Tidewater VA/NC

[BML]

Hello,

I am a long time reader but don’t believe I have ever posted anything.

I wanted to know if anyone had any information, books, or actual rifles, that would represent what might have been owned by those living south and southwest of the Jamestown area and into the eastern part of NC during the pre-revolutionary period.

I really enjoy ancestry and most all of my family on one side started in America on the south side of the James River from Jamestown in the late 1600s/early 1700s and slowly moved south into eastern NC, where they remained until my dad and his brother moved to other parts of NC. I have all the books on NC longrifles but really can’t find much on rifles/guns/fowlers that my ancestors would’ve owned and used. I assume they would’ve had English styled fowlers. Maybe I haven’t found the correct book/reference material.

Thanks for any information or help in pointing me towards books or articles on this.

Regards,

B. Lee

[jdm]

BML Welcome aboard.  Here is a picture of a rifle from the  piedmont area  East of the appalachian mountains in N.C.  It's a cheap poor boy rifle made for someone who needed a good gun but was low on funds. I can relate to that. I hope   Mr. Briggs will give you some help with this. He has written several books on N.C. rifles and will be able to point you in the right direction.

[BML]

Jim,

Thank you for the reply. I actually have all of Mr. Briggs books and use them as a resource often. I really enjoy them, and I am sure mkre information is always surfacing about these great rifles. I would like to think I am somewhat educated on the Piedmont rifles of NC and trying to read more on the Appalachian rifles. I guess my question with regards to where my ancestors settled is how did the rifles/guns differ, if at all, that were made and used in the eastern part of the state….say from Smithfield and east. I need to go back and look at I believe Bivins book on NC longrifles because he has many newspaper adverts from around the state for gunsmithing, some from New Bern and other areas in the east. But, I don’t believe these are 18th Century/early 19th century.

Regards,
B. Lee

[Dennis Glazener]

BML,
Welcome to ALR, I hope you enjoy your stay.

I am not sure this is what you are looking for but Jim Melchor and Tom Newbern have some very interesting articles posted on  the Edenton NC website, here is the url https://ehcnc.org/decorative-arts/historic-trades/ I suspect you might enjoy reading them. I know Jim Melchor and he knows a lot of information on the area you have interest in.

Dennis Glazener

Hello,

I am a long time reader but don’t believe I have ever posted anything.

I wanted to know if anyone had any information, books, or actual rifles, that would represent what might have been owned by those living south and southwest of the Jamestown area and into the eastern part of NC during the pre-revolutionary period.

I really enjoy ancestry and most all of my family on one side started in America on the south side of the James River from Jamestown in the late 1600s/early 1700s and slowly moved south into eastern NC, where they remained until my dad and his brother moved to other parts of NC. I have all the books on NC longrifles but really can’t find much on rifles/guns/fowlers that my ancestors would’ve owned and used. I assume they would’ve had English styled fowlers. Maybe I haven’t found the correct book/reference material.

Thanks for any information or help in pointing me towards books or articles on this.

Regards,

B. Lee

[BML]

Dennis,

Thank you very much for the link and additional information. I will look through this and I am sure find some interest.

By the way, I very much enjoyed your book on the Gillespie family and rifles!

Regards,
B. Lee

[backsplash75]

B. Lee,
There is not a lot of indication of pre Revolutionary war tidewater Va or NC use of rifle guns. Geddy shop in Williamsburg was offering rifling in 1751.



Lee, Philip Ludwell
Stratford Hall Plantation
Westmoreland County, Virginia
Westmoreland County Inventory Book 6 pp. 173-176
Ordered: 25 April 1775
Taken: 20 March 1776
Recorded: 30 April 1782


"1 Rifle new made by Turvey 160/ 1 new Turvey 160/ 16. 0. 0
1 fowling piece Brazer 40/ 1 Gun 15/ 2 pr files for
[fencing] 30/ 4."

https://ofsortsforprovincials.blogspot.com/2017/12/north-carolina-militia-arms-1755.html

https://ofsortsforprovincials.blogspot.com/2019/08/notes-on-18th-century-rifles-in-north.html

[BML]

Backsplash75,

Superb information and I thank you very much for the links and photos. It’s very interesting to read about the different arms coming in and out of NC at this time. I assumed mostly English styled fowlers but see there was a lot of variety.

I have some reading to do!

B. Lee

[Dennis Glazener]

Dennis,

Thank you very much for the link and additional information. I will look through this and I am sure find some interest.

By the way, I very much enjoyed your book on the Gillespie family and rifles!

Regards,
B. Lee

Thanks, glad you liked it.
Dennis