Ancestor’s handiwork brings family together

(Pottsville) Republican-Herald

PINE GROVE, Pa. — Johannes “John” Bonawitz moved to Pine Grove, Cambria County, from Womelsdorf, Berks County, in 1809, bringing with him a knack for gunsmithing.

This month, dozens of Bonawitz descendants from across the country gathered at Twin Grove Campground for the first Bonawitz family reunion. Among the food, drinks and documents detailing the family tree was a family artifact made by Johannes himself.

A Kempton gun shop owner, Greg Dixon, had an original Bonawitz rifle in his possession and was invited to attend the reunion at the request of event organizer Erica Elliott.

He acquired the rifle in the mid-1980s in an estate purchase and knew right away what he had. In the 1700s, gunsmiths would have individualized stylings to their guns so people knew who made it, similar to an artist signing a piece of art today. Years spent in the gun-selling business allowed Mr. Dixon to recognize the engraving on the metal and the carving on the wood of the gun as evidence of Mr. Bonawitz’s style.

Mr. Dixon was contacted by Ms. Elliott two months ago when she discovered he had an original Bonawitz rifle and asked if it could be borrowed for the day’s events.

“I’m lucky enough to have it, but these people have his DNA,” Mr. Dixon said.

Ms. Elliott was looking for someone who had a Bonawitz rifle after she found a Bonawitz rifle collector, Henry Bishop, in Georgia, who could not attend the reunion with his guns. Steve Yoder, another descendant of Mr. Bonawitz, helped Ms. Elliott find Russell Bonawitz, who put her in touch with Mr. Dixon.

Mr. Yoder, a six-greatgrandson of Johannes Bonawitz, discovered his relation to Mr. Bonawitz after a cousin working in Harrisburg went through the archives and pieced together the family tree. Mr. Yoder began taking care of Johannes’ grave, which is across the street from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Pine Grove, two years ago.

“I felt like I had an obligation,” he said.

Gunsmithing seems to be in the family genes as Mr. Bonawitz’s descendant, Jim Bonawitz, who hails from Billings, Mont., has been making guns since 2014.

The best part of making a rifle is the “satisfaction of building something I can appreciate,” Jim Bonawitz said. “It’s a piece of artwork when I’m done.”

A newspaper in Montana told of Jim Bonawitz’s gunsmithing, and Ms. Elliott found the article online, leading her to invite him to the reunion.

Ms. Elliott, an Ohio resident, said descendants traveled from across the country to Pennsylvania where their ancestor made his mark creating guns.

“This is Johannes’ home,” Ms. Elliott said.