Alabama Longrifle Question

[ECNALKEY]

Wasn't sure where to put this, but I quess this is as good as anywhere.  My G-grandfather was Calvin D. Key, born in Moore County, NC (1828-1899).  He worked for David Kennedy at his gun factory in Lauderdale County, AL.  I am looking for information about his gunmaking days in Alabama between 1850 and 1869, before he left and moved to Texas.  I know that Dan Wallace of Cypress Inn, TN owned a longrifle made by Calvin and was doing research on the gunsmiths of that area.  Before he pass away, he sent me photos of the gun, and I understand it was inherited by one of his daughters after his death.  Is there any other information out there about this particular group of gunmakers (Key, Stutts, Myrick, Williamson, Richardson, etc) that I can access?  Do any of the books by Jerry Noble address this group?  Has anyone else run across a southern longrifle with initials CDK engraved on the top.  Although I am a family historian, and not very astute on longrifles, I figured if anyone could point me in the right direction, it would be the folks on this site.  Any help is appreciated.   Thanks. 

[G-Man]

Jerry's books consist of photos and then brief biographical entries of southern gunsmiths, some are very brief  - just a name, place and date, others are more extensive (like his info on the Beans and Bulls).  I believe that some of the gunmakers you mentioned are included.  There are photos of at least one or two Stutts rifles in Volume 4, I think.

Guy 

[Ken G]

Jerry's Vol 1 has the following:
Calvin Key - Born 1828, Monroe County, North Carolina.  With Jacob Stutts in Lauderdale County, AL in 1850.  Rifles look somewhat like the later rifles of John Bull.  Signed guns in script "C.K."

Vol 4 has:
Clavin keys.  Born 1828 in Monroe Co., North Carolina.  In Laurderdale, Co., AL 1850.  He then moved to TX, he was at Turners Point until 1877, in Kauffman Co. for a while, then to Lipan.  Died 1899 in Allison, TX.  

Vol. 4 has 1 photo of a Calvin Keys rifle sitting beside a Jacob Stutts rifle.  

[ECNALKEY]

How can I contact Jerry Noble about getting copies of his books?  Thanks.

[Bill of the 45th]

Jerry will be happy to both supply you with his books, and bend your ear, and share with you.  Contact him at

Jerry Noble
414 N.E. 7th Ave.
Aledo, Illinois 61231
Ph. 309-582-2852

Bill

[scooter]

Calvin Key (1830-1899). gunsmith. 1850, Lauderdale County. Calvin Key was a gunsmith and worked for Jacob Stutts and possibly David Kennedy while in the Green Hill area. Jacob Stutts, 53, gunsmith; Nancy, 49, his wife, both born in N.C.; Wesley, 23, blacksmith; Elizabeth, 21; Asa, 18, laborer; John, 16, laborer; James, 12; Mary, 10; Nancy, 8, all born in AL. Also Calvin Key, 20, gunsmith, born in N.C. [U.S. Census]. before 1877, Turners Point, Kauffman County, Texas. Key died in Allison, Texas. Stutts operated a gun factory, probably formerly David Kennedy’s. In 1869 Key left Lauderdale County for Texas [family genealogy].

[scooter]

Calvin D. Key (1830-1899). gunsmith. 1850, Lauderdale County. Calvin Key was a gun-smith and worked for Jacob Stutts and possibly David Kennedy while in the Green Hill area. Jacob Stutts, 53, gunsmith; Nancy, 49, his wife, both born in N.C.; Wesley, 23, blacksmith; Elizabeth, 21; Asa, 18, laborer; John, 16, laborer; James, 12; Mary, 10; Nancy, 8, all born in AL. Also Calvin Key, 20, gunsmith, born in N.C. [U.S. Census]. before 1877, Turners Point, Kauffman County, Texas. Key died in Allison, Texas. Stutts operated a gun factory, probably formerly David Kennedy’s. In 1869 Key left Lauderdale County for Texas [family genealogy]. Calvin D. Key, born in Moore County, NC  He worked for David Kennedy at his gun factory in Lauderdale County, AL.  He worked in Alabama between 1850 and 1869, before he left and moved to Texas.
from my forthcoming book on AL gunsmiths

[murry]

