A North Carolina Rifle with Unique Relief Carving & Patchbox: PART TWO

Overview: Recently a fascinating attic condition North Carolina rifle sold at auction with an unknown design of fine relief carving and a unique patchbox with large bird-shaped finial. No signature was found on the gun by the auction house due to heavy surface grunge and oxidation, but later examination of the rifle showed the patchbox lid was signed in large script letters “S P” typical of other signatures on North Carolina rifles. The gun was the earliest known work of Catawba County, North Carolina, gunsmith Samuel Peterson.

Figure No.1: The Samuel Peterson rifle from Lincoln County, North Carolina, dates to about 1800-1805 and is the earliest known rifle by Peterson. While hard to see due to a darkened surface, the gun has an exceptional patchbox with guilloche side leaves and an elaborate finial ending in a softly curved bird’s neck and head, unique to North Carolina rifles. The patchbox lid is engraved with large script initials “S P” for Samuel Peterson, similar to at least one other known Peterson rifle. His later rifles were often signed “S. Peterson” on the barrel. Author’s collection, photos by Author.

The Gunsmith: Samuel Peterson was an early gunsmith of Lincoln County, North Carolina, born in 1770. The first record of him is found in the muster rolls of the North Carolina militia in the War of 1812. “Samuel Paterson” was listed in the Second Regiment, Detached Militia of North Carolina Riflemen, raised in Lincoln County, North Carolina. [1] The first record of him as a gunsmith is found in an indenture for a gunsmith’s apprentice, Alexander Holley, on October 19, 1819, in Lincoln County. [2] In 1842 Lincoln County split and Peterson’s area became Catawba County, where most of his known rifles were made. He was still in Catawba County in 1850 when 80 years old and no longer working. [3] Peterson’s guns followed the pattern of the Catawba Valley School in North Carolina. [4] Published information on Peterson is limited, but several rifles have survived to document his work and barrel/patchbox markings. However, his previously known rifles were all made later in his career, lacked butt carving, and had less elaborate patchboxes. The new rifle provides fresh insight into Peterson’s early work and artistic ability, and perhaps more importantly, it adds an exceptional new rifle of superior artistry to the known inventory of North Carolina guns.

Figure No.2: The rifle looks worse than it really is, with a darkened, grungy surface and heavily oxidized metal parts that hide much of its beauty and exceptional details. Fine relief carving on the butt is done in a previously unseen pattern and almost hidden in the darkened surface of the butt. While suffering several simple forestock breaks at the wedge positions due to wood shrinkage and a lost nose cap, the gun is otherwise in good condition. Barrel: 42-7/8 inches [was 43-1/2 inches], .42 caliber, 7-groove rifling, 7/8 inch across flats, 1-7/16 inch butt width. Author’s collection & photos.

Peterson History: Due to the importance of the new rifle and limited information available on Samuel Peterson, an internet search was done for additional information. A younger Samuel Peterson was born in 1798 and later documented as a gunsmith in Catawba County before going to Missouri. Research suggests he was a nephew of the earlier Samuel Peterson. If true, a partial family background can be constructed on Peterson. The nephew’s father was Mathias Peterson (1759-1812), who was probably an older brother to Samuel Peterson born in 1770. Mathias’s parents were Swedish, father Petter Bengtsson Ormling (1717-1767) and mother Cajssa Massdotter Kock (1725-?). The parents’ children are unknown except for son Mathias Peterson (1759-1812), who was born in Sweden and married Ketren Rominger (1759-1831) on September 29, 1779, in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Mathias had at least four children, with son Samuel Peterson born in 1798 and later becoming a gunsmith in Lincoln and Catawba Counties. The son’s name and occupation suggest his father was related to the older Samuel Peterson gunsmith, who was probably a brother and perhaps the younger Samuel’s mentor. The relationship is unproven, but the surname, location, period, and individuals’ dates suggest the relationship is probably true.  

