Western Kentucky’s Exceptional Inlaid Rifles From Breckinridge County ©

Overview: Kentucky’s Ohio River School extended along the Ohio River above and below Louisville. Rifles made above Louisville were usually earlier and better decorated, while those below Louisville were generally later and rather plain. But there was an exception. During the 1840s and 1850s several gunsmiths in Breckinridge County broke the old tradition of unadorned rifles below Louisville and made highly decorated half-stocked rifles with attractive German silver inlays often in non-standard shapes. Two gunsmiths, Sanford P. Pool and John T. Compton, were perhaps the most noteworthy, and examples of their work are examined in the following paragraphs.

Sanford P. Pool: He came from a family of gunsmiths. His father was Stephen P. Pool, a gunsmith from North Carolina [surname was Pettypool in North Carolina] who moved his family to Breckinridge County, Kentucky, in 1809. A fine full-stocked rifle by Stephen Pool is illustrated in Kentucky Gunmakers 1775-1900 – Epilogue on page 100. Sanford was born in North Carolina in 1799 but grew up and learned the gunsmith’s trade from his father in Breckinridge County, Kentucky, where he then worked for many years at Hardinsburg. His known rifles are all half-stocks stamped “S. P. Pool.” While his father made good quality, full-stocked rifles with distinctive file work on the guards and side plates, Sanford preferred to decorate his rifles with bold German silver inlays, all somewhat different but well-shaped and mounted. His rifle illustrated below is one of three known to the author, all similar in dimensions and quality of inlay work, but each having its own identity due to variations in the inlays. Note: Additional rifles by both Sanford Pool and his father, Stephen Pool, are illustrated in Kentucky Gunmakers 1775-1900, Volume I, pp.192-195, and Volume III, pp.100-101. 

Figure No.1: The front side of Sanford Pool’s half-stocked, double-cheekpiece rifle shows his fine stocking, front “hair” trigger with North Carolina influences, and German silver inlays that strayed from the traditional shapes found on other Kentucky guns. Pool stamped his barrels “S. P. Pool.” The large Moravian cheekpiece star also appears on John Compton’s work and helps to identify these later Breckinridge County percussion guns.  Neither Pool nor Compton engraved their inlays. Author’s collection, photo by J. Jaeger.

Figure No.2: The back side of Sanford Pool’s rifle is more heavily decorated than the front side. The cheekpiece inlay of an eagle clutching a large fish may be unique to Kentucky gunmaking, as well as the human bust at the gun’s wrist and the non-standard inlay at the first barrel wedge. The large German silver side plate mimics the back-action lock plate on the opposite side. Partially visible is a large “U” shaped inlay atop the wrist and a wear-plate under the forestock. Author’s collection, photo by J. Jaeger.

Figure No.3: A full length view of the Pool rifle shows its long, slender stock architecture with three ramrod pipes. The rear sight sits several inches behind the rear ramrod pipe in typical Breckinridge County fashion. Note the rather long barrel for a half-stocked gun, a Kentucky tradition across most of the state. Barrel: stamped “S. P. Pool,” 43-1/8” long, with .36 caliber bore. Author’s collection, photo by J. Jaeger.

John T. Compton: Compton is not as well-known as Sanford Pool, but records verify he was born in Breckinridge County on December 9, 1826. He probably began working as a gunsmith in 1848, was listed as “gunsmith” in the 1850 census, and married Mary Elizabeth Fraize in 1851 in Breckinridge County. This John T. Compton rifle is signed in script “J T C.” It has distinctive Kentucky details in its guard shape [“square shoulder” on rear spur] and stock architecture, along with numerous German silver inlays, several of which relate strongly to those on the Sanford Pool rifle.

Figure No.4: The front side of the Compton half-stocked rifle shows its tight side facings and “square shoulder” on the guard’s rear spur where it runs up to meet the rear extension, both strong Kentucky details. The rear sight sits several inches behind the entry ramrod pipe but appears to be in its original position based on the well-centered barrel signature. The small, oddly shaped sheet-brass patchbox is probably unique to Compton’s work. Author’s collection, photo by author.

Figure No.5: The back side of the Compton rifle shows his uniquely designed lock bolt washer and forestock inlay that “almost” looks like an oval with small acorns at each end. The most significant inlay is the large Moravian star in the cheekpiece, which is similar in size and shape to the Moravian star in the front cheekpiece of the Sanford Pool rifle. Note the side facing’s oddly shaped front end; a related oddly shaped front end is seen on the Pool rifle in Figure No.2. Author’s collection, photo by author.

Figure No.6: A full length view of the Compton rifle shows its slim Breckinridge County stock architecture with nose cap well past the entry ramrod pipe, tight side facings, three ramrod pipes, long barrel for a half-stocked gun, and a triangular butt with straight comb and toe lines. Stock wood is nicely figured curly maple. Barrel: 42-3/8” with .38 caliber bore. Author’s collection, photo by author.

Figure No.7: German silver inlays on the Compton rifle are fastened with small, domed-head brass nails, reminiscent of the slightly larger, silver-headed nails used on Jamestown, North Carolina, rifles. Note the middle inlay with its soft “S” shape and two small bumps on the top edge. The inlay, when inverted, relates strongly to the forestock inlay on the Pool rifle. Also present are two inlays under the forestock, a heart-shaped inlay near the lock and a pointed “finial-shape” inlay behind the rear ramrod pipe. Author’s collection, photo by author.

Figure No.8: The John Thompson Compton rifle is signed “J.T.C” in script on the top barrel flat. The rear sight is located well behind the rear ramrod pipe, yet the signature is well-spaced between the rear sight and breech, indicating sight placement is original and the barrel has not been shortened. Author’s collection, photo by author.

Note: The Compton rifle’s barrel signature was initially assumed to read “J. J. C” based on a transcribed census listing and was listed that way in Kentucky Gunmakers 1775-1900, Volume II, but review of the original hand-written entry in the 1850 census verified the middle initial as “T.”

 Summary: Most rifles made in Kentucky along the Ohio River below Louisville were plain utilitarian pieces, in large part due to the area’s later development compared to port towns above Louisville where growth was unhindered by the Falls-of-Ohio at Louisville. Lower-river guns were generally well-made despite their lack of decoration. But a few gunsmiths in Breckinridge County went against tradition and made attractive rifles with substantial German silver inlay work during the percussion years. The shapes of their inlays differed from the more standardized inlays used in heavily populated areas of central Kentucky, making their half-stocked Breckinridge County guns unique in appearance and a special, albeit small, group of outstanding rifles from Kentucky’s western region.