doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com C. F .Nason, Lewiston Maine?

Friend has strait-stocked 12 ga. double, 26" barrels. No serial; stamped "C. F. Nason" on top of one barrel in what friend describes as "cursive" font. Friend thinks maker also did some black powder sidearms. Friend inherited gun; would like to know what there is to know about maker. Does not think it's a hdware store gun due to strait-hand stock, good quality wood and checkering. I have not seen but promised I'd query. I told him he might get no more than birth, death, when and where employed or in business; possibly less. Thanks.

jack

I looked at one over twenty years ago and it was a very high-grade gun, Jones underlever, nickle plated trigger-guard and locks. Marked on rib " C. F. Nason Lewiston M.E."

Reminded me of Joseph Tonks gun.

Charles F. Nason died 1909, worked at one time with Eastman 1896-1898.

Was active as early as 1859 and as late as 1902.

My notes refer to "Maine Made Guns and Their Makers" by Paul Plummer, 1973.

I have verified NONE of this,

1850 United States Federal Census about Charles F Nason
Name: Charles F Nason
Age: 15
Birth Year: abt 1835
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Home in 1850: Greene, Kennebec, Maine
Gender: Male
Family Number: 119
Household Members:
Name Age
Elbridge G Nason 36
Sarah Nason 42
Charles F Nason 15
Elbridge Nason 13
Abagail T Nason 11
Elizabeth Nason 5
Mery Small 19
David F Small 23



1860 United States Federal Census about Charles F Nason
Name: Charles F Nason
Age in 1860: 25
Birth Year: abt 1835
Birthplace: Maine
Home in 1860: Auburn, Androscoggin, Maine
Gender: Male
Post Office: Auburn
Household Members:
Name Age
Elbrige F Nason 45
Sally Nason 52
Charles F Nason 25
Elbrige Nason 23
Melvina H Nason 9



1900 United States Federal Census about Charles F Nason
Name: Charles F Nason
Age: 65
Birth Date: May 1835
Birthplace: Maine
Home in 1900: Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Widowed
Marriage Year: 1880
Years Married: 20
Father's Birthplace: Maine
Mother's Birthplace: Maine
Occupation: Gunsmith
Household Members:
Name Age
Charles F Nason 65

Lewiston & Auburn, Androscoggin County, Maine, 1860 Directory about Charles F. Nason
Name: Charles F. Nason
Occupation: gun smith
Address: bds at E.G. Nason's

I did omit one detail of mechanics described to me. Has tang auto safety but direction of safe/offsafe is contrary to the cstomary fwd to off safe, aft to safe. This cued me that he might have something extraordinary enuf to have an extra toggle in there not demanded by absolute necessity. No mention of underlevers or toplevers either so I assume it's in the modern idiom and not closed by a cam or screwgrip.

Thanks very much, Mr. Petrov. I will pass on your comments and encourage my friend to go in search of the Plummer book altho I would guess that finding a copy is not easy.

jack

A little better and current information on the book.

Demeritt, Dwight B., Jr. (1973). Maine made guns and their makers. Published for the Maine State Museum by Paul S. Plummer, Jr., Hallowell, ME. Revised and reprinted by Tilbury House, Gardiner, ME.

http://www.amazon.com/Maine-Made-Guns-Th...mp;sr=8-1-fkmr1

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p4522.m570.l1313&_nkw=Maine+Made+Guns+%26+Their+Makers&_sacat=0

If Sellers is correct, we are looking at a family of gunsmiths.
Nason & Eastman:
Lewiston, Ma 1896-1898. Charles F Nason and Ivan F Eastman.

Charles Freedom Nason:
?-1909, Lewiston, Maine, 1859-1887, and 1896-1902, Percussion and cartridge gun. With Ivan F Eastman as Nason & Easton, 1896-1897.

Elbridge G Nason, Jr:
Bath, Maine 1844-?, Lewiston, Maine 1898. With C. F. Nason in 1898.

G. W. Nason:
Bath, Maine 1876-1877

It should be noted that Frank Sellers was a complier of information. He combined multiple sources, often without confirmation. He is a starting point.

Vorisek:
Nason & Eastman
Located in Lewiston, Maine 1896-1897. Charles F Nason & Ivan F Eastman. There is picture of a one of their guns in Maine Made Guns, 12ga with 30" barrels with Nason & Easton on the frame and barrels.

Nason had been in the business from 1859-1887. He re-entered the business with Eastman, then worked from 1898-1902 on his own.

I can not find any firearms patents by Nason. He did have a patent for a new type of landing net. From the ad you can see he was a sporting arms merchant for a time.
Nason Ad

Here is a pistol he made:
http://www.aaawt.com/html/firearms/f651.html



The census data Mike posted, seems to confirm the Nason's as a family of gun makers.



Pete

Thank you Michael and Pete both. This should be more than enuf to whet his appetite for his inheritance.

jack