I mentioned to Dean a few months ago I'd write an article on my great-grandfather and his gun for the Parker Pages and I will, but just can't quite say when. Need to find time to do more research. Since I first received this gun's Letter a few years ago I've been researching more about him, Gilbert deLafayette Jay 1850-1829 (Kokomo, IN). Not only had he ordered this Parker in April 1887 and took deliver in October the same year, he also ordered a 16 gauge G top lever at the same time. But the G was returned to Parker for credit and resold several times according to the Letter for that gun. I imagined he ordered both and kept the one he liked best. He was also was a very active field trial breeder/owner of first generation American Llewellin setters. Breeding his Llewellin's to the likes of Dan Gladstone, Ch. Sioux and a few other Llewellin and Laverack notables. There's a heavy pedigree of breeding to Count Wind'em in his line of dogs. Count Wind'em fathered Count Noble, the premier American Llewellin field trial dog back in the mid-late 1800's. My Llewellin setter Max (a whole separate story), has lines that can be traced back to Count Wind'em as well. Sorry for being a bore but you can tell I'm proud to be the family caretaker of this Parker and Max, and both see a lot of time in the field.
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