Figure No.3:

Figure No.4:

New Rifle: The rifle was found in attic condition with dry and darkened surfaces. Its barrel lost 5/8” off the breech when percussed, but the gun’s original tang and Ketland lock were retained minus the forward lock bolt. Limited forestock damage is present. Of the eight original coin silver forestock inlays, four remain and four are missing along with the nose cap. Three simple forestock breaks occurred at the three outer wedge locations [wood shrinkage], but with minimal loss of wood, and a short split in the ramrod channel behind the muzzle was stabilized many years ago by small rivets. Despite the several blemishes, the gun is basically sound.

Figure No.5: The rear ramrod pipe is filed with a faceted surface instead of the typical octagon shape, and it has an extended flange. Forestock inlays are coin silver in lozenge shape with small zig-zag borders, and the double-line forestock molding ends in a large serpentine line.

Figure No.6: The second and third ramrod pipes show how the double-line molding bends down and is interrupted at the barrel wedge inlays. Wood shrinkage/contraction caused forestock breaks at the outer three wedge positions.

Make it stand out

Figure No.7: The front termination of the forestock molding is seen just in front of the last pipe. The barrel was cut 5/8” at the breech, pulling the muzzle cap back and cutting the ends of the last wedge inlays… which are now missing.

Several details make the rifle exceptional. Elaborate relief carving seen in Figure No.4 decorates the butt behind the cheekpiece, and while restricted to that area, elevates the entire gun. The silver cheek star is a “hunter’s star” rather than the “Moravian star” found on many North Carolina guns. On the butt’s front side is a large pierced patchbox in Figure No.3 that had not been seen before on a North Carolina rifle. It has North Carolina’s pierced guilloche side leaves and lid engraved upside-down with script initials “S C” for Samuel Peterson. But its finial is unique for a North Carolina rifle with two basal piercings that continue the side leaves’ guilloche pattern, a central stylized “heart” piercing common to Catawba Valley rifles, and a graceful, long necked bird’s head completing the finial. The patchbox adds an elegant finish to an outstanding rifle, and the toe plate is ensuite, engraved and pierced in a matching guilloche pattern with a round release button typical of Peterson’s work as seen in Figure No.8 below.

Figure No.8: The rifle’s toe plate matches the guilloche pattern in the patchbox’s side leaves down to its three piercings. Peterson used a round release button in his toe plate rather than the usual button in the top side leaf of the patchbox.

Two forestock details add interest to the gun, the ramrod pipes and the double-line forestock molding. Forestock molding lines are terminated at the rear pipe with a large serpentine line as seen in Figure No.5, and they are “interrupted” at the wedge positions where they bend down below the wedge inlays as seen in Figure No.6 above . Ramrod pipes are beautifully filed with faceted surfaces instead of the usual octagon shape, and the rear entry pipe has North Carolina’s extended rear flange, perhaps best seen in prior Figure No.5.

Figure No.9: The Samuel Peterson rifle retains its original small sized Kentland flint plate. The lock support a circa 1800-1805 date with its pointed tail. The guard may have had its bow slightly flattened, and the rear trigger with a “slightly” different shape was Peterson’s design.

Figure No.10: The side plate on the Peterson rifle is interesting. It resembles other side plates from the area, but is not an exact copy, again showing Peterson’s individuality. The front bolt was discarded when the gun was converted to percussion.

Figure No.11: The rifle retained its original tang when the gun was changed to percussion, and the barrel shortened slightly at the breech. A silver thumb piece has traces of an engraved border, but if it ever had the owner’s initials, they are now worn off.

Figure No.12: Peterson signed his rifle in large, script initials “S P” on the patchbox lid, engraved upside down in typical North Carolina fashion so it appeared right side up to the person carrying the gun. Peterson signed at least one other known rifle on the lid with similar initials.

Summary: A newly discovered North Carolina rifle of superior workmanship has been identified as the work of the elder Samuel Peterson of Catawba County and dates to about 1800-1805. No Peterson rifle that early was previously known, nor were relief carved guns by Peterson known. The gun’s elaborate patchbox was unique not only to Peterson’s work, but to the work of North Carolina gunsmiths in general. The rifle adds important new insights into the work of Samuel Peterson while establishing itself as one of the North Carolina’s finest high-art guns.