john sites sr and jr

[tenngun]

Was up at arrow rock mo a couple of weeks ago and got a chance to go throug john sites jr house. Gunsmith from the 1830s through until 1870s, His Father ran a gun shop at boonesville in the 1820-50 supplying the Santafe trail and westren trade. Although they had a few 1/2 stock sporting rifes, looking simular to ohio-michegan style guns; One looked to be a vincent but I was on a tour and could not eximen it closly, in the shop they did not have an actual sites rifle I believe. Around town they had lots of brass mounted southren style rifles running from about 40- middle 50s cal(so much for the iron monted southren rifles we love, brass seamed more popular in this area...stocks were southren influnce however).It was stated at the gunshop that sites rifles have been found it all the westren states, but just a quick internet search gave me just one site on Sites.
Any one ever see one, I was thinking about doing a build based on one of the guntypes seen there. It would be a great tie-in to mo guns.

 

[BrownBear]

Now that's interesting!

Looking forward to any replies you get.

 

[jim bowie]

Your in luck, I own a Sites rifle, never could get pics to post on this forum. Although I have never been to Arrowrock I am told my rifle is above and beyond the utilitarian guns on display there.I was able to upload a few pics to a similar forum.With a modest amount of effort you may be able to find them.I shall refrain from mentioning the name of the other forum out of respect for this one, which I enjoy immensely. Additionally I shall once again try to post some pics here.
Good luck with your build , btw John came from a family of gunsmiths and very likely taught Gemmer how to build.

 

[jim bowie]

Stlll no luck posting pics here, I am willing to email a couple pics if some one would post them on my behalf.
I reread your post, I also wonder about the statement , "they have been found in every state west of the Mississippi" I was told mine was the first ever found in Texas. The statement predates my discovery.At present I have only located or heard of 4 outside of whatever Arrowrock may have, mine would make 5. You must realize I have been researching this for at least four years now, if there is one from evey western state I have found no reference to them. Part of the problem may be that the information from Arrowrock was written by several authors over quite a span of years,hence the ambiguities.

 

[Rick Son]

If you would like to email them to me i will post them for you here,it is a little tricky.
[email protected]

 

[jim bowie]

One more thought while I'm here, it is possible some of the guns you saw were not Sites guns, rather from the Christopher collection which was donated to AR. Maybe Sites era.
Two informative papers from AR
The life and times of John P Sites
Guns of the Santa Fe trail
Just google friendsofarrowrock
Any other Sites guns out there???

 

[jim bowie]

@ chiefmoonthunder, thank you sir check your inbox

 

[jim bowie]

Must have missed him ,maybe he will post the pics I sent later.

 

[jim bowie]

 

[tenngun]

Sweet. I hadnt checked back on this for a bit and was happy from the replies. Thinking long about doing a mo or ar rifle...change my name to mogunn in the future :haha:

 

[jim bowie]

Did not mean to hijack your thread, if you are willing to build this missouri gun I will measure it up for you .

 

[jim bowie]

Btw I like your mogunn handle idea, I have considered Uncle Johnny , John p Sites Jr.s nickname.
While I love Hawkens, it would be awsome to have a Sites kit or two around. The longrifles are well represented as are Hawkens. It would be nice to see Sites, Phillip Creamer, Gemmer, O'Dell ,and others in a kit form for the average guy like me to attempt a build.
:stir:

 

[Rick Son]

My apologies to you guys,got me a little glich goin on,cleaning out some files and i'll get pics up as soon as i can.

 

[Rick Son]

Hope that's gottem

 

[jim bowie]

Thanks chiefmoonthunder,
Well folks heres a John P. Sites rifle enjoy!

 

[tenngun]

Thank you I'm in just in the planning stage right now and havn't decided yet on what I will make. So many guns so little time(and money)

 

[Aaron]

Thanks chiefmoonthunder,
Well folks heres a John P. Sites rifle enjoy!

Jim do you still have the gun?

 

[mholder]

I would also be interested in this information. I have been a life long resident of the Booneslick region and the last three years have been working as historical interpreter for the Friends of Arrow Rock. Arrow Rock has been a favorite place to go for me since 1969 and the sites gun shop if my favorite place to go in town. I am interested in any sites guns whether they be from junior or senior.
One comment above about Gemmell, I'd have to look but my understanding is sites Sr died in boonville in 1853 and Gemmer had the shop in 1855 and then returned to st Louis sometime after that but I don't recall any info about Gemmer being in town at the same time as sites. It thst is incorrect I'd be glad to know whatever you all can provide.
MHolder
Saline Co MO

 

[wildwesthistory]

Thanks chiefmoonthunder,
Well folks heres a John P. Sites rifle enjoy!

Hi, Jim —I'm interested in learning more about the Sites rifle you had. Do you still own it? Wondering if you could share some history with me?

 

[jim bowie]

Sold the Sites years ago. The folks at Arrowrock Missouri have the history of John P Sites and have rebuilt his gunshop.
I researched the Sites family back to England. As I recall gunmaking and fixing was intergenerational .
arrowrock.org would be a good start.

Hi, Jim —I'm interested in learning more about the Sites rifle you had. Do you still own it? Wondering if you could share some history with me?