Harley,
You're just a class act! I may myself be related to the clan in question - my brother is doing his own genealogy search and many of my roots are in that same area.
In talking to Autumn ("Rimfires" descendant), I learned that he was born in 1868, so he obviously did not get the rifle issued to him in the civil war.
I'm more interested in guns than genealogy, but in perusing a civil war site I found one "M. Hamrick" listed as a volunteer with the WV 11th infantry regiment - M Hamrick also never was issued his "Volunteer medal" and the state of WV awaits a descendant to claim it - could this be Rimfires dad or uncle?.
Do you, or anyone else know a site where one can learn which regiments were issued weapons other than the standard Springfields? I mean, which regiments might have been issued these Allen Drop Rimfires - the weapon may help tie up loose ends. The rifle was a personal one (we know that much - not issued to him in his game warden, law enforcement duties) because he carried it for it like 60 years.
I'm guessing it was passed to him by a family member who brought it home from the war, so if we can find which regiments to search, it would really help.
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Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page:
members.xoom.com/keithrogan