Bethany Mo. 1864

[Sheldon G]

I recently picked up a Union Rifle, I was told it was discovered May 16th 2015, Between two walls of a barn that was being demolished... With that being said I have been online reading and can not find any info. of Battles or Fighting near Bethany! My question is does any one know of any other Artifacts found in that area, I mean I know anything is possible ( It was hidden for a reason) but I know if anyone would have an answer I would find it here.. I am trying to tract down the finder to see exactly where it was found address.. Then try to find documents of the land owner during that time period but so far unsucessful

 

[hrobalabama]

After the Civil War, most of the rifle muskets were sold to people everywhere. As a young boy in 1930's, I would go with my father to antique stores (no gun shows back then) and there would be piles of CW muskets with bayonets attached in all types of shapes for sale. I thing they were about $5 a piece. My father also received a Bannerman's catalog listing all types of CW guns for sale.

 

[rosefiend]

This 1898 plat book of Harrison County would probably be out of date: http://statehistoricalsocietyofmiss...act/conn/and/order/covera/ad/asc/cosuppress/1

What's the location of the barn? Was it actually in Bethany or in the general area?

You might holler at these folks: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~moharris/ -- there's some links at the bottom of the page for a couple places you can contact to see who used to own that barn.

Bethany is two hours north of here so I'm afraid I won't be of much help. However, you might post a picture of the rifle and see what the rifle guys on here say.

 

[rosefiend]

Just real quick, Bethany probably would not have seen the kind of craziness that was going on in the middle and the southwest of the state, just on account of being placed so far north and so close to the Iowa border, a Union state.

Though, at the same time, it's still Missouri, so you never know!

 

[Sheldon G]

Thankyou for the info, I am still in the process of finding the man who found the rifle, I would like to be able to find that info out for I can display it with a small piece of its history attached for my grandkids will know where and how it got to them. I am supposed to be the fourth in line since it was found, but so far its been a cold trail.