Mathias Roeser
Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Here from 1740 to 1771 lived one of colonial America's most important gunsmiths. His work was central to development of the Pennsylvania rifle. Other family members and an apprentice, William Henry, Sr., became leading gunsmiths & supplied arms to the patriot cause in the Revolution.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
From 1740 to 1771 the gunsmith Mathias Roeser worked here in Lancaster, at the heart of colonial Pennsylvania's craft economy. His shop was central to the development of the Pennsylvania rifle, the long, accurate frontier firearm that became famous in American hands. Family members and his apprentice William Henry, Sr., went on to lead the trade and supply arms to the patriot cause during the Revolution.
Why it matters
Roeser's workshop helped perfect a distinctly American firearm and seeded a gunmaking tradition that armed the Revolution, tying frontier craftsmanship to the nation's founding struggle.
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Related people
- · Mathias Roeser
- · William Henry, Sr.
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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