Jacob Gross

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Old Tennessee rifle. Signed I*G. 46 inch bbl. Looks to be 40 caliber. Not a barn or smokehouse find. A log cabin find. The house was deconstructed in recent weeks. Was lived in until several year ago. Was covered with polar siding and had an addition built on probably 120 years ago. Lots of history in the old house. They were in the process of taking it apart when the rain hit on Saturday night. The old girl just couldn’t handle it and collapsed under the weight. There is a family cemetery in the back where the family buried their quilts when the Yankees came raiding during the civil war. The man who build it was famous locally, until he was forgotten by the last two generations. I’ve cleaned off some of the mold. Will rub some furniture polish on it and see what it looks like.

[WESTbury]

This is something that I think we all dream of stumbling upon! Thanks for including everyone on this "House Find", beats an "Attic Find" in my estimation.

[Rajin cajun]

Jim, great story and nice find. Are you bringing it to Jim Parker’s show in Jan ?

Bob

[jdm]

Pretty darn cool!  That's a collectors dream to find something like that.  Was it in a wall or buried under the floor ?  Please post some pics when you clean it up a little more.  Jim

[Sequatchie Rifle]

It was in the attic. I wish I’d taken photos of the house a few years ago before the property began being neglected. This is the 2nd Jacob Gross rifle that has surfaced in this county that I know of in the last few years. It’s temporarily hanging above the fireplace at my son’s house.


I’ve wiped it down with some diluted bleach to kill the mold, then applied some furniture polish. Still looks a bit rough. I’m going to leave it alone and let it stay here for awhile.

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  ... Very nice and fortunate find,  Bill,... so it was actually  there south of the border in  Madison County,..?? ... and was in the old log house when it collapsed ?... too bad no one had gone up into the overhead before,... I once rented an old farm house that had been in the same family forever,.. was told that a "Civil War musket" had been found in the attic, but I never got to see it,.. I like stories like this,... !!! ... CCF

[mr. no gold]

Great fun!!! Great gun!!! What a shame the old log house was allowed to be destroyed. A good antique structure specialist could likely bring it back even now. Most people don't seem to care so it will go nowhere except to the burn pile or dump. Did not notice if the rifle is half stocked or full. More photos? Twould be nice if the local archaeology society could do some investigations in and around the building. No telling what they would find. Well Bill, glad that you have the rifle as you will be much kinder to the old thing than anyone else has in some years. Thank you for telling the stories and showing the gun here.
Dick

[Sequatchie Rifle]

The old house is in my hometown in Putnam County. I think the plan is to save the house and rebuild it on a small farm.

[AZshot]

What a great treasure discovery!  I'd give a lot to have an original mountain cabin like that to rebuild.  Rifle nice too, I have a couple Gross rifles.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

On Thursday they loaded the chimney rock on pallets and hauled them off. The logs were also stacked and waiting to be loaded. Whoever dismantled the structure did not mark the logs. It was a very sloppy job and I doubt the structure will be rebuilt. I’ve post d the obituary of the man who live there his entire life and I believe his mother’s father built it. His granddaughter and great granddaughter were the last people to live there.



And another photo of the rifle.

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  .. Thanx, Bill,.... great looking rifle and perfect setting in the photo,... !!! ... is the under-rib made of wood,..? .. would like to see a close-up of the entry pipe area and a view of the cheek side,... really glad you got this one, with the family and location ties that you have,... !!! ... regards,.. Cades Cove Fiddler,....

[jdm]

I' m a sucker for a good story. Even more so when there's a good gun envolved  .I keep returning to this post to have a look . Can we have a look at the cheek side.  Jim

[Avlrc]

All I can say is, God must really like you

[Buck]

Bro Bill,

I thought I saw a ghost! Similar to the one we exchanged some 13 years ago. Nice find.

Buck

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Noel,

The same maker and marked exactly the same- plus it is also a re-stock in walnut. The main difference is the one you gave me had a patchbox.

I'll try to post photos of that one some time.