Author Topic: Tennessee Rifle Builder (Read 11888 times)

Randy1944 · « **on:** October 06, 2009, 02:55:15 AM »

I have a percussion rifle that is marked on the barrel " P NELSON ". Rifle has all iron hardware and is a typical east Tennessee rifle with extra long tang. Does anyone have any information regarding a P NELSON ? Thank you very much. Randy1944

Ken G · « **Reply #1 on:** October 06, 2009, 03:11:17 AM »

Randy,
I looked in all 4 volumes of Jerry Nobles books and did not see a P. Nelson listed. I sure would like to see it though! Any chances of seeing a couple of pictures?

Randy1944 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 06, 2009, 03:30:05 AM »

Ken, I tried to send pictures to your email. Let me know if you get them. If you don't get them, try Photobucket - Randy1944 newest additions. Also on Photobucket are some pictures of my Hawken style rifle. I would sure appreciate your opinion on it as well. Regards Randy1944

gibster · « **Reply #3 on:** October 06, 2009, 03:47:01 PM »

The only reference that I could find showing a P NELSON was in Frank Sellers book, "AMERICAN GUNSMITHS". He lists a P W NELSON in Kansas City Missouri, 1881d. As far as in Tennessee, he lists a G H NELSON in Knoxville Tennessee, 1876d. Could be a relative that he learned the trade from and built the same style??? Or maybe one that he built while learning the trade. I checked several other reference books and could not find another listing.

Ken G · « **Reply #4 on:** October 06, 2009, 05:39:50 PM »

Is the entry pipe 2 separate pieces? I see the nails in the skirt but can't tell if they are just holding the skirt down or it is an add on.
Ken

P.S. Randy,
You should share the history on the rifle.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #5 on:** October 06, 2009, 06:10:05 PM »

Good looking East Tennessee gun- love that tang!

mr. no gold · « **Reply #6 on:** October 06, 2009, 08:48:41 PM »

Hello Randy-Thanks for bringing your collection to the ALR, (we communicated about your half stocked gun through the Museum of the Mountain Man). It didn't appear that there was a whole lot of info out there on that piece, but this one is a different story.
The Nelson is a fine mountain rifle with all of the things that a real gun lover sees and goes slightly nuts over. We all applaud you for sending in the photos. Just a great rifle.
Good chance that some of the members here are neighbors of yours whether regionally or closer. Hope that you are able to connect with some of them. Stay tuned here on the ALR as most gunshows are advertised one way or another.
Thanks again!
Dick

G-Man · « **Reply #7 on:** October 06, 2009, 09:01:03 PM »

Great untouched looking piece. Looks to me to have strong Washington County characteristics - right in the heart of where the Beans and other well known makers worked.

Looks like it might be a 2-piece entry thimble/skirt. That feature crops up on some of the Beans and other Washington County makers, as well as over into neighboring Sullivan County. The Gross rifle (Sullivan County) has a very similar looking thimble (if this one is indeed a two piece).

Could have been made anywhere around that region - Washington, Sullivan, Carter, Unicoi etc.

Nice to see one that is not broken through the wrist too!

Thanks for showing the photos. Neat rifle.

Guy

Randy1944 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 06, 2009, 09:40:13 PM »

Ken suggested that I give you the additional information I have on my gun. My Great Grandfather Isaac N. Trentham at one time held a land grant for over 5000 acres of land that later became The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He lived just behind where the Park Headquarters are now located. He traded approx. 100 acres of land up what we now call Fighting Creek Gap for this gun and a milk cow. Issac always laughed and said that the man that got the land "couldn't do anything with that ole mountain land and he could shoot his rifle anytime he wanted to and could also milk the cow". This story was told to me by Issac's son Otis Trentham. Otis is the man that sold me the gun. It is a great story and it is a very good gun as well. Hope that I didn't bore everyone with the details. Regards, Randy Trentham

Randy1944 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 06, 2009, 09:55:45 PM »

I meant to mention that the entry thimble seems to be all one piece. The two pins are missing and when I barely lift up that end it seems to be one piece. The front of the thimble is held on by a cross pin and I did not try to remove that pin. Another story of my gun. In the late 1960's, Mr Stewart Udall, Sec. of the Interior paid a visit to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Some of my friends at the Park called me and asked if I would bring my east Tennessee Mountain Rifles and set up an exhibit table showing them and other mountain items that came out of The Park. I did this and got to meet Mr. Udall and explain the stories behind all of my guns and items. It was a great event that I enjoyed very much. Wonder if I could take my guns into the Park now?

