Research Document

Richardson Family Flintlock Musket

Type: Muzzle Loading Flintlock Long Gun

Total Length: 60.25”

Barrel Length: 44”

Bore: Smooth Bore

Bore Measurement: .72

Estimated Calibre: .69

The calibre of guns, particularly firearms, is derived from the internal measurement of the barrel or the width of the projectile that passes through it. The caliber is necessarily smaller than the bore to allow for its passage and is measured in hundredths or thousandths of an inch. The abbreviation is cal.

Weight: 6 lbs in present state without firing mechanism or ramrod.

Special Interest: War of 1812, Battle of Norwood Cove, Southwest Harbor, Maine 1814.

Estimated Pedigree: Similar to or a copy of the French Modèle 1763 originally developed by the French Charleville Armory many of which were sent to Portsmouth, New Hampshire (by Genereal Lafayette?) during the Revolutionary War. The Charleville model was copied in America by the Springfield Armory for their Model 1795.

Note: The estimated pedigree is made by the curator of the Southwest Harbor Public Library Digital Archive who is not trained in weapon identification. The notes and conclusions herein are made in an effort to describe the gun, and the details of its present state, with the hope that they will aid further research by those trained for it.

Many of the guns used in the Revolutionary War belonged to or were purchased by the soldiers who used them and used for hunting until they were used for defense in the War of 1812.

"The extreme diversity of shoulder arms used by the American revolutionaries ranged from arms that had been made over eighty years before the Revolution to the latest and best European military muskets of the period. They included long, awkward fowling pieces;

accurate hunting rifles; crudely assembled muskets utilizing components from any one or more of at least four different countries; and new, arsenal-made muskets, fabricated to rigid pattern, whose manufacture was controlled by strict inspection and proof procedures." - Moller, George D. American Military Shoulder Arms, Vol. I (University Press of Colorado, 1993) p. 98.

George D. Moller also notes that these arms consisted of privately owned arms, publicly owned arms, American military muskets and rifles, captured arms, and arms imported from Europe.

"A commonly encountered type of Revolutionary War musket in American collections is one that has been assembled or restocked in America using regulation metal components of British, French, or German manufacture or American-made components of British or French military style." – Ibid p. 163.

Provenance: Used by unidentified Richardson family member at the Battle of Norwood Cove in 1814. Identified on tag pasted to the wooden butt and known to have been in the family for several generations. The original owner’s name has been rubbed off the label during the ensuing years as the gun was moved about. Missing the firing mechanism. Trigger guard and trigger intact. One sling swivel is present.

The gun was found in the Richardson house at 5 Country Way, Bar Harbor, built in 1900 by Melville B. Richardson (1873-1953). Melville’s father, Eben Mayo Richardson (1834-1928), lived in the house next door at 24 Country Way. That house had been in the family since the 1700s. The gun belongs to Eben Todd Richardson, Melville’s grandson. Eben’s father, Dale Morris Richardson remembers taking the gun to school for a “Dog and Pony Show” (now known as show-and-tell days) and thinks he may have pasted the label on the gun.

See: The Battle of Norwood’s Cove: Southwest Harbor’s Victory Over the British In the War of 1812 – August 6, 1814 to August 11, 1814, compiled by Meredith R. Hutchins and Charlotte R. Morrill, written and designed by Charlotte R. Morrill, published by the Southwest Harbor Public Library, 2014.

Speculation about the man who carried the gun into the Battle of Norwood Cove is just that, pure speculation, pending further research. It was estimated that from 70 to 100 local men participated in the Battle. There are one or two possibilities:

Eben Mayo Richardson’s parents were Elisha Richardson (1799-1887) and Abigail Mayo (1794- 1892). Abigail was the daughter of Gideon Joseph Mayo (1768-1858) who served in the Revolutionary War from 1775. He is said to have come to Mount Desert Island with his parents circa 1778.

"The Eden town records show that the Eden militia were called out in 1814 to go to Southwest Harbor to protect vessels from the British [for the Battle of Norwood Cove]." - Street, George E. [Edward]. Mount Desert: A History (Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1905) p. 219.

See: Mayo - Gideon Joseph Mayo (1768-1858).pdf

See: Street, George E. [Edward]. Mount Desert: A History (Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1905) p. 167 -.

Another connection to the Battle of Norwood Cove can be found in the life of Stephen B. Richardson who was definitely said to have participated in the battle. Stephen was the brother-in- law of Gideon’s brother, James Mayo (1787-1863), as one of James’ wives was Sarah S. Richardson (1788-1831), Stephen B. Richardson’s sister.

Richardson – Stephen B. Richardson (1791-1877)

See: "The Battle of Norwood’s Cove: Southwest Harbor’s Victory Over the British…" mentioned above, p. 13-14.

Stephen B. Richardson was the father-in-law of the 1st great grand uncle of the husband of the sister-in-law of Melville B. Richardson’ granddaughter. The gun was found in Melville’s house.

While Gideon Joseph Mayo was distantly related to Melville, he was the husband of the sister-in- law of Eben Mayo Richardson’s aunt. Eben’s house was next door to Melville’s. Such are the complications of history, genealogy and the identification of the ownership of objects having historical reference.

None of the above proves ownership of the gun. What is true is that the Mayos and the Richardsons were neighbors in the area on Mount Desert between Clark Cove on Mt. Desert Narrows, and Town Hill. The two families intermarried. Many men from that area participated in the Battle of Norwood Cove. The gun was handed down from generation to generation in the Richardson family as one used in the Battle.

Author: Charlotte R. Morrill Date: 2016