John P Sites Arrowrock Mo

[fatcat]

Howdy from central texas, this is my first post on this forum, still learning how to post pics   i will post more pics if this works

[fatcat]

Ok that worked, wasn't the pic i wanted but its the same rifle.

[fatcat]

om/35i838i.jpg[/IMG]c8t41.jpg[/IMG      im sure im doing this wrong please be patient, thanks!

[fatcat]

No luck ,wont let me grab the entire code. Will try again later.
This is a halfstock,heavy english , some say similar to Creamer.
John P Sites signed this on the lock,barrel,and initialed the breech plug in gold with two bands . Sorry I am unable to get more pics there has got to be an easier way.

[fatcat]

    maybe

[brooktrout]

Would love to see more photos of the gun.  If you cannot get them posted send me a PM as email address is in the members profile.
Also interested in how you came about owing the gun as well and as much specific detail as you can provide.  Whisker's book shows J.P. Senior (1784 - 1835), then  J.P. Junior of Arrow Rock (1821 - 1904).  By what method do you conclude from "Arrow Rock"?  Cap lock?  Photo.  Sites is a maker I have deep interest in but actually know little about and have not seen any signed works or even works attributed to him.
You are a lucky dude, fatcat!

[fatcat]

Anybody ever handle one of these? I have only located two examples other than
What they have in Arrowrock, not real sure what they have there either, comments please
just trying to learn, thanks

[fatcat]

Thanks brooktrout , i will try to email you

[brooktrout]

This is a very interesting gun to me.  Hope someone can offer to post the pics as it's a skill I have yet to master.  Just have not taken time to figure it out!

[oakridge]

In his book, Jim Gordon shows a full stock percussion rifle marked J. Sites and two half stock percussion rifles marked J. Sites, Boonville, Mo. (presumably Senior), and mentions that J. Sites, Junior moved from there to Clifton, and then to Arrow Rock and set up his own shop.

[fatcat]

Thanks,Mr Oakridge,i was not aware of that book, a few years ago victor a paul was kind enough to email me portions of his book pertaining to JPSites ,very interesting read.

And i still am unable to get more pics posted, is there a kind soul out the that would help me? I would be most grateful if i could email some pics to someone who can post them here thanks in advance.

I took some new pics this morning, they turned out pretty good.
I have discovered photographing a rifle is not easy, if you take a pic of the rifle full length you tend to lose the detail suggestions?

[fatcat]

[brooktrout]

It really looks nice!  BTW, here is a link to how to post photos.  http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=10.0

I need to read it myself!  Really odd that there has not been more comments on this gun.  I tend to feel there is more interest in a PA, VA, TN, KY, NC or maybe WV gun than one made in the Missouri.  But I think your gun has some striking features that I have not seen before.
Love it!  And it looks like it's in pretty sound shape.  Restore??  Not if it were mine!

[Bob Roller]

That is one FINE looking rifle regardless of maker.
My kind of muzzle loader in flint or "persuction".

Bob Roller

[fatcat]

Thanks Bob,
  That means a lot coming from you,
Persuction??? Lol I've heard of flinchlocks ,persuctions must be really rare!

[fatcat]

   

[fatcat]

[fatcat]

Whoops

[albert]

That is nice,have been to the J.Sites museum/gunship a couple times ,if memory serves correct,your rifle is probably in better condition than any that they have on display.I am sure they would like to have pictures and stats on yours. There is a festival in Arrow Rock I believe the second weekend of Oct. every year, would like to go again,but I go to a rendezvous for about five days at that time here in N.M. Mo.

[mountainman70]

That is one FINE looking rifle regardless of maker.
My kind of muzzle loader in flint or "persuction".

Bob Roller

Was that flint er persecution?lol,you do have a way with words,bro Bob.Dave

[KLMoors]

That is a beauty. Thanks for the pictures.

[fatcat]

@ albert,  Wish I could go to Arrowrock, its on the bucket list. Dr. Hall was gracious enough to return .y call and I shared all I know and sent them some real nice pictures. Thanks to him and his father and im sure many others Arrowrock is now not only a state park but a national historic landmark as well!
Way to go Doc Hall !

@ KLMoor, thanks , I  saw that squirrel gun you and Bob did , really nice!

[Curt J]

I have seen a number of rifles by the various Sites gunsmiths, over the years.  I sold a flintlock J. Sites (Sr.) about a year ago, in fact. I would guess that mine was made about ten years before he "went west". Most of the Arrow Rock Sites rifles I have seen were plain, utilitarian guns.  This one is way beyond any of them, and does indeed look to compare with the work of Philip Creamer, who was in Southern Illinois, and briefly in St. Louis, 1806 -1846. 

[brooktrout]

Oh the PAIN!  What I would give for a fine J Sites Sr rifle!  Any possibilities that the buyer of the one you sold might be willing to part with it?

Also just wondering about the "before he went west" comment.  Any idea of specifically where Sr may have lived before he went west?  I know the books claim "Fincastle" (VA).  Whisker's book states he was born in Fincastle County on 13 Sept. 1784.  Problem is that Fincastle county did not exist as such in 1784.  The multi-state sized territory of Botetourt was divided into "Fincastle" (County) and Greenbrier (County) in 1772 - 1777.  Fincastle (County) later was divided into "Kentucky", "Washington" and "Montgomery" (1776 - 1777).  Now, there is and has always been a small town in the original Botetourt County and the current Botetourt county that is know as Fincastle so it might be that JPS Sr. was from the area now called Fincastle.  Or that he might have been from someplace no where near the current Fincastle but anywhere in the southwestern part of VA or even as far west as KY.

[fatcat]

I have heard this rifle is the work of jr. However some say sr because the English produced this style early and JPS senior would certainly know the style.

Comments appreciated!