Henry Deringer

Entrepreneur

Birthday October 26, 1786

Birth Sign Scorpio

Birthplace Pennsylvania

DEATH DATE Feb 28, 1868 (81)

#166103 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.