Henry Deringer
#122,481 Most Popular
About
Inventor of the small, portable Deringer pistol. He saw his weapon become popular in Gold-Rush California.
Before Fame
He made long-barrel rifles for the U.S. military and the Indian tribes.
Trivia
He did not see his invention as anything special and never patented his design, with the result being that Derringer knockoffs became prevalent throughout the country.
Family Life
His father Henry Deringer Sr. made rifles for the Kentucky colonists.
Associated With
His pistol was used to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. The newspaper story misspelled the name of the pistol with an extra r. From that point on they became known as Derringers.
