Wisconsin rifles

[leviathan]

  ???Can anyone direct me to pics of Wisconsin made rifles in the 1840-1867 period. Laura ingalls Wilder  talks about the caplock her "Pa" used and his cleaning method in her "little House in the Big Woods ". Any ideas on what style-Leman etc? The Big Woods  ;Din which she lived was close to Pepin, Wisconsin.

[OLUT]

This is a bit out of my field, but you can see excellent photos of a nice, recently sold collection of George Spangler ( Monroe, Wisconsin) guns in the last regional Rock Island Auction..... Go to the RIA web site, pull down the PAST AUCTIONS and go to the REGIONAL FIREARMS auction for FEB 19-22, 2015, then under SEARCH CATALOG type in the KEYWORD Spangler. He & his father moved from Somerset, Pa to Monroe, so their guns have a pronounced "Pennsylvania" look to them. ( Yes, I did buy two of them)

[Ray Nelson]

Spangler is perhaps the earliest known well documented maker. There were early French armourers who are hard to identify that are said to have done repairs and restocking.

I'm currently traveling and not by my research files but one of the Bean family sons from Tennessee ended up in Lafarge, WI. If I remember correctly his name is Joseph and first settled in the area around Galena, IL IN 1830'S before moving across todays border to Wisconsin. No known physical example of his work is known as far as I know?

Most typical early rifles to Wisconsin/Minnesota are trade type rifles. EW Tryon riffles are good examples especially the early full stock flint. In St. Paul, MN William Golcher began making rifles in 1855 and half stock examples can be found with side lock and back action locks usually but not all...drum and nipple. He also made double barreled rifles, combo's and provided double barrel shotguns as well.

You have many good rifle examples to choose from that can be attributed to Wisconsin area in the time period you desire. French smoothbores are many if you like the very early types that frequented Wisconsin.

Hope these tidbits are helpful.

Ray

[leviathan]

Thanks for all the info. Gents! What about the Leman and Henry trade rifles? Would they have been found in Wisconsin in the late 1860's (1867)? What was meant by the term "hardware guns"? Were these rifles like those made by Henry  and Leman found in local hardware stores and purchased by  farmers and trappers?

[Ray Nelson]

Hardware Store guns were those sold locally, typically smaller caliber (45 cal down to 30 cal.), usually plain furniture mounts. I once owned a Leman full stock hardware rifle in 36 caliber with light barrel. My definition of these lighter guns start with barrels of 15/16"s or less.

I have seen what are called today Plains rifles (1" + barrel diameter, larger bores) in Wisconsin/Minn./IA/IL that were used to hunt buffalo in particular in those 1840's;50's days. Many came from makers along the Mississippi River or were rifles procured by Chouteau, Sibley, and Rice in particular and likely were in use near you in Lake Pepin area. The fur company agreements and outfit names changed quite a few times after the Am. Fur Co. folded in 1844.

Leman and Henry were astute business men and I would expect several were purchased and used in your area. I have seen more Tryon made relics recently and he was contracted to be a major supplier of Indian Annuities guns by the government.

The late 40's began the major invasion of Americans up the Mississippi on the Steamboats to Wisconsin and Minnesota lands of opportunity. Many immigrants actually also brought firearms from their homelands as well and a Jaeger, Danish, Swiss and other homeland pieces seem to appear from the closets yet today.

Hope these rambles make some sense to you. You can basically look at most 1850's guns for trade and choose what you like as they seemed to be quite available.

Ray

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

If he's still kickin', look up Bruce LePage. He has probably been in contact with Wisconsin collectors. I hesitate to mention a buddy of mine from the Madison area who was formerly with a small-town bank south of Madison that showed me his collection of 19th century Wisconsin rifles. It's been twenty-five years since I saw him last.

Give Bruce a buzz.

14431 Bistram Rd.
Grantsburg, WI  54840
715-463-5145

In business since 1975.
Studied with Lynton McKenzie.
Original engraving
Muzzle loader engraving
Restoration engraving on double guns

Hope this helps,

Buck

[Curt J]

My collecting interest has been Upper Midwestern-made guns, for the past 45+ years.  My in depth study has been on Illinois makers (published author on the subject), but I have seen many Wisconsin-made rifles, and have owned a few.  The ones I have owned were by W. H. Calvert, Beloit; A. P. Hyatt, New London; W. H. Hyatt, Winneconne & Waukau; O. F. Brooks; Janesville; John Meunier, Milwaukee; and L. G. Bever, Portage. I probably have photos of several of them. They were all well made rifles with some style, not just utilitarian guns.  There were a number of Wisconsin makers who also worked in Illinois and Iowa at various times.

I was at the last Rock Island Auction Company Regional Auction, and there were indeed a number of Wisconsin made rifles there.  There were about 8 Spangler rifles, but others as well, probably between 15 and 20 altogether.  I came away with two Illinois-made rifles.