The 1953 edition of the book "American Gunmakers" indicates that Worthe G. Suter was born in the vicinity of Ruffs Dale (Westmoreland County) on October 6, 1896 (sic) and was employed by Charles Monroe Knupp of Bakersville, Somerset County as a gunsmith's assistant. The book indicates that Worthe went on to be a gunsmith near Ruffs Dale and made both flint and percussion rifles with locks he built himself. The wording of the biographical information in the book indicates that Worthe was still in business when the book was written. The book indicates that Worthe's grandfather was the gunsmith John J. Suter, who died in 1902 (sic). The book reports that Worthe assisted his grandfather when he was just a little boy.
I am including Worthe G. Suter as a Somerset County gunsmith on the basis of his having worked for the well known Somerset County gunsmith Charles Monroe Knupp, who died in 1937.
Locks made by Worthe G. Suter still exist, and I have been told that Suter lock kits were once sold by Dixie Gun Works. Although the locks that I have seen are stamped "W. G. Sutter" Worthe's tombstone uses the spelling "Suter".
Worthe Suter, with his family, made handmade locks that were hand engraved. I have read that there had been some reproductions of Suter locks on the market, and I have seen some castings of flint lock plates with the name "W. G. Sutter" cast into them. I don't know if the cast locks were authorized reproductions.
L. Dietle
Chronology
1900: The following excerpt from the 1900 census records shows 4-year-old Worthe Suter in the listing for his father's household, and also includes a listing for the household of his paternal grandfather.
1901: Worthe Suter's paternal grandfather is buried in the Mount Zion Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery, Mayfield, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The tombstone states, "John J. Sutor died Nov. 11, 1901 aged 78 Yr 6 Mo 9 Ds". Worthe had just turned six years old.
1920: Worth G. Sutter is listed as a machinist for a steam railroad in the 1920 census records of Westmoreland, County, Pennsylvania.
1923: According to her obituary, Betty S. Stahoviak was born in Smithton on January 21, 1923 and was a daughter of Worthe Suter and Amy C. (Momyer) Suter Thompson.
1931: According to his 2004 obituary, Worthe G. Suter Jr. was born on September 19, 1931 in East Huntingdon Township, and was the son of Worthe G. Suter and Leona Sylvia Long Suter. The obituary says that he was preceded in death by a sister named Betty Lynch and a brother named Robert Suter.
1933: Robert L. "Bo" Suter is buried in the Mount Lebanon United Methodist Church Cemetery at Tarrs (near Ruffs Dale) in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. His tombstone indicates he was born on September 30, 1933.
1953: The 1953 edition of the book "American Gunmakers" describes Worthe G. Suter as a "current period" gunmaker who, when young, had worked with Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmith Charles Monroe Knupp as a gunsmith assistant.
1958: W. G. Suter is featured on page 9 of the November 1958 "Muzzle Blasts" magazine. The article indicates that Worthe's 18-year-old daughter Charlotte performs assembly of and engraves flint locks for him, and is assisted by two brothers who are younger than her.
1960s: An individual who talked to Worthe G. Suter at Friendship in the 1960s wrote that Worthe told him he made his lock tumblers from the torsion bars of wrecked Chrysler and 1955 and 1956 Packard automobiles.
1960s-1970s: An individual who was originally from Ruffs Dale wrote that his father knew Worthe Suter in the 1960 to 1970 timeframe, and indicated that Worthe had a small two story gun shop out in the country with minimal power equipment. The individual indicated that Worthe's sons and grandsons worked with him at the gun shop.
1966: Reportedly, the 1966 catalog of Dixie Gun Works, W. G. Suter percussion lock kits were $13.50 and flintlock kits were $17.50.
1968: An article in the May, 1968 issue of the "Muzzle Blasts" magazine features investment-cast Bedford County-style lock kits that were then offered by Dixie Gun Works. The article reports that the price of the flintlock kit was $19.50 and the price of the percussion lock kit was $14.50. The article makes no reference to Worthe Suter.
1972: Reportedly, in the 1972 catalog of Dixie Gun Works, the cost of a W.G. Sutter lock kit was $19.75.
1975: Worthe G. Suter died on July 22, 1975 and is buried at the Mount Lebanon United Methodist Church Cemetery (40.17052397, -79.59722318) at Tarrs (near Ruffs Dale), in Westmoreland County.
The following images show a Bedford County style rat tail percussion lock plate and hammer. The plate is stamped "W. G. SUTTER".
1895: The tombstone of Worthe G. Suter indicates he was born on October 6, 1895.
For information on other western Pennsylvania muzzleloader gunsmiths and their products, visit the Gunsmith Index.
