The capture patch box is it primarily a southern thing?

[Dave B]

I was hoping to get some feed back on this as I am going to be presenting the making of a captured patch pox class at the WA State Historical gun makers guild. I have found several examples from NC and some from SW Virginia. Any chance any out of TN or KY? 
Thanks in advance for any help or pictures you might have in your photo libraries 

[bgf]

Both Jacob Young and Thomas Simpson are likely Tennessee and/or also possibly Kentucky makers  who made captured lid boxes.  There are others, but they are probably the best examples.  You can find two fine Jacob Youngs (Whitley and Woodfork rifles) on Mel Hankla's Kentucky Longrifle (http://www.kentuckylongrifles.com/html/jacob_young.html) site.  The July 2010 American Tradition has the best pictures I know of Thomas Simpson's Mansker Rifle, and also helpful pictures of a bench copy (just beware, there are subtle differences) by Jud Brennan.

Also, you didn't ask, but the Kennedys built at least one in Alabama (H. Kennedy & Co. No. 36 -- See Shumway "Longrifles of Note", November 2000 Muzzle Blasts; also reprinted in vol. II of the "Longrifle Articles").

[bgf]

Almost forgot, there is a really nice captured lid box on a rifle signed S. Crain (South Carolina or Mississippi) in "Notes on Southern Long Rifles" vol. I, by Jerry Noble.

[Dave B]

bgf,
Thanks for the heads up on those I didn't have these in my line up so thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

[G-Man]

Captured lid boxes in a variety of configurations were not uncommon on rifles from various parts of Tennessee.  The Crain rifle is believed to have been made in White County TN. And of course as BGF pointed out the Simpson-Young group of rilfes is associated with middle Tennessee and possibly central Kentucky as well.  I have also seen some great east Tennessee guns with variations of this style - most notably one by Edward Reed with a banana lid set in a catured surround, and I believe John Bull made a few as well - the Isaac Guess rifle and the "Charlotte Ann" rifle (that one actually made by Bull at Warrior Mt. Alabama) had captured lid boxes if I am not mistaken.  They also are found on some piedmont North Carolina rifles - there are a few Kennedy (Moore Co/Bear Creek) guns with nice captured lid boxes.  Overall, they are typically associated with the area south and west of the Rockbridge/Augusta Couny VA region.   However, they were used on occasion by PA makers - Fainot of Lancaster was one, and John Young of Easton(? - I think - someone who knows those rifles more can help me out if I am wrong) - made variations of the captured lid box.  Wallace published a nice overview  article  of the captured lid boxes in Muzzle Blasts a few years ago.


Here is the Reed rifle:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vb_Yo_ELC48/S9Y7IGwZk4I/AAAAAAAAbmY/mR1O8ZZm7Pg/s1600/DSCN3502.jpg





Guy

[Curt J]

I have an Illinois-made rifle by Marcus L. Barrett, with a captured lid.  It is pictured here in the ALR Library.  Barrett was born in Massachusetts, and worked in both Virginia (Lewis County, now in West Virginia), and Pennsylvania, before he came to Central Illinois in 1856. This is a fairly ornate rifle, with eleven piercings in the patchbox.

[Dave B]

Great stuff guys Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.