History In My Hands

[Semisane]

Got a phone call from my sister this morning.

She said, “there’s a guy in my office with a gun you will want to see”.

Her office is only about five miles from my house. So, I grabbed my camera and tape measure and headed over there to spend the next hour holding history in my hands, taking pictures and thinking about long ago times.

Here are the pictures I took. When you get to the last one you will know how I felt.

 

[Stophel]

Wow!!!!!

 

[hoochiepapa]

Oh, my!!

 

[hoochiepapa]

Was the owner a family member? Does he have any more history about the gun?

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Excellent,

Thank you for sharing.


:hatsoff:

 

[Semisane]

I don't know if the owner is a family member. The gentlemen who showed me the gun was not the owner.

I do not know this personally, but he said the curator of records at Chalmette Battlefield in Jean Lafitte National Park verified that Capt. Beal's Company of New Orleans Riflemen did indeed participate in the Battle of New Orleans, and company records list William Ross as a member.

The legend concerning the obliterated names on the patchbox is that the family fell on hard times and did not want the family name on the rifle when it was pawned. True or not, it's a good story.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Man, that gets my brain to whirling!! :bow: If it only could talk!!

 

[ericb]

Boy...if that Rifle could talk.

Do we know anything about J. Sheetz?

E

 

[hoochiepapa]

All I know, or think I know, is that he was a prominent Virginia builder.

 

[Dphar]

Outstanding Rifle and the history adds to it immeasurably in my eyes.

There was a family of Rifle makers named Sheetz in the Virginia Upper Valley School. J. Sheetz was one of them.


Dan

 

[ohio ramrod]

"In 1814 we took a little trip......" That gun sure is part of history. :idunno:

 

[Billnpatti]

It appears to be a wonderful and historically valuable rifle, but.......did someone refinish it with a modern finish? If so, what a shame to do something like that to an old, historically significant rifle. I hope that is just a museum preservation wax that gives it the appearance of having been refinished with a modern finish. What do you know about the finish?

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

When I saw the title to this thread I was skeptical, but after seeing the pictures I have to say that you are right. Excellent rifle with a great history. Thanks for posting about it. :hatsoff:

 

[msuspartan]

Very cool. History right there. Wow, I am jealous. :bow:

Thank you for the pics AND sharing this with us. Proud to be part of this country. atriot:

Cheers, DonK

 

[Rifleman1776]

Same here. I deliberately avoided this thread for a while. I was certain it was about a 30 year old CVA import or such.
Can't add much other than "Wow"!!!
Happy for you that you got to see it.

 

[VTdeerhunter]

Beautiful gun....but I'm curious, does this happen at your sisters often??? If so are they hiring??

 

[flintriflesmith]

This rifle is believed to be the work of John Jacob Sheets (also listed a simply Jacob Sheets) who, while a member of the Sheets gunsmithing family based in Virginia, worked mostly in Maryland.
If you read up on Beal's Company at the Battle of New Orleans you will find a lot of its members were from Virginia & Maryland. They fought well and repelled a determined British attack.
Gary

 

[Bob E]

The Sheetz clan was origionally based in what is now Shepherdstown WV.,( Virginia at the time) just across the Potomac River from Maryland. I cant keep the names straight but the elder Sheetz was gunsmithing before the Revolution and supplied, or at least had contracts to supply, Committee of Safety muskets to the state of Va. at the rate of 10 per month. He apparently was suppling rifled arms to Va. as well. Danniel Morgans riflemen came from this area and at least one Sheetz was with him.
I assume it was his sons that opened up shop elsewhere. There is a record of A Sheetz based in Charles Town, WV. (then Va. ), 12 miles away. Another son set up shop in Bloomery Gap, about 40 miles away. He seems to have been a prolific gunmaker. I have seen pictures on the internet mostly of percussion guns attributed to him.
You are entirely correct, This is fascinating stuff! Cheers, Bob E

PS> Equally fascinating is the Hawken story which began in roughly the same geographical area.

 

[Bob E]

For those of you with a historical or collectors interest in Long Rifles try the Kentucky Longrifle Association-links-virtual museum. Scroll down to Library&Museum Index by state,area,school and maker. Here you can find data and photos of almost all known makers and enough information to start your own Google search. I have wasted countless hours here and have learned lots of interesting if not relevant information. Cheers! Bob E

 

[Number19]

Wow. Absolutely outstanding and beautiful rifle.

What is of particular interest to me, in light of the ongoing discussion of what constitutes a "Virginia rifle", this seems to be a good example. And take a look at the lock. It is not English, but is a Germanic "Siler" style.