? Ken opened this door and you can blame him for my ramblings. Regards, Randy1944

Curt J · « **Reply #10 on:** October 07, 2009, 04:50:08 AM »

What a great classic East Tennessee rifle, by a maker who appears to be previously unknown. The oral history that came with it is like icing on the cake. I often look at these old guns (and other antiques for that matter) and think "if only it could talk"! This one actually can, to some degree anyway. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #11 on:** October 07, 2009, 11:45:32 PM »

Randy- these are great tales! Thanks for sharing them with us. I am a 7th generation Tennessean and enjoy the rich heritage of our state. My wife is a 6th generation Tennessean whose family got here before mine! Came from Shallow Ford of the Yadkin River, NC to Powell's Valley about the time of statehood. Ended up in Jackson County, TN- Jeremiah Brown.

Bill

Randy1944 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 08, 2009, 12:08:38 AM »

Bill, Thank you for the kind words. I too love the rich history and traditions of the Smoky Mountains. My people on my father's side came to the Smokies around 1795 and settled it when no one else wanted it because it was to mountainous and not good for real farming. I still live here in east Tennessee and I count myself very fortunate to do so. Have a great day. Regards, Randy1944

WadePatton · « **Reply #13 on:** October 19, 2013, 02:29:42 AM »

Wondering if anyone still has photos of this gun? Would love to see it.

thanks.

Hungry Horse · « **Reply #14 on:** October 19, 2013, 03:58:41 AM »

the pics aren't coming up on my computer, whats the secret ?

Hungry Horse

T*O*F · « **Reply #15 on:** October 19, 2013, 04:18:00 AM »

Quote

the pics aren't coming up on my computer, whats the secret ?

You'd think a guy who knows so much would take a look at the posting dates and find it's 4 years old.

WadePatton · « **Reply #16 on:** October 19, 2013, 04:53:24 AM »

Quote from: Hungry Horse on October 19, 2013, 03:58:41 AM

the pics aren't coming up on my computer, whats the secret ?

Hungry Horse

My post refreshed the thread. I learned myself another much-more efficient way to search the ALR forums and am finding lots of "old" threads with DEAD PIC LINKS.

So i requested a refresher if anyone had SAVED pics of this particular rifle.

What we are experiencing is one drawback of remote hosting of photos. The other one is that nobody remembers how that works.

You cannot search TN without getting totally bogged down by the "museum". But i finally found the "uncheck all" button to DEselect all 900 of those sections of forum and got a really good result. Only 8 pages, via searching ONLY the antique collecting and contemporary collecting threads. So I'm sure there'll be more "hey anybody got a pic of this one" posts by yours truly.

sorry for the troubles. (and yes, I so save pics of rifles i like--I know i'm not the only one. And to remote host the pics to ALR I use facebook...that place has to be useful for something.)

Randy1944 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 22, 2013, 01:51:53 AM »

Wade, I just found your inquiry. I will be glad to find the pictures of my gun and repost them. Thank you for inquiring about it. I am having a problem in attaching my pictures. I will get them as soon as I can. Randy

WadePatton · « **Reply #18 on:** October 22, 2013, 03:11:18 AM »

Quote from: Randy1944 on October 22, 2013, 01:51:53 AM

Wade, I just found your inquiry. I will be glad to find the pictures of my gun and repost them. Thank you for inquiring about it. I am having a problem in attaching my pictures. I will get them as soon as I can. Randy

remote hosting is required to put pics up here Randy. Then pop the URL between the [ img ] [ /img ] tags. presto done. (no space between the brackets and tag letters "img")

thanks.

Hivernant1962 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 22, 2013, 03:35:41 PM »

I'm with you Wade, I wanna see em too.

WadePatton · « **Reply #20 on:** October 24, 2013, 03:20:45 AM »

Quote from: Hivernant1962 on October 22, 2013, 03:35:41 PM

I'm with you Wade, I wanna see em too.

I'll post what he sent me later tonight. time to goto shop now and work on that pesky rifle.

JB2 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 31, 2013, 04:47:30 PM »

I'm in-strested too. Always nice to see another e. TN rifle.

oakridge · « **Reply #22 on:** November 01, 2013, 07:37:23 AM »

Quote from: WadePatton on October 24, 2013, 03:20:45 AM

Quote from: Hivernant1962 on October 22, 2013, 03:35:41 PM
I'm with you Wade, I wanna see em too.
I'll post what he sent me later tonight. time to goto shop now and work on that pesky rifle.

Wade, is it "later tonight" yet?

WadePatton · « **Reply #23 on:** November 01, 2013, 07:39:02 AM »

Yeah, a little. hold yer dang hats.

P.Nelson rifle. pics by Randy. A couple of pics only appear as thumbnails but I can't get them to work properly. Randy can tell more about it. He bought it from a great uncle long time ago in non-working condition. Was put back into service by 'smith in Sevierville. cheers!