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C: Humble – Kentucky Region, Virginia Ca. 1780 Conrad Humble died January 5, 1791; a little over a year before Kentucky became a state, he was only 50 years old. His family migrated to Kentucky around 1782 from Brocks Gap, Rockingham County, Virginia. His “last will and testament” identifies him as a gunsmith in Bourbon County, Kentucky Region, Virginia.state |
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His estate includes: includes: 20 gun barrels, 10 gunlocks and a full set of “smithing” tools. His younger brother Michael has been given credit as the earliest gunsmith in Ky., with a shop in Louisville (Ft. Nelson ~Falls of the Ohio) by 1777 and was with George Rogers Clark on the Illinois Campaign. We are searching for a complete rifle by his hand. At present, we know of one relic barrel. |
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Conrad Humble’s grave and his land is located just across the Licking River from Ruddle’s and Martin’s Stations, which were taken by the British expeditionary force led by Captain Henry Bird on June 24, 1780. Captain Bird, of the Eighth Regiment of His Majesty's Forces, led over one thousand British regulars, Canadian volunteers, Indians and Tories, and captured the forts and their defenders, which consisted of over 470 men, women and children. The Indians took many of the captives and were either killed outright or forced to live amongst the various tribes. Those not taken by the Indians were marched over 600 miles on foot from central Kentucky to Detroit. |
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This is the earliest known, signed, thus documentable, 18th century rifle produced in the Kentucky region. The .58 caliber barrel is 45 ½ inches long. The stock is curly maple with bold curl, with relief carving and wooden patchbox cover. The mounts are all brass, including the “feather hole” inlay on the toe of the rifle. Legend tell us this was used to hold a “Blue-Jay” feather…as their squawking alarm often warned the Natives of an intruder. This rifle was made for and in the Kentucky frontier when there was still large game… Buffalo, Elk, & Indians. |
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The Rifles |
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Kentucky Longrifles |
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