Curiouse ?

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

I knew Mr. Amos from the days when we all exhibited at George Mason University. His tables were right across from mine. I believe the Whelen connection with Shenendoah Guns was through one of the gunsmiths at Parker Whelen in DC. I believe it was Bill Humphrey. Humphrey came to work with Ben Toxvard at the gun shop. When he retired and sold out to Ben, he moved up on the mountain behind the shop. I bought my Curtis try gun from Ben. It was originally owned by Townsend Whelen who, along with Humphrey, used it at the DC store. I tried to buy the Curtis gun from Ben Toxvard for at least 20 years before he broke down and sold it to me.

I think about 1988 or so I bought a Parker Trogan 16 gauge and a Parker VH 16 30" English stock from Amos both on the same day .

The VHE 12 we've had for 35 years came from him as well .

[Bill Murphy]

There is another gunsmith, other than Bill Humphrey, who worked for Townsend Whelen at Parker-Whelen on 14th Street in DC, but I don't recall his name right now. Humphrey, Whelen, General Billy Mitchell, Ben Toxvard, and many other Parker and custom rifle guys in the DC area owned many weird and wonderful Parkers, including Colonel Whelen's Curtis try gun, which I now own. As Kevin McCormack mentions, Walter Chrysler was also a prolific shotgun collector, and probably had local connections with the other names mentioned.