John Wishon rifle that is in the ALR virtual library

[Dennis Glazener]

I am trying to make contact with the owner of the nice John Wishon rifle that is pictured in the ALR Library (see link below)
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=22665.0

As you may know, donor/owner information for rifles shown in the ALR Virtual Library was only known by Nord and Hurricane and once a rifle is vetted and moved into the library the owner contact email is deleted so there is nothing ALR can revert back to regarding ownership.

I have a friend that is gathering information for a book on southern mountain rifles. There are at least three, probably more, makers with J W initials. Hopefully he can gather enough information about these makers to make students more knowledgeable about these makers.

If you would be willing to help please contact me at eight oh four seven nine four, four, eight, six, three or via email at tdg23113 at verizon dot net or you can PM me here on ALR.
Dennis Glazener

[Hungry Horse]

Dennis, my grandad hunted with a .32 cal. Muzzleloader as a boy in Missouri, that he said was made by a gunsmith named Wishon, in Arkansas. I don't know what the smiths first name was. I saw the rusty barrel of this rifle in 1968 , in Bakersfield Missouri, but could not see any signature on the barrel.

       Hungry Horse

[Dennis Glazener]

Dennis, my grandad hunted with a .32 cal. Muzzleloader as a boy in Missouri, that he said was made by a gunsmith named Wishon, in Arkansas. I don't know what the smiths first name was. I saw the rusty barrel of this rifle in 1968 , in Bakersfield Missouri, but could not see any signature on the barrel.

       Hungry Horse

Interesting, I doubt it was the John Wishon that I am looking for information on, he was a NC maker. Possibly related.

Dennis

[gibster]

Dennis, John Wishon is listed in the 1850 census in Henderson County NC as a gunsmith.  In 1860, he and his family are in Kentucky listed as a Blacksmith.  He died in 1862 in Pea Ridge Arkansas. I have heard that he may have been a battlefield walk on for the battle of Pea Ridge in March of 1862.  If true, he would probably have been for the Union Army as he had two sons that fought for the north. The rifle in the Library came from a family in Fayetteville Arkansas (about 25-miles from Pea Ridge).  The owner was in her 80's and had been in their family as far back as she can remember.  If this rifle wasn't made in NC, he continued to build the same style rifle as when there as this has all the classic features of a Henderson County rifle.  Al things considered, I can't say if this was made in NC, KY or Arkansas.