Revolutionary War Veteran.
Source: Revolutionary Patriots Buried in and around Ontario County, NY Compiled by Preston Pierce, Ontario County Historian. Second Edition (1996)
William Antes grew up knowing the value of a good gun on the frontier. During the American Revolution he served as a Lieutenant in the Philadelphia militia, and also as a commissioner charged with confiscating the property of British loyalists. Antes later helped his brother built Fort Antes on the western edge of the Pennsylvania frontier for protection from the Lenape tribe, who were British allies. Antes' gunsmithing skills were probably at their height in the years after the Revolution, and at least one historian has suggested he made rifles for American Indians living along the upper portions of the Susquehanna River. The Antes rifle is in the collections of the Kansas Museum of History.
By the 1790s he shows up in Ontario County, NY. His will mentions his property, lot #4 purchased 28 July 1794.
His last move was to Canandaigua, New York, where he was doing Blacksmithing along with Gunsmith.
Eric Armstrong wrote Bucks County Gunsmiths in 2005 excerpted here: I have always been interested in the Bucks County rifle. It has architecture that is unique, and distinct features that seem to be common to all guns made in the area. The gunsmiths are few in number and all seemed to hve worked, at one time anyways, in a small area in Northern Bucks County. The gunsmiths are William Antes, John Schuler, George Weicker, Andrew Verner, and Jacob Daub. William Antes was the first gunsmith I researched since he was the earliest of the group. His family history is easy to obtain using local records. He didn't really live and work in Bucks County but there is an interesting connection between William and the Schuler family. William Antes' daughter, Elizabeth, was married to John Schuler, Sr. (1756-1854) in 1775 and their first son, John (1776-1827) is the gunsmith John Schuler. William Antes was born on Nov 21, 1715 in Federick Twp., Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co., PA. He married Christina Markley abt 1754. Christina was born on May 27, 1736 in Skippack, PA. William and Christina must have lived in Montgomery County for a period and Elizabeth's birth and baptism are recorded there. Church records of births, baptisms, and confirmations continue until 1779. By 1775 he was a gunsmith working in Philadelphia and, on March 2, 1777 William was appointed sub-lieutenant for the County of Philadelphia. On October 21, 1777 he was appointed Commissioner on Sequestered Estates and Treason. In 1781 he migrated to Sunbury in Northumberland County where he was one of the three Commissioners (along with brother Philip Frederick). William, Frederick, and brother Henry are shown in the 1790 Federal Census for Northumberland County. William was an important gunsmith in the Eastern PA area and probably carried on his trade after removing to Sunbury. He may have received his training at the Moravian community at Christian's Spring (near Nazareth) where a gun shop was begun by Andreas Albrecht in 1762. William removed to Canandaigua, Ontario County, NY in 1792. He was listed among the early settlers of that place as the gunsmith of the community. He is shown in the 1810 Federal Census for that place. William died in March 1810. His wife, Christina died in August 1805. William, Christina, and William Jr. are buried at Pioneer Cemetery, Canandaigua NY. William's father Johann Henry Antes was born on July 11, 1701 in Bavaria. He married Christina DeWees on Feb 2, 1726 in Whitemarsh, PA. He built the Antes house in Frederick Twp., Montogomery County, PA in 1732. Henry Antes moved to Bethlehem, PA in 1741. He helped found the Moravian Community there and at Nazareth where the children, most likely, went to school.
Source: Revolutionary Patriots Buried in and around Ontario County, NY Compiled by Preston Pierce, Ontario County Historian. Second Edition (1996)
William Antes grew up knowing the value of a good gun on the frontier. During the American Revolution he served as a Lieutenant in the Philadelphia militia, and also as a commissioner charged with confiscating the property of British loyalists. Antes later helped his brother built Fort Antes on the western edge of the Pennsylvania frontier for protection from the Lenape tribe, who were British allies. Antes' gunsmithing skills were probably at their height in the years after the Revolution, and at least one historian has suggested he made rifles for American Indians living along the upper portions of the Susquehanna River. The Antes rifle is in the collections of the Kansas Museum of History.
By the 1790s he shows up in Ontario County, NY. His will mentions his property, lot #4 purchased 28 July 1794.
His last move was to Canandaigua, New York, where he was doing Blacksmithing along with Gunsmith.
