41 cal Dimick

[ptk1126]

About 20 years ago I traded with a local Louisville Ky dealer for two percussion rifles by unknown makers.
The first is a 41 cal half stock, 40" barrel, 56" loa. The dealer said he thought it might be a Felix
Settle (Barren Co., Ky 1792-1871) but I don't have any reason to assume that as it is not signed
by Settle.





The lock is marked "H.E. Dimick & Co St. Louis"


The barrel is marked "W. _orris". Because of the space between the first initial and the last name, I
think it is Morris, but could be Norris.




Any ideas as to maker or origin ??

I'll post the second rifle separately as 32 cal Ky

Thanks
Paul

[gibster]

There is a William Norris listed in Sellers AMERICAN GUNSMITHS as having worked in Brown County, Ohio, 1858d.  This would match the name stamped on the barrel.  The lock may be a replacement or he may have had a Dimick lock available at the time and used it.  Hope this helps.

[Curt J]

The William Norris mentioned by Gibster is still listed as a gunsmith in Ripley, Brown County, Ohio, in the 1880 census. He was born in Kentucky in 1807, and had a daughter still living in his household who was born in Ohio in 1840.   


There were several gunsmiths named William Morris. Sellers lists one in Dexter, Michigan in 1867, another in Indiantown, Virginia, circa 1850. There was another one from New York, New York, who was issued a firearms patent in 1860, and a W J Morris, also of New York, New York, who was issued a patent on a gunlock in 1873.
There was also a William Morris listed in the 1880 census as a gunsmith in Sherman, Grayson County, Texas. He was 27 years old, born in England, and was a single man, living in a boarding house.

Horace E. Dimmick did indeed supply locks to the gunsmith's trade, but it is a bit unusual to see one on a rifle  made very far east of the Mississippi Valley.

[Majorjoel]

Paul, I would say from close inspection of your very clear photo's, with near certainty that the makers last name starts with an "N". So Norris is your man.  A nice halfstock rifle by the way!

[Tanselman]

It is highly probable that this rifle was made by William Norris of Brown County, Ohio. The stock architecture and the hardware, including the fancy later style trigger guard, are similar to work by Michael Sells of Bracken County, KY, just across the Ohio River from Brown County, Ohio, and his brother Benjamin Sells who worked in Brown County, Ohio. Even the small rectangular lock bolt washer is similar in style to ones used by the midwest Sells. The Sells' father, Benjamin Sr., was also a gunsmith with roots back in Union Co., PA. He married Catherine Baum, the sister of PA gunsmiths Samuel and Charles Baum.

The Sells grew up in Ohio, but Michael later moved across the river into KY. Younger brother Benjamin was trained by his older brother Michael in KY, then returned to Ohio to work. Since William Morris was born in KY, makes me wonder if he was associated with Michael Sells, due to the significant similarities in their work. I have never found Wm. Morris listed as a gunsmith in KY, despite having identified about 1100 men who worked as gunsmiths in KY in the muzzle loading era. Shelby Gallien

[ptk1126]

Many thanks to all for the interesting info. As always, the knowledge on this site and the
willingness to share are greatly appreciated.

all the best
Paul