At least two James Clarks were active in the "Golden Age" period of American long rifles: James Clark (1756-1841) of Bedford and Blair Counties in Pennsylvania and James Clark Sr. (1784-1859) of Maryland, Ohio, and Mississippi. A James Clark is also known to have worked at the Harpers Ferry Armory in 1821 and may be one of the two James Clarks above. The second James Clarks' youngest son William is recorded as having worked in the Clark shop in Lebanon, Ohio, in the 1830s shortly before the family moved to Mississippi. He also had two older sons: Charles and James Jr. This suggests that either the father and son or the two brothers are the most likely makers of this rifle. James Sr. and his brother Hiram apprenticed under George Rizer while in Maryland. Their father Jacob N. Clark (1754-1833) was a soldier during the American Revolution. His apprenticeship was completed in 1805, but a James Clark is listed on voter registration lists in 1798 and 1799 in Ohio and appeared on the Ohio Census in 1810. His older son Charles moved to Natchez, Mississippi, in 1830 where he attempted to find a market for his father's guns. His middle son James Jr. had previously gone on a selling trip. After the family moved to Mississippi, James Sr. owned a cotton plantation until 1850 and died in 1859 in Bolivar County. This information is discussed in Volume XVIV No. 2 of the newsletter of the Association of Ohio Long Rifle Collectors from August 2, 1997. Much of the information was pulled from an Ohio State University Phd. dissertation by Charles Martin Cummings. This rifle is pictured on pages 4 and 5 of the article by Warren Offenberger and James B. Whisker. An early article from the Association's newsletter by Frank Sellers discusses another James Clark rifle. The patch boxes of rifles by James Clark and his brother Hiram are pictured in "Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes: All New Volume 2" by Chandler and Whisker (published in 1992 prior to the article above). Note that in this instance the authors assume the rifle was produced by the first James mentioned above, but the patch box designs are very similar to this rifle. The only noticeable difference between this rifle and figure 87 is the inclusion of a silver shield and slightly different, but similar, engraving patterns. The second James Clark rifle also has similar designs as does that by Hiram. The rifle has twenty-five silver inlaid plates along the stock along with a silver inlaid border and several pins as part of the cheekpiece design and the silver inlaid inscription plate signed "James * Clark". The side plate is signed "William Clark". The authors noted above believe the apparent "e" at the end of these inscriptions are simply stylized curls on the "k"s. Many of the silver pieces have floral designs that coordinate with the patch box. The lock has a light engraving scene with a bird and is marked "LONGSTRETH/& COOKE/PHILADELPHIA" below the bolster. The percussion hammer used for the period conversion has engraved designs including a dragon-esque beast. The spur is stylized like a wing. The rifle has the blade and notch sights typical of classic American long rifles and is also equipped with double set triggers. The full length curly maple stock has brass furniture including a long forend cap, attractive flame figure, and various carved designs throughout including rococo scroll on the left side of the butt ahead, below, and behind the cheekpiece. It includes a hickory ramrod.

Very good as period converted to percussion. The barrel and lock have a mixture of gray and brown patina along with some mild to moderate pitting isolated primarily around the bolster. The brass and silver furniture have a pleasant mildly aged patina and crisp engraving. The left side plate has a crack at the front screw. The stock is also very good with some minute cracks, distinct carving, attractive flame figure, and some minor scattered scratches and dings. The lock and set triggers function fine. This is a beautiful rifle that represents the tradition of gunmaking in early America built by two members of a family that traces it's ancestry to a patriot who fought in the American Revolution.