Ohio, Indiana or Kentucky?

[WalnutRed]

This week while visiting family  in Florida I stopped in a gun store near The Villages. One wall was "interesting" firearms that were not for sale. The sole muzzle loading rifle caught my eye and it took going directly to the manager but they agreed to open the case and let me look the rifle over. Barrel looked like about 32 caliber with a 38" long, 7/8" across the flats barrel.  Top of barrel was marked J. Judy. The lock had markings that I couldn't clearly make out in the store. Ramrod was interesting, steel with a forged loop to hold a cleaning wad. Guess they got tired of breaking skinny wooden rods.



I took a few pictures. Blowing up the lock picture it looks like "Davidson & Co, Cincinnati". I know this is the lock maker not the rifle maker but it makes me think the rifle was probably made in the Tri-State area. Anyone heard of  this maker? I'm going through my Ohio books but so far no luck. Only I would go from Ohio to Florida to find an Ohio made rifle.

[Avlrc]

There was an early gunsmith, Jacob Judy, in Monroe County IL. But he died in 1807. Maybe one of his sons.

[WalnutRed]

Thanks, looking closer I thing the lock is Davison.

[Tanselman]

Definitely not a Kentucky gun. There was a younger John Judy who was probably a gunsmith, but the only record we have of him is a short reference collected by Jim Whisker that John A. Judy was a runaway apprentice of gunsmith Samuel Thompson of Georgetown, District of Columbia [Washington D. C.] in 1817. That man would be about the right age for your rifle. But if he was working as a gunsmith about 1840, none of the major reference books mentioned it... including Ohio and Illinois books. I doubt he was related to the very early Jacob Judy of KY and IL, since I don't know how one of his kids would have gotten all the way back to the District of Columbia.

Shelby Gallien

[Levy]

A lot of antique firearms end up in Florida because many people from up North have retired to FL and brought their old guns with them only for them to eventually end up in a gun shop or pawn shop.  I have an Ohio rifle that was purchased by a friend of mine in a St. Petersburg, FL. pawn shop.  it has a T. Davidson lock in it.  That was one of the original locations where retirees settled. James Levy

[WalnutRed]

Why do you say definitely not Kentucky? 

[Tanselman]

Stock architecture is wrong for Kentucky guns made below Cincinnati. Comb's nose is too sharp, side-facing shape is very foreign to Kentucky guns, and slight "fish belly" in lower butt line is not used in that area of Kentucky. While a few walnut stocks were used in northern Kentucky along the river, they are rare compared to curly maple. Your rifle is most likely from southern Ohio, where more variation is seen and some guns get a bit clunky.

Shelby Gallien 

[WalnutRed]

Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to point out what you are seeing. I really like the escutcheon plates on this rifle. The current rifle I'm building is a N Carolina style flintlock but I'm accumulating parts and ideas for an Ohio river half stock.  Right hand percussion lock and dual beavertail cheek rests, I think this escutcheon plate would work.   The sideplate on this rifle looks for all the world like they simply took square iron nut and inletted it point up like a diamond.