America 250, Ichabod Hawes: Colonial-era Gunsmith

 

Ichabod Hawes (born September 18, 1719, in Wrentham, Massachusetts Bay Colony; died December 18, 1777, in Medway, Norfolk County, Massachusetts) was a colonial-era gunsmith and blacksmith whose work was typical of skilled tradesmen in rural New England towns like Medway (which separated from Wrentham in 1713). His shop was located just west of the Bent sawmill, likely along the Charles River, where water power drove his equipment. This setup combined blacksmithing with specialized gunsmithing, reflecting the era's integration of general metalworking and firearm production/repair.

Historical records, particularly from The History of Medway, Mass., 1713-1885 by Rev. E.O. Jameson (1886), describe a blacksmith's shop at or near the "Hawes place" (associated with Ichabod's sawmill site, later where Eaton & Wilson's middle mill stood) equipped with:

• A water-powered trip-hammer for forging iron by mechanically pounding hot metal into shapes (e.g., barrel blanks, lock parts, or tools).
• A machine for boring guns, used to drill and straighten gun barrels for accuracy and smooth operation.

• For more information see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trip_hammer
  
  This historical trip-hammer setup (similar to 18th-century examples) shows the large wooden frame and hammer head powered by waterwheel cams that lifted and dropped it onto an anvil—essential for efficiently shaping iron in a pre-industrial era.
  
  For more information see: https://www.shakermuseum.us/trip-hammers-revisited?nocache=1
  
• Another view of a preserved water-powered trip hammer from a museum collection illustrates the mechanism: the large wheel and cams drove the hammer arm, allowing repeated heavy strikes without manual labor.
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In 18th-century colonial gunsmithing, the process often started with forging flat iron plates or strips into rough tubes (barrels), then boring them out. Ichabod's equipment would have supported this:

• The trip-hammer forged and refined metal parts.
• The boring machine (typically a hand-cranked or wheel-driven lathe-like device) drilled the barrel from a solid forged tube, ensuring it was straight and of uniform caliber—critical for muskets used by militia.
  
• How Colonial Gunsmiths Forged Musket and Rifle Gun Barrels
• https://revolutionarywarjournal.com/how-colonial-gunsmiths-forged-musket-and-rifle-gun-barrels/
  
• A reconstruction of colonial gun barrel boring shows a large wheel cranked to rotate a drill bit while the barrel is pushed forward—matching the "machine for boring guns" described in Medway records.
  
  Workers operating a period-style boring machine: one cranks the wheel for rotation, while the other guides the barrel onto the fixed drill bit, a labor-intensive but precise process.
  
  Forging a gun barrel blank on an anvil (as gunsmiths did before boring) involved hammering hot iron around a mandrel to form the tube—work the trip-hammer would have accelerated.
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Gunsmiths like Ichabod typically repaired or assembled firearms (often using imported parts) rather than building complete guns from scratch, as full production required specialized skills and resources. In a small town like Medway, his shop would have served local farmers, hunters, and especially the militia—repairing locks, stocks, and barrels, or making simple arms for defense against threats like Native American raids or during imperial wars.

Frank T Merrill 1909 North Bridge Concord 19 April 1775

His trade was especially relevant during the Revolutionary War, where he served as a private in Massachusetts militia units (e.g., responding to the Lexington Alarm in April 1775 under Capt. Lovell's company, and later musters in 1777 with Capt. Boyd's company at Fort No. 2 and other detachments). Gunsmiths were vital for maintaining arms in short supply, though no specific records show Ichabod supplying or repairing for the army beyond local militia service. He died relatively early in the war (at age 58), possibly from illness, injury, or war-related causes.

This detail comes from town histories, genealogical records (e.g., FamilySearch, WikiTree), and militia rolls, with the shop description rooted in Jameson's local history. 

His work highlights how everyday tradesmen like him supported colonial self-reliance and the fight for independence.