Goutty in Harrisburg, 1794

[JBW]

While researching the Whiskey Rebellion I located a letter of a soldier from Carlisle, PA, marching toward Bedford, and presumably on westward to assist in quelling the Whiskey Rebellion. In passing he noted that Goutty the gunsmith belonging to Captain Singer's troop had shot himself at Harrisburg, [letter dated 5 October 1794]. That wa all. was it an accident? on purpose? who was Goutty? I tried several spelling variations w/o success.

[Eric Kettenburg]

It's certainly a possibility that he may have merely been a member of the troop who demonstrated a propensity for gun repair and maintenance and thus was acting in this capacity while in service only.  I know I remember coming across a few interesting remarks within the PA Gazette, while trolling through references to deserters or runaways, of a particular individual having a propensity for gunsmithing or blacksmithing etc., but yet it never was something that could be cross-referenced back to an assessment list or census.  This may be a similar situation. 

[Mark Tyler]

Samuel Coutty, gunsmith, was the son of Samuel Coutty, tailor, who in 1780 was a taxpayer on the South Part of Dock Ward, took the oath of allegiance to the State on December 4, 1778, and died on October 20, 1794, leaving a widow, Elizabeth Coutty.

[THE SECOND TROOP PHILADELPHIA CITY CAVALRY. BY W. A. NEWMAN DORLAND, A.M., M.D., F.A.C.S.]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&ved=0CFwQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fojs.libraries.psu.edu%2Findex.php%2Fpmhb%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F27688%2F27444&ei=dSySUbbjFrTJ0gHxsYD4Ag&usg=AFQjCNGhhNYvNRaL24nUiigELiNfXlhP5w&sig2=vmgdQyNy2AAAT4zC78pDVg&bvm=bv.46471029,d.dmQ  [Link to PDF File]

[Mark Tyler]

PHILADELPHIA Friday February 8th 1788 PRESENT The Honorable PETER MUHLENBERG Esquire Vice President Samuel Dean Evan Evans William McClay Frederick Watts LEsquires Nathan Dennisen Abraham Smith and r Christopher Kucher Henry Hill J The city and count Lieutenants attended agreeable to the directions of Council The petitions of Samuel Coutty and Samuel Lehman gunsmiths be requesting they may be employed in repairing some of the public arms was read Ordered That the Lieutenant of the county of Philadelphia be directed to deliver the said Samuel Coutty and Samuel Lehman the public arms belonging to the county that are over Schuylkill

http://books.google.com/books?id=6RkLAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA384&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U3F8laigOTw1KjFcVDHycDifyY_Zw&ci=105%2C673%2C870%2C581&edge=0

[img width= height=]http://books.google.com/books?id=6RkLAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA384&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U3F8laigOTw1KjFcVDHycDifyY_Zw&ci=105%2C673%2C870%2C581&edge=0[/img]

[Mark Tyler]

Perkin and Coutty, At the corner of Second and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, BEG leave to acquaint their Friends and the Public in general, that they carry on the Gun and PISTOL making in all its branches, where gentlemen may be supplied with Guns and Pistols of the neatest and best quality, on the shortest notice and most reasonable terms. They also blue and brown Gun Barrels in the neatest manner. N.B. A small quantity of Ship Musquets to sell.

[The Pennsylvania Gazette, May 2, 1781]

Also see Flayderman's 6B-013 for a Samuel Coutty Flintlock Pistol.

[JBW]

Thank you very much. I had an enormous amount on Coutty in my Philadelphia list/ book but failed to put him together w/ Goutty killed in Harrisburg. Wonder if it was suicide or accidwent? no way to tell from the sole report. Some additional material on Coutty [whose one pistol is also shown in my one book].

1790 U.S. Census, Southern District, south side of Chestnut St. March 8, 1783, "to Perkins and Couty, gunsmiths, the balance due them, £81/0/0." [3 Pa Arch 5 at 340]. 21 June 1787, "repairing arms belonging to the County of Philadelphia, £15/0/0." [3 Pa Arch 7 at 225]. “For Sale a Rifle Gunn made by Mortimore, gun maker to his Majesty, London, to be see and particulars noted at Mr. Couty’s, Gun Smith, S. Front street” [Dunlap’s American Advertiser, 25 April 1793]. All persons indebted to the estate of the late Samuel Coutty, Gunsmith, are requested to settle immediately with Elizabeth Coutty. “Those persons who left either guns or pistols at the shop of the said Coutty are desired to come, prove property, and take them away [Philadelphia Gazette, 14 November 1794].

[Eric Kettenburg]

Hey MArk Tyler - that's a great catch there, kudos on a quick putting of two and two together!

[Mark Tyler]

Thanks Eric.

[JBW]

I realize that Coutty was from from Philly, with its militia -- but I'd bet my autographed photo of Franklin Peirce that this is story on Coutty -- and I am delighted that he apparently was victim of an accident vice suicide.
A melancholy accident took place, a few days since, while several companies wee on exercise – One of the men, who the day before loaded his piece with shot, in order for hunting, and forgetting to remove the same, discharged the contents, by which a young man belonging to the militia of York county, was mortally wounded in the head, and another slightly in the shoulder. Independent Gazetteer, 1 November 1794