Eric Armstrong wrote Bucks County Gunsmiths in 2005 excerpted here: I have always been interested in the Bucks County rifle. It has architecture that is unique, and distinct features that seem to be common to all guns made in the area. The gunsmiths are few in number and all seemed to hve worked, at one time anyways, in a small area in Northern Bucks County. The gunsmiths are William Antes, John Schuler, George Weicker, Andrew Verner, and Jacob Daub. William Antes was the first gunsmith I researched since he was the earliest of the group. His family history is easy to obtain using local records. He didn't really live and work in Bucks County but there is an interesting connection between William and the Schuler family. William Antes' daughter, Elizabeth, was married to John Schuler, Sr. (1756-1854) in 1775 and their first son, John (1776-1827) is the gunsmith John Schuler. William Antes was born on Nov 21, 1715 in Federick Twp., Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co., PA. He married Christina Markley abt 1754. Christina was born on May 27, 1736 in Skippack, PA. William and Christina must have lived in Montgomery County for a period and Elizabeth's birth and baptism are recorded there. Church records of births, baptisms, and confirmations continue until 1779. By 1775 he was a gunsmith working in Philadelphia and, on March 2, 1777 William was appointed sub-lieutenant for the County of Philadelphia. On October 21, 1777 he was appointed Commissioner on Sequestered Estates and Treason. In 1781 he migrated to Sunbury in Northumberland County where he was one of the three Commissioners (along with brother Philip Frederick). William, Frederick, and brother Henry are shown in the 1790 Federal Census for Northumberland County. William was an important gunsmith in the Eastern PA area and probably carried on his trade after removing to Sunbury. He may have received his training at the Moravian community at Christian's Spring (near Nazareth) where a gun shop was begun by Andreas Albrecht in 1762. William removed to Canandaigua, Ontario County, NY in 1792. He was listed among the early settlers of that place as the gunsmith of the community. He is shown in the 1810 Federal Census for that place. William died in March 1810. His wife, Christina died in August 1805. William, Christina, and William Jr. are buried at Pioneer Cemetery, Canandaigua NY. William's father Johann Henry Antes was born on July 11, 1701 in Bavaria. He married Christina DeWees on Feb 2, 1726 in Whitemarsh, PA. He built the Antes house in Frederick Twp., Montogomery County, PA in 1732. Henry Antes moved to Bethlehem, PA in 1741. He helped found the Moravian Community there and at Nazareth where the children, most likely, went to school.
Revolutionary War Veteran.
Source: Revolutionary Patriots Buried in and around Ontario County, NY Compiled by Preston Pierce, Ontario County Historian. Second Edition (1996)
William Antes grew up knowing the value of a good gun on the frontier. During the American Revolution he served as a Lieutenant in the Philadelphia militia, and also as a commissioner charged with confiscating the property of British loyalists. Antes later helped his brother built Fort Antes on the western edge of the Pennsylvania frontier for protection from the Lenape tribe, who were British allies. Antes' gunsmithing skills were probably at their height in the years after the Revolution, and at least one historian has suggested he made rifles for American Indians living along the upper portions of the Susquehanna River. The Antes rifle is in the collections of the Kansas Museum of History.
By the 1790s he shows up in Ontario County, NY. His will mentions his property, lot #4 purchased 28 July 1794.
His last move was to Canandaigua, New York, where he was doing Blacksmithing along with Gunsmith.
Eric Armstrong wrote Bucks County Gunsmiths in 2005 excerpted here: I have always been interested in the Bucks County rifle. It has architecture that is unique, and distinct features that seem to be common to all guns made in the area. The gunsmiths are few in number and all seemed to hve worked, at one time anyways, in a small area in Northern Bucks County. The gunsmiths are William Antes, John Schuler, George Weicker, Andrew Verner, and Jacob Daub. William Antes was the first gunsmith I researched since he was the earliest of the group. His family history is easy to obtain using local records. He didn't really live and work in Bucks County but there is an interesting connection between William and the Schuler family. William Antes' daughter, Elizabeth, was married to John Schuler, Sr. (1756-1854) in 1775 and their first son, John (1776-1827) is the gunsmith John Schuler. William Antes was born on Nov 21, 1715 in Federick Twp., Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co., PA. He married Christina Markley abt 1754. Christina was born on May 27, 1736 in Skippack, PA. William and Christina must have lived in Montgomery County for a period and Elizabeth's birth and baptism are recorded there. Church records of births, baptisms, and confirmations continue until 1779. By 1775 he was a gunsmith working in Philadelphia and, on March 2, 1777 William was appointed sub-lieutenant for the County of Philadelphia. On October 21, 1777 he was appointed Commissioner on Sequestered Estates and Treason. In 1781 he migrated to Sunbury in Northumberland County where he was one of the three Commissioners (along with brother Philip Frederick). William, Frederick, and brother Henry are shown in the 1790 Federal Census for Northumberland County. William was an important gunsmith in the Eastern PA area and probably carried on his trade after removing to Sunbury. He may have received his training at the Moravian community at Christian's Spring (near Nazareth) where a gun shop was begun by Andreas Albrecht in 1762. William removed to Canandaigua, Ontario County, NY in 1792. He was listed among the early settlers of that place as the gunsmith of the community. He is shown in the 1810 Federal Census for that place. William died in March 1810. His wife, Christina died in August 1805. William, Christina, and William Jr. are buried at Pioneer Cemetery, Canandaigua NY. William's father Johann Henry Antes was born on July 11, 1701 in Bavaria. He married Christina DeWees on Feb 2, 1726 in Whitemarsh, PA. He built the Antes house in Frederick Twp., Montogomery County, PA in 1732. Henry Antes moved to Bethlehem, PA in 1741. He helped found the Moravian Community there and at Nazareth where the children, most likely, went to school.
