Here’s one for Independence Day, a Hudson Valley fowler

[Ky-Flinter]

For 37 years now on the 4th of July, I have fired my flintlock to start the annual 10K footrace in my home town.  After the race, I make my way to the old Courthouse for the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence.  Of course, along the way I have talked to many people.  I can’t tell you how many of them have told me they have GGGG-Grandad’s musket he carried in the Revolutionary War.  Invariably, the gun turns out to be a much later, beat up old shotgun.  Well, not this year!

This 4th of July, I met a young man who told me that he is a descendant of Sterry Hewitt, who lived in Stonington, CT (not far from Providence), and according to family history had moved to Petersburg, NY, in 1780, after he had served in the Revolutionary War.  The young man also told me that he owns the “musket” that, according to family history, Sterry Hewitt carried in the Rev War.  Well, I had my doubts, but I arranged for him to send me some pictures of his “musket” and, with his permission, I have posted them below.

The owner is most interested to know where this fowler might have been made and in what time period.  Thank you for your thoughts on this gun.  I think it is a wonderful piece.



































Ron

[rich pierce]

Hudson Valley fowler. Could be as early as 1740. I hope Ken Gahagan weighs in. The scooped comb is considered an early feature. The lock may or may not be the first lock. Tempering the early estimate, the buttplate and side plate look 1760s. Terrific gun.

Added after consulting books: the tang and forward-reaching carving in front of the lock panels is identical to gun labeled S1.29 in Historic Arms of Early New York by Wester White. Almost certainly made by the same hand.

[Avlrc]

Great story & a great gun. Thanks for sharing.

[bama]

I am no expert on these types of guns so no help as to where it was made. It certainly appears to be old enough to have been used in the Rev. war. What a fantastic old piece and certainly worth investigating and preserving, a great family piece.

[Buck]

Jim,

I agree, what a great piece. Love the gadrooning forward the lock.

Buck

[JTR]

I agree, and what a wonderful piece of family history!
John

[Ky-Flinter]

As I mentioned previously, the owner of this fowler told me that according to family history his ancestor, Sterry Hewitt, had carried this fowler while serving in the Revolutionary War.

I made a few Google searches and found that Sterry Hewitt applied for a Revolutionary War pension following the Act of Congress of 15 May 1828.  His certificate was dated 17 Jan. 1833, No. S-13354, and was for the amount of Sixty Dollars a Year.  While it doesn't prove the gun was there, at least Sterry Hewitt was a veteran of the Revolution.

I also found Sterry Hewitt's will and a partial inventory of his estate.  Unfortunately, no guns are listed.

Ron

[smokinbuck]

Interesting story and gun, but certainly not the original lock as it would have been a flintlock at its birth.

[Tanselman]

That lock plate looks early to me with strongly pointed tail, fits rather beat up mortise well, and was originally a flintlock... so is it being suggested the lock itself is not original, or just the percussion conversion?

Shelby Gallien

[120RIR]

Same here...unless there is/are some feature(s) of the lock plate that preclude it having been original to the piece, what suggests it might be a complete replacement?  It obviously was originally flint and then of course converted as so many were.

[rich pierce]

The lower edge of the lock plate is interesting. I’d expect a slightly concave shape but it bulges a little toward the nose of the lock, below where the frizzen spring was originally.

[whetrock]

I blew it up to have a closer look. The original shape of the plate may have been what we would have expected. He may have filed off some of the front so as to help the large lock fit in the space available.