id two makers

[shadow1265]

hi yeh im new to the forum.i have 2 rifles im am trying to find out more about the makers.first is a plains style half stock in what appears to be 40 cal. the lock is plain jane but has both brass and silver furniture. the barrlle is stampped R JENNINGS CLEVELAND OHIO.i really havent had any luck finding any thing about him.the second rifle,a family airloom,was part of a set that was unfortunatly seperated at my grandfathers death when i was a young boy.there were two dueling pistols and a side by side rifle.all were 40 cal in the pa precussion style.the makers name is g honaker.my family is from blair county pa.i have the rifle and cant get a straight answer from other members were the other pieces might be.any way any info on either would be apprecciated

 

Shadow,
I have a listing for Richard Jennings in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, born 1816 and the last listing for him being 1878. When he died, or where, I don't know. He was born in New York, married to a British woman named Maria and had 6 children.

Not to much on Jacob Honaker. He was born in Virginia in 1811 and the last listing for him was in 1860. He was married to Jane and had 6 children. He was a resident of Green Camp Township, Marion County, Ohio. With your family being from Pa this may not be the correct person?

Hope this helps you a little bit.
MArk

 

[Zonie]

hi yeh im new to the forum.i have 2 rifles im am trying to find out more about the makers.first is a plains style half stock in what appears to be 40 cal. the lock is plain jane but has both brass and silver furniture. the barrlle is stampped R JENNINGS CLEVELAND OHIO.i really havent had any luck finding any thing about him.the second rifle,a family airloom,was part of a set that was unfortunatly seperated at my grandfathers death when i was a young boy.there were two dueling pistols and a side by side rifle.all were 40 cal in the pa precussion style.the makers name is g honaker.my family is from blair county pa.i have the rifle and cant get a straight answer from other members were the other pieces might be.any way any info on either would be apprecciated

Welcome to the forum.

AMERICAN FIREARMS MAKERS by A. Merwyn Carey, 1953 says:

Richard Jennings: General gunsmith located at 10 Ontario Street, Cleveland, Ohio, 1847-1865, then moved to 1 Broadway, Cleveland, Ohio 1865-1870.

Unfortunatly, the book does not list anything about a Honaker.

 

[flintriflesmith]

The Honaker family produced at least three generations of rifle builders. The Abraham Honaker rifle in the Colonial Williamsburg collection is probably the earliest known.It dates about 1800-1810 and is carved and engraved.There are pictures of it on my web site at: Honaker rifle
The early 19th century family was mostly in SW Virginia and West Virginia but the later members moved on west.

 

Honaker, Va., located in southwestern Va. was settled as early as 1772 when William Ferrill established a homesite in the area. During Dunmore's War of 1774 a fort, known as New Garden Fort, was established to protect the settlers from Indian raids.
Wikipedia doesn't mention the Honaker family at all. Although as mentioned Unsigned Southwest Virginia rifle attributed to the Honaker family can be seen here. http://www.flintriflesmith.com/Antiques/Honaker.htm

 

[flintriflesmith]

Tracking the entire Honaker line is beyond answering Shadow's question about his G. Honaker rifle but if folks are interested...

The Honaker family of Virginia gunsmiths is well represented in Jim Whisker's book: Gunsmiths of Virginia. On pages 38 and 39 he lists eight members of the family that were riflemakers.

Whisker tracks their movement in Va. from the patriarch Hans Jacob Honaker in Dunmore Country in 1774 on into the Wythe, Co area and later in Tazwell Co.

Also, Ancestry.com has several family trees that include the Honakers.

Gary