The rifle is signed "J. M. Graham," is stocked in walnut with full patchbox and some inlay work, and was reportedly originally flint but through neglect over the years (after it was sold outside the Crockett family) got a percussion conversion and had its stock cut back to a half-stock. It comes with a history that involved the Crockett family, who claimed it was Davy's gun from the Alamo. Briefly, the story is that the gun was "recovered from the battlefield" and through its "inscription" was identified and eventually returned to Crockett's immediate family. The "inscription" was a recognition plaque or inlay from the presentation of the gun to Crockett on May 5, 1822 by citizens of Nashville, TN, in recognition of Crockett's service to the state while in Congress. The rifle was later sold out of the Crockett family along with a few other of David Crockett's possessions. Since that time, there is a pretty good history of the gun's whereabouts, as it went through a couple of private hands (where it was neglected and required the percusion conversion and shortening) and eventually back to the Long Barracks Museum at the Alamo quite a few years ago.
The gunmaker has been speculated on for years. It may have been James M. Graham of Franklin Co., KY, since he is the only known midwest gunsmith who fits the initials and was working in 1822...although you'd think the Nashville crowd would have commissioned the gun from a Tennessee gunsmith. I have only seen poor pictures of the front side of the rifle with patchbox. It's box is a little hard to place, not obviously a TN or a KY box, almost a touch of Maryland in it, if I recall correctly. It would be nice to see good photos of both sides of the gun, so we could make a more informed opinion as to where it was probably made. Shelby Gallien
