#261 Contrary to most derringers made in the South, Bitterlick marked
his on both the barrel and the lock. All furniture is of plain, not
engraved, German silver and the escutcheon plate under the forearm
embraces the screw that attaches the forearm to the barrel. The forearm
nose is fluted. The barrel is full octagon, and its caliber is .400.
The markings are to be found identically on the lock and the barrel in
two lines with one hand stamp marked as follows:
Fr. J. Bitterlick
Nashville, Tenn.
Franz J. Bitterlick was born July 16, 1829 and died July 12, 1880 at 51
years and 6 days old. His daughter Ann Elizabeth married Charles Evers
and their descendents and great grandchildren are living in Nashville
today, 1971.
Joseph Legler was born October 21, 1837 and died June 15, 1931 at the
age of 93 years and 8 months. His descendents by the name of Legler
still live in Nashville today.
Franz Bitterlick and Joseph Legler were brothers-in-law, having married
sisters Mary and Helen Lochmann respectively.
There is no record of when Bitterlick first started operating but if he
was born in 1829 and started the business when he was 25 years old, that
would mean that the Bitterlick Company started about 1854.
The first record of a business using either of these two names is found
in King’s City Directory of 1867, the earliest available, and is listed
as Bitterlick & Legler, Gunsmiths, 22 Deaderich Street. No City
Directories are available before 1867 so it is entirely possible that
the combination of the two names originated before that date.
Considering that in 1867, Legler was 30 years old and considering the
point that he could have been a partner of Bitterlick as early as 25
years of age means that the Bitterlick & Legler Company could have
started around 1862.
In an interview in 1970 with Mr. Bernard Evers, Sr., the grandson of
Bitterlick, he stated he believed the gunsmith business started in 1854,
give or take a year, and that Bitterlick made himself scarce during the
War Between the States by taking a four year “Round the World” trip.
All in all it would average up that the company of Bitterlick operated
from perhaps 1854 to 1862 or 1865.
Bitterlick and Legler without a doubt operated from 1862-65 til the last
listing of the combination company in the King’s City Directory of 1879.
In 1880 Joseph Legler is listed as a gunsmith and Frank Bitterlick as a
grocer at two different addresses.
Thus from these dates that we have accumulated here you can tell
approximately when your gun was made according to the name on the
barrel, and that no derringers were produced after 1879 because none are
known marked “Legler.”
According to a news clipping dated March 1, 1963 of the Nashville
Tennessean newspaper, the J. Legler, Gunsmith business was sold on that
date and it is noted that the operation was started 95 years ago on
Deaderich Street which would make the business starting in 1868. To me
this does not quite add up since the City Directories state that they
were operating in 1867. I would say that the business started sometime
between 1854 and 1867.
Joseph Legler is buried in the Mt. Olive Cemetery near Nashville,
Tennessee.
It is interesting to note that the Legler descendents with the same name
operated this business as a gunsmith at 321 Deaderich Street until
December 31, 1962 when the business was closed out. The building was
sold to a real estate agent on March 1, 1963.
All their pistols were high quality. In addition to derringer type
pieces it is known that Bitterlick produced and manufactured shotguns
and a few target rifles marked “FR. J. Bitterlick & Co., Nashville,
Tenn.”. Early double breechloading shotguns with outside hammers are
known that are marked “J. Leghler, Nashville, Tenn.” and will you please
note the new spelling of Legler in this later breechloading period.