January 9, 10, 11 & 12 Greater Philadelphia Sportsman's Show http://www.greaterphillysportsmensexpo.com/
February 8 & 9, an exhibit at the Forks of the Delaware Historical Arms Show at the Ag hall at the Allentown, PA Fairgrounds Row 7, Table 3 featuring 2 Hiram Leonard rifles. see attached photos.
info on rifle display
Display Gunmakers
The top two rifles were made by Hiram. L. Leonard, Bangor, Maine. The third fowler (shotgun) was by Daniel B Neal. Rifle number 4 by Samuel J. Heston.
Hiram Lewis Leonard, Bangor, ME. (1831-1907).
Hiram was born in 1831 in Sebec, Maine, moving with his parents to New York State, then to Pennsylvania. He returned to Maine sometime before 1853. He apprenticed to gunsmith Charles V. Ramsdell of Bangor, becoming a master of the trade as well as a famous hunter. Henry David Thoreau met Leonard in 1856 and wrote about his encounter in his book In The Maine Woods. Leonard's firearms, especially his 2 shot superimposed load guns, were prized possessions by the Maine hunters and trappers. Hiram also made at least one “4 shooter”, two barrels with a 2 shot lock mechanism on each barrel as well as a “6 shooter”, 2 shot lock mechanism on each of the three barrels. Hiram was known to have made pistols and rifles. Known pistols are marked to Leonard while only two rifles are marked, the majority are not stamped. In 1870, the H. L. Leonard Rod Company started in Bangor, and after partnering with William Mills, moved to Central Valley, NY in 1881. The Leonard Rod became synonymous with quality and training other craftsmen.
Daniel B. Neal, Mount Gilead, OH (1819 - ).
A Mainer who moved to Ohio, patented his two shot mechanism on February 27, 1855 (no 12,440). Dr. Daniel B. Neal, was born in Oldtown, Maine, where he spent the first thirty years of his age. He then came to Ohio and settled in Knox county, from whence he subsequently removed to Mount Gilead, where he carried on the business of gunsmith for many years. During the latter part of his life he was a practicing physician. He died in Joplin, Missouri, at an advanced age. He also held two other patents
No. 18,762.-DANIEL B. NEAL, of Mount Gilead, Ohio.—Improvement in Seed-Planters. — Patent dated December 1, 1857.
No. 19,438.—DANIEL B. NEAL, of Mt. Gilead, Ohio.—Improvement in Cotton seed Planters.—Patent dated February 23, 1858.
Samuel J. Heston, Reading, PA Gunsmith (1865 – 1870 and Worthington, Indiana from 1882 to 1885).
