One of our HCH members, Fred Noesner, has published a book of historic fiction. The book is about a gunsmith, Andrew Annaler, who is blinded in a black powder accident at Ft. Pitt during the French and Indian War. Andrew Annaler, now blind, must find his way to his home in Philadelphia and take up his trade in his father’s gunshop. The tale carries us through the run-up to the Revolutionary War. Mr. Noesner intersperses real articles from The Pennsylvania Gazette to anchor the storyline in history (a very nice touch!)

Most of all, this story is told from a blind person’s point of view in a time when there were no advocates for the blind. If one was blind in 18th  Century Philadelphia and not one of “The Fortunate Ones,” life would have been very hard indeed. This story is also about family life and hope.

Mr. Noesner has a unique perspective as a blind person who loves antique weaponry and has worked as a Colonial historic interpreter at Historic Philadelphia. And he makes powder horns.

As mentioned earlier, Fred Noesner is a member of the guild and has been seen making powder horns at Dixon’s Gunmakers Fair and the HCH annual events at Fort Roberdeau and Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

You can find this 281 page soft cover book at various online venues, but I urge you to give Fred a call and ask for an autographed copy. The price is twenty dollars plus postage and worth every penny!

Fred can be reached at (215) 772-1752 (eastern time zone).