Page 47 - september-23

by John Sexton

Q: My mom had a good friend who passed away JS: You have a very rare “as found” appearing
a few years ago. She was 78 years old. Not sure original example of an 1839 Republic of
of the details, but her grandfather about eight Texas contract model 1816 musket. 1,500
generations back acquired this rifle and perhaps View of Tryon Texas musket. 42” barrel, were contracted but only 860 were delivered
may have actually used it in battle. Ever since .69 caliber, iron mounted with 3-barrel bands, by Tryon of Philadelphia. George Flegal, a
she could remember she has seen this rifle hanging 2 sling swivels. civilian inspector who had earlier inspected
over the fireplace, whether at her grand- arms for the Springfield armory, stated
parents’ house or her parents’ house. This these were of equal quality to U.S. arms.
rifle had been handed down from one This example has clear “GF” George
generation to the next. Then, when she Flegal inspection.
became the recipient, it just seemed natu- These rare muskets are mentioned in
ral for her to display it over the fireplace in several early texts on Texas arms with
her house. a mystic as rarity and history is so sparse.
Many years later, it was time for her to For this reason, this particular firearm
move out of her house and into an assisted has been highly counterfeited over the
living apartment. One rule the complex years, and it is nice to see a real example
had was “no guns allowed.” She asked her here. The lock plate is corrected and
kids if they were interested in taking it stamped “TRYON” and “PHILADa” in
home. Not wanting an eyesore on their “P” for proved, “GF” for inspector Correct “TEXAS” and star stamp two vertical lines behind the cock.
wall, they said they didn’t want that George Flegal forward of cock, contractor Forward of the cock is a large five-
beat-up old gun. “TRYON / PHILADA” marking pointed star with an asterisk in the
Not knowing what to do with it, she stamped vertically at the tail middle, over “TEXAS” in block letters.
asked my father, who, being an avid hunter The barrel’s breech is inspected as “P”
and gun enthusiast, decided to take it. She over “GF”.
wanted to give it to him, but he insisted on The last complete original survivor
paying her for it. They both agreed on a sold at auction for about $20,000 but
price, and my dad became the new owner. that was in an earlier lower market. I
Fast forward to today – now my parents would expect yours to bring more today.
are moving into an assisted living apart- The little “LIBERTY” 22 caliber pistol is not from wartime but was
ment. Their complex has similar rules and made in the 1870s. Value is $150-$250.
regulations, one of which being no guns are There are probably no more than a handful
allowed. My father now is at a crossroads of original unmolested Texas Tryon muskets
with the decision to either hand down the extant in their original flint configuration.
rifle to his kids, keep it in the family, or sell At least 2 Confederate percussion conversion
it. The age-old question: when do you final- muskets are known which are also desirable
ly pull the trigger and sell your valuables? and valuable.

Q: These items have been in my family for several generations, and I would
like to know more about their origin, history, value, and marketability. The
“Appomattox Parole” I have read was issued to 29,000 soldiers and printed
on field presses. The hymnal, Grant and Lee document, and pistol all
belonged to my ancestors.

JS: George King Welch (1833-1933), entered service on August 1,
1861, as a private in Co. B, 23rd Tennessee Volunteer Infantry. His
company was recruited from Lawrence Tennessee where he was born
and worked in the lumber business and as a farmer after the war until
at least the 1890s. He lived his last years with his daughter and her
husband in Grimes County Texas where he died at 90 years old in
1933. He served the entire war, with a promotion to sergeant after the
Civil War Union YMCA-produced hymnal with This document is a clerical copy
Battle of Chickamauga where he captured the Union Hymnal and wonderful “capture” information by Sargt. of the order that allowed passage
inscribed it. He would continue service with the same company till Welch. Similar items were popular souvenirs through Union lines to get back
Lee’s surrender at Appomattox where he received his Appomattox by soldiers North and South picked up to Tennessee. Often the parole
Parole of Honor. This is a nice family archive you have retained. Paroles on battlefields. will be stamped on the reverse
in the current market have auction sales of $1,500-$2,400 after a quick showing the RR passage receipt.
internet search. In past peak markets, the same paroles sold for $3,000- parole more interesting and marketable.
$3,500, but not as much today. The two associated items with the The little “LIBERTY” 22 caliber pistol is not from wartime but was
parole have little value on their own, maybe $200-$300, but make the made in the 1870s. Value is $150-$250.
continued on next page

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