Wasn't sure where to put this, but I quess this is as good as anywhere.  My G-grandfather was Calvin D. Key, born in Moore County, NC (1828-1899).  He worked for David Kennedy at his gun factory in Lauderdale County, AL.  I am looking for information about his gunmaking days in Alabama between 1850 and 1869, before he left and moved to Texas.  I know that Dan Wallace of Cypress Inn, TN owned a longrifle made by Calvin and was doing research on the gunsmiths of that area.  Before he pass away, he sent me photos of the gun, and I understand it was inherited by one of his daughters after his death.  Is there any other information out there about this particular group of gunmakers (Key, Stutts, Myrick, Williamson, Richardson, etc) that I can access?  Do any of the books by Jerry Noble address this group?  Has anyone else run across a southern longrifle with initials CDK engraved on the top.  Although I am a family historian, and not very astute on longrifles, I figured if anyone could point me in the right direction, it would be the folks on this site.  Any help is appreciated.   Thanks. 

Interesting, my grand mothers great great great grand father was Jacob Stutts. I believe your relitive worked for mine in Lauderdale Co Alabama. I have been looking for information about the man for about two years now, but find only bit here and there. I know of two rifles he has built. One in Moore Co NC and another in Hogpin(Green Hill) Alabama.

If you have any information to share I would appreciate it.

[alboy]

More detail on Calvin Domas Key can be found in the book "Gunsmiths and Allied Tradesmen of Alabama" by Thomas E. Kilgo and James B. Whisker published this year. I don't want to promote more books but it is available on Amazon and Ebay. The book also has information Dan Wallace collected on all the known gunsmiths that worked for Stutts and the Kennedys.

Jerry Noble and Dan Wallace shared much of their research and it is included in the book.

As for Jacob Stutts, we have found out that he worked independently from David and Hiram Kennedy, in his own gun shop located on Cowpen Creek a few miles from the Kennedy Gun Factory, in Lauderdale County, AL. I have stood on the Stutts gun shop site and also visited the cemetery where the Stutts and Kennedys are buried.

Jacob Stutts did work with John Bull at some point, either as an apprentice or a co-worker. Stutts and Bull rifles are very similar, while Kennedy rifles are quite different in style.

The families intermarried and remained close in relations and proximity, but worked separately     

[Hungry Horse]

  I live in Lake County California, and had a friend ( now deceased) named Jack Kennedy, who's father was named Hiram Kennedy( possibly a Jr.?). Now I don't know, if these are part of the same Kennedy clan, but years ago Jack told me a story about his dad. It seems the Kennedy family had nearly outgrown their remote mountain  home, and winter was upon them, and space in the cabin was becoming pretty valuable.  Hiram got a belly full of it one day, and said there were too many guns cluttering up the place. $#*!, he said they are all muzzleloaders and they aint good for nothin'. So, He grabbed an arm load of them, and walked out back of the cabin, and threw them into Cache Creek. I know Jack wasn't pulling my leg, because I have examined gun parts found in that stretch of Cache Creek.

                     Hungry Horse

[murry]

More detail on Calvin Domas Key can be found in the book "Gunsmiths and Allied Tradesmen of Alabama" by Thomas E. Kilgo and James B. Whisker published this year. I don't want to promote more books but it is available on Amazon and Ebay. The book also has information Dan Wallace collected on all the known gunsmiths that worked for Stutts and the Kennedys.

Jerry Noble and Dan Wallace shared much of their research and it is included in the book.

As for Jacob Stutts, we have found out that he worked independently from David and Hiram Kennedy, in his own gun shop located on Cowpen Creek a few miles from the Kennedy Gun Factory, in Lauderdale County, AL. I have stood on the Stutts gun shop site and also visited the cemetery where the Stutts and Kennedys are buried.

Jacob Stutts did work with John Bull at some point, either as an apprentice or a co-worker. Stutts and Bull rifles are very similar, while Kennedy rifles are quite different in style.

The families intermarried and remained close in relations and proximity, but worked separately     

Thank you for the information, for it has been very inlighting. I will share this with my sister and add it to our family history on the man. If I ever get back to Florence, where my grandmother is buried in the North Carolina Church cemetary I will make sure to search out the location of the old factory as well.