Family Object

This rifle was given to my great-grandfather James McGuire by my great-great- grandfather Henry McGuire. Henry McGuire emigrated from Ireland in about 1843 at the age of 15 because of the potato famine. Henry found life in New York to be very difficult and joined the Army.  Henry was sent to be a scout/courier in Arizona. Henry was injured when an army prisoner escaped. Henry gave chase and in the dark, he fell of a cliff and because of his injuries he received a discharge from the army. After the army, Henry settled in the Willamette valley in Oregon to farm.

            The rifle was made in Belgium in around 1850. It is a double-barreled black powder percussion rifle. One barrel is a rifle and the other barrel is shotgun. This allowed the hunter to be ready for whatever type of game they would come across, the rifle side is  for game and the shotgun is for fowl. The rifle was used by my family on their farm and  for hunting. The rifle has been  passed down from father to son since great-great grandfather.