Author Topic: ... Wiley Gibson, ... Sevier Co., Tennessee gunsmith ..... (Read 6744 times)

Cades Cove Fiddler · « **on:** April 06, 2018, 08:05:50 PM »

... Wiley Gibson of the Boyd's Creek area of Sevier County Tennessee in the Smoky Mountains was the last of five generations of gunsmiths,.... All guns by the Gibsons were known as accurate hunting and match target rifles,... Ike, Bob, Wiley and Jefferson are some of the Gibsons,... Wiley lived into the 1940's and most likely made rifles into the 1930's ....only guns of theirs I have seen are 1/2 & 3/4 stocked percussion, with some using converted old flint locks,.... next to Last photo is Wiley Oakley,... the famous "Roaming Man of the Smokies", from Gatlinburg TN,.... who I believe carried a GIBSON rifle,..... I would like to see photos of signed GIBSON guns if you boys have one,... !!!! regards,.... Cades Cove Fiddler

JBJ · « **Reply #1 on:** April 06, 2018, 09:05:37 PM »

Makes me homesick. Thanks, Fiddler.
J.B.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2018, 05:50:13 AM »

My family is from Boyd’s Creek. I’ve got a Wiley Gibson rifle somewhere. I’ll have to dig it out and snap a few photos. It’s nothing special.

timM · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2018, 04:06:07 PM »

CC Fiddler,

Great post, thanks for taking the time. Sequatchie Rifle, I would also be interested in seeing your gun.

Stoner creek · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2018, 05:33:33 PM »

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a nice long sit down chat with old Wiley?

oldtravler61 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2018, 06:50:48 PM »

Just spending time with C.C.F. is in it's self a history lesson. He knows his southern guns ! Wether it be Tennessee, smr or Soddy style.
Good person to spend time with. Oldtravler

J.E. Moore · « **Reply #6 on:** April 24, 2018, 02:06:06 AM »

Do you know if any of these rifles had brass triggerguards or buttplates? The last couple pictures look close to the same style that belonged to my great great grandfather.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #7 on:** April 24, 2018, 04:49:02 AM »

He made rifles with both iron and brass fittings.

Bob McBride · « **Reply #8 on:** June 21, 2019, 06:08:33 AM »

This seems worth bringing back to the top to remind us of what a Tennessee gunsmith looked like. Does this look like a man who would carry a rifle that wouldn’t win the prized turkey in any county in the country? Looks like my grandpa. You know this man could switch the fire out of a lazy boy without raising his heart rate over 65 bpm, recite the Bible verbatim, and make a mean apple pie moonshine.

Buck · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2019, 02:37:10 AM »

Bill,

You should have 2 of them - great guns.

Buck

WElliott · « **Reply #10 on:** June 22, 2019, 05:59:37 AM »

Those are wonderful photos of Gibson. Don’t we wish we had photos of the 19th century gunsmiths and their shops.?!

TNvol · « **Reply #11 on:** June 24, 2019, 06:15:02 PM »

Dana,

This is a great group of pictures. A nice Steven Gibson rifle including his signature is pictured (pages 19-20) in Kentucky Rifles of the Great Smoky Mountains. The Gibson gunsmiith's style was consistent over at least three generations. The Steven Gibson that built this rifle was apparently Wiley's grandfather.

Jerry · « **Reply #12 on:** August 17, 2019, 11:48:17 PM »

Enjoyed the pictures and writings. Reminds me of my Grandfather when I was at a very young age in West Virginia.

B.Barker · « **Reply #13 on:** August 20, 2019, 04:05:36 AM »

Neat photo's Dana. You need to do a display of all the old time gunsmith from Tennessee that you have.

WESTbury · « **Reply #14 on:** August 20, 2019, 04:17:28 AM »

These are outstanding photos.

Talk about a guy having a face with character! The photos of people who lived during the period that Wiley did, need to be displayed more often. Those men and women had the true American spirit that built this country.

Cades Cove Fiddler · « **Reply #15 on:** August 20, 2019, 08:17:40 PM »

... Might just do that, Brian,.... great idea,..... Thanx,.. !!!!.... say "hello" to old Enoch Hardin who built fine Soddy match rifles and only passed in 1943,.... !!!.... CCF...

scottmc · « **Reply #16 on:** August 20, 2019, 10:56:58 PM »

Now, if that picture doesn't tell the story how life was "back in the day", none do. That might be my favorite, CCF. This morning I was perusing the Appalachian book by Irwin Rice and they speak a little of ole Wiley. Couple of pictures of him too. Think the same that you already posted.

Fowler610 · « **Reply #17 on:** August 21, 2019, 05:04:04 AM »

'S'pose old Enoch made his fiddle, too. Love all those photos. Thanks, CCF.

Cades Cove Fiddler · « **Reply #18 on:** August 21, 2019, 05:41:00 AM »

... Fowler610,... he most certainly also made fiddles,.. and very well made ones, I have heard,... AND played them just as well,... One son, John, won several fiddle contests in the Chattanooga area in the 1920's-'30's......

Clowdis · « **Reply #19 on:** August 21, 2019, 03:33:01 PM »

I don't know where you get these old photos, but I really enjoy them. It's a look into how life really was back in the hills. Keep them coming!

Ken G · « **Reply #20 on:** September 03, 2019, 04:47:24 AM »

Great pictures. Thanks for posting them. I really like the one at the anvil. First thing I noticed was how beat up the edge was. His daily routine of work would probably make me whine like a little girl.

Cheers,
Ken

msellers · « **Reply #21 on:** September 03, 2019, 05:53:36 AM »

Quote from: Ken G on September 03, 2019, 04:47:24 AM

Great pictures. Thanks for posting them. I really like the one at the anvil. First thing I noticed was how beat up the edge was. His daily routine of work would probably make me whine like a little girl.

Cheers,
Ken

I am sure this is the case for most of us, and definitely the majority of the youth now days. I am not old enough to be slow8down as much as I am. Dang my youth and bull headedness.
Mike

mountainad82 · « **Reply #22 on:** September 20, 2019, 04:29:55 PM »

Here is a press photo I recently bought that shows Wiley Gibson using a bow drill.

Adam

Cades Cove Fiddler · « **Reply #23 on:** September 22, 2019, 06:12:31 AM »

... Thanx, Adam,... great pic,... Ol' Wiley lived into the 1940's and was a direct link between the old gunsmiths and contemporary makers,...

WESTbury · « **Reply #24 on:** September 22, 2019, 05:26:48 PM »

That is "hands on" gunsmithing. Makes one appreciate the labor, determination, and dedication required to build those old long rifles.

Thanks for posting the picture Adam.

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Author Topic: ... Wiley Gibson, ... Sevier Co., Tennessee gunsmith ..... (Read 6744 times)

timM

J.E. Moore

WESTbury

Fowler610

WESTbury