D.Taylor Rifle Double cheek pieces

[TN Longhunter]

Good friend has a son-in-law that has the old family gun. Brought it by today for me to look at. Grabbed a camera and took some quick photos.  I classify it as a southern iron mount, NC Appalachia. Based on below tell me what you think.  I think the double cheek pieces are cool.

Iron mount, no patchbox or grease hole
Cheek piece on both sides
61" long, 44 " barrel, even 10 lbs and .40 caliber
Lock has what looks like cast engraving with ???R, PA along the bottom margin
Looks to have been flint converted to percussion.
Several repairs to areas around lock, tang and fore end.
Long 4 screw tang
Marked "D. Taylor." in coin silver plate on barrel

Looking for your thoughts or information on the maker.

[wildcatter]

 Neat gun, thanks for sharing! Has neat features and some interesting repairs to keep it going all these years. Any chance you post more pictures? Full length, barrel tang, triggers, etc.

Matt

[TN Longhunter]

Only had a few minutes and had to shoot fast. Outdoor was out the question. Should have shot more. Could still get some photo in the near future. I got the major features; repairs, lock, signatures and cheek pieces.

[TN Longhunter]

Come on, 250+ views and no one knows anything about D. Taylor? 

[OLUT]

For what it is worth, I've noted a couple guns with similar stamped names on a silver inlay in the barrel and never found them in any listing of makers. So I assume that they were for the gun's owner. I wish I were wrong, as I dislike having "unknown makers in my collection. .... Ok,has anyone ever heard of J H FISH ?

[mbriggs]

With the exception of the Vogler gunsmiths in Salem, and one Isaac Thompson Mecklenburg rifle,  every name I have seen on a silver plate on the barrel of a North Carolina rifle has been that of the owner.  All of the Joseph McDowell Whitson, Sr. & Jr. rifles are that way.  One of them has both the maker and owners names in silver.

Michael

[TN Longhunter]

Thanks, that would explain why I can't find anything about gunmaker D. Taylor.  Likely the first owner.  What about the double cheek pieces? I know I have seen others like it. Gun bought for family where there were some lefties?

[JIM FRANCIS]

Here's another variation of an owners name on a Va. valley rifle. No makers name but believed to be Grandstaf.

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  ... Don,... Check into a gun built by John Selvridge of Bradley Co. Tennessee... 1850's... I believe has a cheekpiece on both sides and all iron mounts .... also in one of Jerry Noble's books is an underhammer rifle with two cheek rests that he attributes to a Bean or Lawing .... good luck in your research and let us know what you find out ... !!! ... C C Fiddler

[smokinbuck]

Bodenheimer was a gun builder in Fairfield County, Ohio. He more often than not put a snail shaped cheek piece on each side of his gun stocks.
Mark