Author Topic: Help ID'ing Andrew Telford Not Tilford Long Rifle  (Read 3292 times)

historyfinder

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Help ID'ing Andrew Telford Not Tilford Long Rifle
« on: March 21, 2017, 10:37:15 PM »
I have a long rifle, converted to percussion. The barrel has Andrew Telford inscribed on it (I originally posted this as "Andrew Tilford;" I was wrong about the name (Sorry  :-[).  The lock plate is stamped Jas. Golcher. I know Golcher made lock plates, but can anyone tell me who the gun maker, Andrew Telford, is?

« Last Edit: March 25, 2017, 06:01:12 PM by historyfinder »

oakridge

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Re: Help ID'ing Andrew Tilford Long Rifle
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2017, 03:57:52 AM »
This sounds like an old rifle, not a contemporary one. You might get more replies if you move this to Antique Longrifle Collecting. There are several Tilford gunsmiths listed working in Kentucky and Tennessee, but not an Andrew. Others here may be able to help you. Photos would be helpful.

Offline jdm

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Re: Help ID'ing Andrew Tilford Long Rifle
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2017, 02:36:45 AM »
I found some Tilford's but no Andrew . Two James, one Jeremiah  and one Samuel. Ohio, Kentucky and Tn. then to Missouri. I'll check some other reference when time permits.
JIM

Big Wolf

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Re: Help ID'ing Andrew Tilford Long Rifle
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2017, 05:51:48 AM »
Please post pictures of your rifle, the architecture would be helpful.

Offline Tanselman

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Re: Help ID'ing Andrew Tilford Long Rifle
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2017, 09:07:22 AM »
Kentucky had two known Tilford gunsmiths: James Tilford working in Ballard County in 1860 (census), and Jeremiah M. Tilford in Ohio County in 1820 (industrial census). Interestingly, Jeremiah Tilford had a brother named Andrew Tilford (1795-1847) who lived first in Shelby County and later Ohio County, Kentucky. With a brother being a known gunsmith, this Andrew Tilford is a good candidate. He was not in the 1820 Industrial Census, and died before the 1850 census where occupations were first given.

If you could post pictures of your rifle, showing both the front and the back sides from the butt plate out to about 10 inches past the lock plate area, we may be able to tell where the gun was most likely made. The length and shape of the tang at the back or breech end of the barrel often times gives us clues to the origin of a rifle as well. If for some reason you cannot post pictures here, I would be glad to look at them by e-mail at sgallien@comcast.net and give a response back on this site as to what the gun shows us and where its most probably place of manufacture might be. 

More information on early Kentucky gunsmiths can be found at www.kentuckygunmakers.com.

Shelby Gallien
« Last Edit: December 01, 2023, 06:10:39 AM by Tanselman »

historyfinder

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Re: Help ID'ing Andrew Telford Long Rifle
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2017, 05:55:21 PM »
First off, upon better inspection, the name is Andrew Telford; not Tilford. The rifle was supposedly found in the trunk of a tree at an extinct Iowa settlement at the confluence of the Mississippi and Iowa rivers. The town, Burris, Iowa was gone by 1860. I've posted pictures. I appreciate the replies and apologize to the persons who replied for originally posting the wrong name.





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Offline Longknife

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Re: Help ID'ing Andrew Telford Not Tilford Long Rifle
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2017, 05:06:58 PM »
Telford, Andrew Botetourt Co Virginia, 1780
Ed Hamberg

historyfinder

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Re: Help ID'ing Andrew Telford Not Tilford Long Rifle
« Reply #7 on: March 27, 2017, 02:30:12 AM »
Thank you!