Record #:

7623

Author(s):

Gillespie, Tom

Abstract:

For three generations members of the Gillespie family were prolific crafters of handmade rifles, first in Transylvania County, and then for two more generations in Henderson County. The rifles were known in western North Carolina for their reliability and workmanship. Because no two rifles were alike, each one had to have bullets made specifically for it. The family's rifle-making tradition came to an end in 1891, when John Harvey Gillespie, the last of the gun makers, died.

Source:

Our State (NoCar F 251 S77), Vol. 73 Issue 9, Feb 2006, p24-26, il

Subject(s):

Gillespie family; Gunsmithing--Transylvania County; Gunsmiths--Henderson County