Jimtown Rifles

[Skirmisher]

This past weekend at the Princeton Long rifle show I had a chance to compare my Jimtown N.C. School rifle with an almost identical piece stamped "H. Wright' on the barrel.  The two rifles were nearly identical except for two details.  My piece has a Masonic square and compass emblem on the butt and the other had what appears to be a stylized torch.  My rifle has a beavertail style cheekpiece while the other has a more or less squared cheekpiece.  Other than that the two rifles appear to have come from the same bench.
I have no information about these Jimtown rifles but frequently find them here in central Illinois, apparently due to 19th cetury immigration patterns.  Can anyone tell me snything about Wright and his rifles?

[Mike Brooks]

Michael Briggs has a book on those.

[mr. no gold]

These rifles were all over Southern Illinois too, given the heavy migration of people from the south moving in. My family had one, but it disappeared long before I came on the scene. An old gun trader lived in West Frankfort who cornered the market on these and he probably came close to cleaning them all
out of that region. This was in the mid 1900s. Sure would like to know what became of his collection, it was vast.
Dick

[mbriggs]

Hi Skirmisher and welcome to this site.

What you have is a Jamestown School Longrifle. This was by far the largest of the nine longrifle schools in North Carolina with 85 named gunsmiths working over a 100 year period.

Henry Wright you mentioned was a very respected gunsmith from 1840 to 1870 when he moved west to Missouri.  Does you rifle have a name stamped on the barrel?

Masonic symbols were often found on Jamestown rifles. I believe they catered to this trade. I own one Jamestown rifle and have seen two additional examples that each have over a dozen masonic symbols on them.

I have owned over 300 Jamestown longrifles, still own the 35 rarest and best examples along with three Jamestown under-hammer pistols.

I published a book in 2016 titled "The Longrifle Makers of Guilford County" that covers both the Jamestown School and the Early Deep River School that proceeded it. The book cost $40, plus $4 shipping. If you want a copy mail a check to Michael Briggs - 3705 - B West Market Street - Greensboro, N.C. 27403 and I will ship you one.

Thanks,

Michael   


walls

[Sequatchie Rifle]

I believe the "stylized torch" is a tobacco leaf. I also have a few of his "Masonic" rifles.  That seems to have been a common theme on Jamestown Rifles.

[Skirmisher]

Hi, Michael- There is no sign of a name stamp on my masonic rifle, although there are remnants of engraving on the top flat which may be roman numerals.  Comparing mine to the Henry Wright rifle above it, it certainly seems to have come from the same shop, if not the same hand.
So what approximate date would you assign to these pieces?  If Wright indeed went to Missouri in 1840, then they are earlier than I expected.  Frankly, I had never heard of Jamestown rifles untilnthree years ago when I picked one up in a local pawnshop for $50.

[mbriggs]

Skirmisher,
I would date these rifles between 1840 and 1861.  Henry Wright worked in Jamestown from 1840 to 1870, then moved to Missouri in 1870.

Slow down on thinking your rifle is from Wright's shop.  With 85 gunsmiths working in this style, there is no way to know who made it if it is not signed. 

I have only seen signed rifles by 38 of the 85 men. I think the others were farmers 9 months a year, and only stocked a few rifles each winter to earn a living.

Henry Wright did work full time as a gunsmith, but in the 1840 -1850 - 1860 Guilford County Census listed his occupation as a farmer.

You got a great deal if you only paid $50 for your rifle. I had to pay a little more for mine. (laughs)

Michael

[Skirmisher]

Thanks for your insights.  These are certainly a unique form of percussion rifle, immediately recognizeable.  I had assumed most of the inlays, including the partial bands under the forearm, were 20th century add-ons.  Then I laid this rifle down next to a signed Henry Wright and found them to be identical in all detaols except for the pattern of the major inlays on the butt and the form of the cheekpiece.  My other Jamestown rifle (The one I bought for $50) was quite plain.  The style, although clumsy looking, has a folksy utility that is appealing.