"If Only They Could Talk"

[Majorjoel]

Last Thursday afternoon was a very enlightening "show and tell" visit with my good buddy Bill Knapp who came down from his 45th parallel home to see me. While inspecting one of my old longrifles in the bright late summer sunshine, "Eagle Eyed Bill" found an amazing discovery. Under the patchbox lid of a rifle made by John Shell was some writing scratched in the brass. A date was first noticed and a few other letters. Today I did a bit of light cleaning of the gunk that had been concealing the rest of the letters. Written in cursive script I found......Early Amos Shell June 1847.   Remembering back a few years ago when I bought this rifle, the seller told me that the piece had been made for John Shell's son Amos. After doing research I learned that John had no son's named Amos, so I pretty much wrote off that story as just a bit of fiction.  With this new information scribed in the brass of the gun itself I can pretty much add a lot to the history of this longrifle. Amos Early married John Shell's daughter Rebecca. John also later taught Amos the art of gunmaking.  My rifle's original owner was Amos Early, the son in law. I would like to thank Bill Knapp for his discovery and hope he had his fill of the wife's infamous zucchini bread!   Most important is that the Shell rifle #323 was made in June of 1847, which will help us put some dates to the numbered works of this gunsmith.   

[KLMoors]

Well now, that is very cool indeed!

[Shreckmeister]

Joel. You lead a charmed life. That is a great discovery. We will all be cleaning the underside of our lids now.

[Majorjoel]

With the placement of the first name in the top line EARLY, All that is barely visible is the E and a very faint Y at the end. In my excitement and knowledge about Amos Early I may have jumped the gun.....so to speak. I have just been informed that John Shell did have a son named Amos who was born in 1830 and died crossing the Rockies in 1850.  This makes more sense to the inscription and also puts the story I was told by the past owner back in the forefront of truth.  Rifle was made for John's son Amos Shell in June of 1847. 

[PPatch]

Joel;

Do you know the circumstance of Early's passing while crossing the Rockies? Be interesting to know if he carried this rifle and how it was passed down.

dp

[Bill of the 45th]

Boy, what a fluke.  We were looking at the unusual patchbox well, and the latch construction.   Having a box that's gouged out like that, and the hidden release.  It was just luck that the light caught it like it did.  Still have half the loaf your sweet wife sent me home with.  Am glad it has no calories, and I must say it may be better than my late wife's bread. (sorry Dear)  Now this story, and the other one you are working on to fill gaps in history.  Sure beats the 52" barreled Allen Martin i brought for show and tell.

Good for you Joel.

Bill

[Bill-52]

With respect to the title of this topic, the beautiful thing is that this rifle is talking to us.  Great find.  Now comes the fun part -- what is it telling us?

Bill

[Majorjoel]

A very good point you bring up here Bill-52. As with any kind of new information you usually run into more questions than answers. As to young 20 year old Amos Shell venturing westward to California to seek his fortune in 1850 (gold fields perhaps). My own imagination can run wild here. The question: did he carry this rifle with him on this fatal trip? Is of coarse an unknown. Possibly, sure, but again more conjecture.

[Majorjoel]

Well, the plot to this very simple inscription just keeps getting more interesting. After sending a few photo's off to a friend that were taken at different angles to capture all of the numbers and letters, have discovered that the 7 in the date is actually a 9.  Amos Shell June 1849.       

[Majorjoel]

   

[Majorjoel]

I have recently learned that young Amos Shell died at a place called Little Sandy Run on July 4, 1850. In an initial search for this location I came up with the Little Sandy River a contributory to the Sandy River that is located in Oregon in the mountainous region which includes Mt. Hood. This area historically was a part of the old Oregon Trail that started being used in 1844. Lewis & Clark traveled through here in 1805 and named the Sandy River....The Quicksand River. This name was later changed and called The Sandy by 1844. Most of this area today is off limits to human traffic and securely guarded because of the watersheds importance as the main supply for Portland Oregon's drinking water.