A New Simon Settle Rifle from Green County, Kentucky
Foreword: Settle rifles from Kentucky are well-known and highly regarded within the state, and the name resonates with almost all collectors of muzzle loading rifles. While not the fanciest rifles made, they had a reputation for accuracy and toughness that exceeded the reputations of most other early rifles in Kentucky. A good number of Settle rifles are known since most were signed, but new examples tend go in streaks, with long periods between the appearance of a new rifle at auction. Therefore, when one shows up, most collectors like to see it and how it relates to other known Settle rifles. Recently a signed Simon Settle rifle from Green County, Kentucky, sold at a small auction in Illinois.
Figure No.1: The barrel on Simon Settle’s half-stocked rifle is stamped twice with his name as “S. SETTLE” followed by the engraved gun number, “No. 161” to the right of the name. The last didget of the gun’s number looks a bit like a “4” in some light, but when enhanced, it appears to be a “1.”
Simon Settle: Kentucky’s Settle clan began in 1798 when William Settle (1770-1808) of Virginia moved to Barren County, Kentucky. He was reportedly taught gunsmithing by his namesake uncle, William Settle (1731-1839) of Virginia. Kentucky’s William Settle reportedly made full-stocked guns with iron mountings in Barren County. His son, Felix Settle, learned the trade from his father and continued to make guns in Barren County for many years. Felix then had two sons that became gunsmiths, oldest son Simon (1823-1871) and second son Willis (1826-1892). Simon is perhaps the most recognized Settle gunsmith today, in large part because more of his rifles have survived. He worked for years at Greensburg in Green County starting in 1844, but after the Civil War he moved to Bowling Green in Warren County where he finished his career
Figure No.2: The “S. Settle” rifle has typical Kentucky architecture with a triangular butt and long, slender barrel. The nose cap is located past the rear entry pipe in Kentucky style, and the guard and triggers both look as if they were purchased in Louisville with the style used heavily in that area, i.e., “square shoulder” above the guard’s rear spur, and a small “C” scroll behind the front trigger. Note the superb curly maple that looks “quilted” in the butt and enhances the gun’s appearance. Barrel: 42 inches long, .36 caliber bore, 7-groove rifling. Author’s collection.
Figure No.3: The back of the Simon Settle rifle has a rounded style cheekpiece, indicating an earlier work by Simon since many of his later guns did not have a cheekpiece. The lack of strong curvature in the butt plate also suggests an earlier gun, as does the production number #161 on the barrel. There is no cheek or wrist inlay, and the lock bolt washer is a simple brass diamond, typical of most plain but highly functional rifles by the Settles.
Figure No.4: A close-up view of the guard and triggers shows the mountings were probably purchased in Louisville, or from a local hardware store that received its stock from Louisville. The rear spur has a “square shoulder” above it where it runs up to the rear extension, a strong Ohio River detail, and the front trigger has the “C” scroll of Ohio River triggers. Also note the side facing around the lock is even and tight, typical of most Kentucky guns.
Simon Settle Rifle: The new rifle’s barrel is stamped “S. Settle” twice [so readable from either side] followed by “No. 161” in script as seen in Figure No.1. The highest rifle number known to the author is #979, so this rifle was made in Greensburg relatively early in Simon’s career. The gun is typical of most Settle rifles with its lack of ornamentation… no cap box, thumb piece, or cheek inlay as seen in Figures No.2 and No.3. But what it lacked in “flash” was made up in a fine curly maple stock, slender architecture, and a long barrel. The gun is a typical Kentucky product with its triangular butt, graceful stock architecture with tight side facings, nose cap set a couple inches past the rear entry pipe, and Louisville-style mountings with a “square shoulder” above the guard’s rear spur and a small “C” scroll behind the front trigger as seen in Figure No.4. Its Kentucky style tang, long with two screws, is shown in Figure No.5. An unexpected detail is the butt plate’s narrow top extension with pointed finial that is more attractive than most Settle butt plates in Figure No.6.
Figure No.5: The Settle rifle’s tangis 5-1/4 inches long with two screws [actually, a tang bolt and tail screw] typical of most Kentucky guns. The vivid figure in the maple stock wood is very evident in this view.
Figure No.6: An unexpected detail, almost decorative, is the narrower butt plate extension with a finial. Most Settle rifles have standard looking butt plates with the normal straight extension with a flat end. While hard to see, the comb on this rifle has a flat top edge.
The newly discovered Simon Settle rifle epitomizes most Settle rifles with its lack of inlays or adornment combined with good stocking and slim lines. Most known Settle rifles were made a few years later than the study rifle and lacked a cheekpiece, but the new rifle was a bit above average with its outstanding stock wood, oval cheekpiece, and attractive butt plate return. While not the author’s favorite Kentucky guns, Settle rifles always catch his attention as well as his auction bid when the price is reasonable. But they are usually destined to go back to Kentucky where Settle descendants eagerly await the chance to acquire a rifle by one of their illustrious gunmaking ancestors.