Paragon was a trade name for shotguns manufactured by the J. Stevens Arms Company. Joshua J. Stevens founded J. Stevens & Company (later to become J. Stevens Arms and Tool Company) in 1864. Incidently, Stevens is the father of the .22 Long Rifle cartridge which he perfected in 1887.
The following information comes from the Savage Arms Company Website (
www.savagearms.com) and may be useful in further identifying your heirloom:
"Q. Where do I find information on older model Savage products?
A. Savage Arms is no longer able to access historical information on older Savage, Stevens, or Fox firearms. This information may be available through John Callahan who is an independent arms historian and is not an employee of Savage Arms. Mr. Callahan does not provide parts, gun smith services or offer a locator service for firearms or parts. Please send a detailed letter with:
-Your name and address
-A phone number where you can be contacted if necessary
-The model and/or serial number if available
-Any other pertinent information
Mr. Callahan will respond with a letter detailing his services. Send the
letter to:
John Callahan
53 Quarry Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Q. Are there any reference sources for Savage historical information?
A. Yes, there is a book by Jay Kimmel titled, Savage & Stevens Arms, Collector's History. For more information on where to purchase this book, contact, CoryStevens Publishing, Inc., 15350 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR, 97230, or phone 503-328-9339."
I hope that his helps.
Good luck, and good shooting!