and enjoy the said premises with the appurtenances threof without any ___ Hinderance or interruption from me the said George Nunnamaker my heirs or assigns and from all and every other person or persons Claiming from by or under me or them or any of them In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the Eleventh day of November in year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and two
George Nunnamaker (seal)
Signed sealed & delivered in the presence of Jno Houston & Henry Williams which was then endorsed to wit Frederic County (to wit. On the 11th day of November came the within named George Nunamaker before the subscribers two of the Justices of the peace for said County and acknowledged the within Instrument of writing to be his act and Deed and the Lot of Ground Herein Mentioned with the appurtenances, to be the right and Estate of Henry Geyer his heirs and assigns for ever according to the true intent and meaning thereof
Acknowledged before Jno Houston & Henry Williams
The plat of Shield's Addition to Emmitsburg shows that Lot 21 was on "The Main Road leading to Hagerstown" between the lots of Jacob Winters and George Winters. To the best I can determine, lot 21 would include where present-day 117 West Main Street is located, along with parts of the adjoining present-day lots. According to page 50 of the 1906 book "History of Emmitsburg, Maryland...", Shields' Addition was established on September 29, 1787 and someone named Philip Nunemaker had Lot. No. 1.
1800: The following excerpt from the 1778-1851 Frederick County "Marriage Licenses, Male Index" (Maryland State Archives CM493) indicates that a marriage license was issued to George Nunemaker and Elizabeth Hoover on April 28, 1800.
GEORGE NUNNAMACHER.
(Lately from Emmitsburgh, Maryland,)
RESPECTFULLY informs the Public, that he has commenced the GUNSMITH BUSINESS, in the Town of Huntingdon, opposite the sign of the Black Bare; where he intends to carry it on extensively, he flatters himself that from the knowledge he has acquired in the above business, to give entire satisfaction to all who may please to favour him with their custom. New Rifles warranted for one year.
N. B. An Apprentice, about 16 or 17 years of age, wanted immediately to the above business."
The advertisement was provided by Art DeCamp, who received it from the archives of the Huntingdon County Historical Society in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania decades ago by way of the former Director Nancy Shedd. Mr. DeCamp reports that this advertisement is the earliest he has encountered for any gunsmith in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1802 to 1810: The aforementioned 2001 book indicates that George Nunnamacher is identified on Huntingdon Township tax lists in the 1802 to 1810 timeframe.
1807: The following advertisement is from the front page of the December 17, 1807 issue of the "Huntingdon Gazette" newspaper. The advertisement was provided by Art DeCamp, who received it from the archives of the Huntingdon County Historical Society in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania decades ago by way of the former Director Nancy Shedd. (Click here to see more of the front page.) The advertisement states:
Wanted Immediately
A Lad between 15 and 17 years old, as an Apprentice to the Gunsmith business. Enquire of George Nunnamacher six miles below Huntingdon.
December 10, 1807.
1809 to/or 1810: Mr. DeCamp reports that after 1807, the next reference to George Nunnamacher he has found is an 1810 bankruptcy notice. I've seen a reference to a bankrupcy notice in the May 8, 1809 issue of the "Huntingdon Gazette" newspaper, but I have not seen a copy of the actual notice.
1810: The following image is a composite created from three different pages of the 1810 census records of Jefferson County, Virginia. It shows a Harpers Ferry listing for the household of an individual named George Nunemaker. The oldest male in the household is listed in the "of Twenty Six, and under Forty five" age catagory.
1820: In the following census record from Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia, an individual named George Nunamaker is listed as a barrel straightener. With that occupation, it seems safe to assume he was working at the arsenal. The oldest male in the household is listed in the 45 years and older age catagory. If he was indeed working at the arsenal, he might not have been home to report his age on the day the census worker came to his home. The listed age may have been a guess by some other household member who was home that day. Click here for a web page that (among other things) describes the process of barrel straightening.
1830: An individual named George Nunnemacher appears in the following 1830 census record from Manheim Township, York County, Pennsylvania. The oldest male in the household is listed in the "Of forty and under fifty" age catagory.
1840: An individual named George Nunamacher appears in the following 1830 census record from Manheim Township, York County, Pennsylvania. The oldest male in the household is listed in the "50 & under 60" age catagory. According to a Genweb transcript of the 1840 Shrewsbury Township, York County census records, the oldest male in a George Nunamaker household in that township was in the 30 & under 40 age group, which is too young to be the gunsmith who lived at Emmitsburg in the 1790s.
1845: The aforementioned 2001 book indicates that George Nunnamacher died in Manheim Township of York County, Pennsylvania in 1845. It appears that the authors reviewed George Nunnamacher estate documents, because the book identifies details of his real estate and personal property including a house, a stable, a smithy, and smithy-related tools.
1797: As will be shown below, George Nunnamacher lived at Emmitsburg, in Frederick County, Maryland prior to moving to Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Art DeCamp reports that there is a very fine 1797-dated rifle by George Nunnamacher in the Winterthur Collection that has many characteristics which suggest an influence by the gunsmith John Armstrong of Emmitsburg.
1800: The following image shows the listing for the George Nunnamaker household in the 1800 census records of Emmits Burg District No. 4, Frederick County, Maryland. The oldest male individual in the household is "Of Sixteen and under twenty Six".
1801: The following page from the December 24, 1801 issue of the "Huntingdon Gazette" newspaper includes an advertisement with the following text:
