Questions on D.H. Hilliard firearms

[woodycxd]

Hello all.
I am wondering if anyone can point me in any direction as far as getting information on D.H. Hilliard. I am interested in him as he is my great great great uncle. I own a D.H. Hilliard under hammer 40 rod rifle with telescopic sight that has been handed down through my family over the years. I am interested in any and all information I can gather on both him and his firearms business. I would really like to date the rifle to see if my assumption that this was an early model and probably his own weapon. I am also interested in the telescopic sight. If he made the scope or as I suspect that it was purchased from one of the few makers of scopes. I want to build a collection of documentation that I can keep with the rifle then pass on to my offspring. One interesting bit I think is that when my father received it one of the cross hairs in the scope had been lost. He replaced it with a strand of my sisters baby hair. I think this would be really nice to pass on to later generations.

Thanks for providing this forum and I look forward to reading this group for a long time!!!!

Thanks,

Wayne Hilliard

 

[Mike Brooks]

I think Ned Roberts old book ' The muzzleloading Caplock Rifle" has some info on him. Many of his guns had remington barrels and most were marked under the ram rod at the breech with the loading information and how many rods it was sighted in for with that load and the initials of the shop employee that did the load work up. I have been lucky enough to have handled probably near 100 of his guns in all sizes.

 

[codymobley]

You may want to take a look at this book:http://www.amazon.com/AMERICAN-UNDERHAMMER-FIREARMS-Collectors-Longarms/dp/1931464464

 

[Jim Blair]

From American Firearms Makers by A.Merwyn Carey C.1953-

"Hilliard,D.H.1842-1877.Maker of percussion underhammer pistols,rifles,and shotguns at Cornish,New Hampshire.He was active 1842-1877,and his son,George C.Hilliard,carried on the business from 1877 to 1880."

 

[Jim Blair]

A quick search on ancestry.com turned up the following-

David Hall Hilliard B.3 Dec. 1805 D.10 June 1877

Cornish City,Sullivan County,New Hampshire

The local Historical Societies may be able to aid you in your search.

 

[woodycxd]

Thanks everyone for your help. I plan on taking a drive over to Cornish this summer and do a little recon. Thanks again and Ill be watching the list.

Wayne H