Source: Revolutionary Patriots Buried in and around Ontario County, NY Compiled by Preston Pierce, Ontario County Historian. Second Edition (1996)
William Antes grew up knowing the value of a good gun on the frontier. During the American Revolution he served as a Lieutenant in the Philadelphia militia, and also as a commissioner charged with confiscating the property of British loyalists. Antes later helped his brother built Fort Antes on the western edge of the Pennsylvania frontier for protection from the Lenape tribe, who were British allies. Antes' gunsmithing skills were probably at their height in the years after the Revolution, and at least one historian has suggested he made rifles for American Indians living along the upper portions of the Susquehanna River. The Antes rifle is in the collections of the Kansas Museum of History.
By the 1790s he shows up in Ontario County, NY. His will mentions his property, lot #4 purchased 28 July 1794.
His last move was to Canandaigua, New York, where he was doing Blacksmithing along with Gunsmith.
Eric Armstrong wrote Bucks County Gunsmiths in 2005 excerpted here: I have always been interested in the Bucks County rifle. It has architecture that is unique, and distinct features that seem to be common to all guns made in the area. The gunsmiths are few in number and all seemed to hve worked, at one time anyways, in a small area in Northern Bucks County. The gunsmiths are William Antes, John Schuler, George Weicker, Andrew Verner, and Jacob Daub. William Antes was the first gunsmith I researched since he was the earliest of the group. His family history is easy to obtain using local records. He didn't really live and work in Bucks County but there is an interesting connection between William and the Schuler family. William Antes' daughter, Elizabeth, was married to John Schuler, Sr. (1756-1854) in 1775 and their first son, John (1776-1827) is the gunsmith John Schuler. William Antes was born on Nov 21, 1715 in Federick Twp., Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co., PA. He married Christina Markley abt 1754. Christina was born on May 27, 1736 in Skippack, PA. William and Christina must have lived in Montgomery County for a period and Elizabeth's birth and baptism are recorded there. Church records of births, baptisms, and confirmations continue until 1779. By 1775 he was a gunsmith working in Philadelphia and, on March 2, 1777 William was appointed sub-lieutenant for the County of Philadelphia. On October 21, 1777 he was appointed Commissioner on Sequestered Estates and Treason. In 1781 he migrated to Sunbury in Northumberland County where he was one of the three Commissioners (along with brother Philip Frederick). William, Frederick, and brother Henry are shown in the 1790 Federal Census for Northumberland County. William was an important gunsmith in the Eastern PA area and probably carried on his trade after removing to Sunbury. He may have received his training at the Moravian community at Christian's Spring (near Nazareth) where a gun shop was begun by Andreas Albrecht in 1762. William removed to Canandaigua, Ontario County, NY in 1792. He was listed among the early settlers of that place as the gunsmith of the community. He is shown in the 1810 Federal Census for that place. William died in March 1810. His wife, Christina died in August 1805. William, Christina, and William Jr. are buried at Pioneer Cemetery, Canandaigua NY. William's father Johann Henry Antes was born on July 11, 1701 in Bavaria. He married Christina DeWees on Feb 2, 1726 in Whitemarsh, PA. He built the Antes house in Frederick Twp., Montogomery County, PA in 1732. Henry Antes moved to Bethlehem, PA in 1741. He helped found the Moravian Community there and at Nazareth where the children, most likely, went to school.
Inscription
In his 77th year.
Gravesite Details
No stone found, May 2009. Presumed to be one of the illegible stones to the left of the gravestone of his son, William Antis (d. 1841)
Family Members
Siblings
Children
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Records on Ancestry
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