While visiting a local Museum of Native American History, I saw this rifle displayed with a picture of Jim Bridger and the following information:
JIM BRIDGER’S RIFLE
Ca. 1822
This is believed to be Jim Bridger’s first rifle. Bridger was among the foremost mountain men, trappers, scouts and guides who explored and trapped the western United States during the early 1800’s. As an ally to native tribes he was sometimes called upon to be a mediator between them and encroaching whites. Jim Bridger built this rifle when he served as an apprentice to the master gunsmith Philip Creamer from 1817 to 1822. It was originally a .50 caliber flintlock but was later chanted to percussion, as many were. This represents one of the earliest known Plains-style rifles.
I had the opportunity to go back and talk to the museum’s curator and discuss the rifle and take a few pictures and get some measurements. Here are the measurements that I took:
LOP – 13-inches
Height of butt plate – 4.88-inches
Width of butt plate – 1.38-inches
Tang – 3.50-inches
Barrel – 43.125-inches
Breech – 0.99-inches
Waist – 0.939-inches
Muzzle – 0.959-inches
Bore – 0.482
According to Curt Johnson’s book, Gunmakers of Illinois, Vol. I. Curt writes that in 1817, Philip Creamer took a 13 year old boy as an apprentice "to learn the blacksmith's trade". Born in Richmond, Virginia on March 17, 1804, the youth would remain with Creamer for five years. He was none other than Jim Bridger, who would later become a legend as a mountain man and trapper. A voucher to agent Richard Graham from the United States Indian Agency, dated July 29, 1817, lists "James Bridger" as an assistant, beneath the name of "P. Creamer".
Additionally, Majorjoel (Joel) sent me the following: It does sound like you have run across the very rifle that has been described in the KRA brown book. That is the grouping of selected articles from the KRA bulletin (Volume 1-30). In this book there is an article written about Philip Creamer's known life and work history that was put together by Daniel Hartzler. Hartzler lists several sources for his information along with the article. His Jim Bridger connections state: "Col. Grenville M. Dodge recorded that while on survey parties Jim Bridger related that he was born in Richmond, Virginia. In 1812 he came to the American Bottoms at Illinoistown and with the death of both parents in 1817, he was apprenticed to Philip Creamer. On Feb. 13, 1822, he went with Maj. Wiliam H. Ashley on his first expedition and became one of the most renowned mountain men. We have not seen any guns of Bridger using the knowledge he gained from Creamer's bench. After establishing Fort Bridger he had a forge but was only known to be a gun trader. A straight -grained maple rifle of Creamer's that was made on the frontier has survived. The rifle is brass mounted but plain and has seen much use. It was originally in flint and has been converted to percussion and the lock apparently was replaced. The present lock is stamped "Fall and Cunningham Nashville Tenne." The 50 caliber swamped barrel is stamped "P. Creamer" on the top facet and the bottom of the forged barrel is crudely stamped " J.A.B.___ker" which is believed to read J.A.B. Maker. Research has not revealed any journeymen or other apprentices working for him in the West. If someone could find the middle initial of Bridger it would be exciting to know that he really participated in the manufacture of this rifle and others used by his compatriots in the shining mountains." This is taken directly from KRA brown book page 273.
The top flat of the barrel is lightly stamped P. Creamer. I tried to get a picture of it but I couldn’t read the signature in the picture. We did not take the barrel out of the stock to see the stamping on the bottom flat. The barrel is held to the stock with three wedges and it looks like the barrel was shortened about an inch at the breech, probably when converted to percussion. I also think that the barrel was originally held to the stock with pins, not wedges. You can see in the pictures that there is a filled hole about an inch in front of the forward wedge and there is also one about the same distance in front of the rear wedge. I couldn’t see where there was a filled hole at the center wedge. The barrel has a slight swamp (see measurements) and shows what looks to be file marks on the flats. To me, the lock looks to be original to the rifle, but there is some wood replaced between the lock and the tang. It is stamped “Fall and Cunningham Nashville Tenne.” I know that there is only one lock bolt, but I have no doubt that this rifle was originally flint.
I want to say thanks to Curt Johnson and Joel for the information that they sent me concerning Jim Bridger and his connection to Philip Creamer. I also want to thank the museum curator for allowing me to measure and take pictures of this rifle. I have his permission to share this with the forum. If there are any other measurements or areas that you would like additional pictures of, let me know and I will see if he will allow me access to the rifle to get them for you.
