RUTH

[Matt Michael]

Hello fellow Parker enthusiast. Some of you may have read the article "Ruth" in the recent issue of Parker Pages. I found the article very interesting because I look at Parkers not just as guns but objects that has touched peoples lives.

I though I would share with you my "Ruth" story. My gun isnt particularly ornate or valuable but it hangs above my mantle with pride. It was sold in the fall of 1889 to JH Guernsey. After Doing a little research the JH stands for John Henry. He was 41 when he purchased this 12ga Hammer gun and was postmaster in the town in which he lived. I purchased the gun last year when I was 40 about the same age as John Henry when he purchased it.

John Henry was married to Alice and from what I can tell they lived most of their lives in Waterbury CT. I wonder what type of game he hunted with it (both bores are full choke) and did Alice ever shoot the gun?

Somehow between 1889 and 2011 (122 yrs) it traveled from Connecticut to Kentucky where I purchased the gun. I cant imagine the live its had or the hands its past through. I wonder if it provided food for the Guernsey family and did John Henry hang it above his mantle as I do.

I can only speculate as to its past but currently we (Matt & Kelly) take it to Elk Creek hunt club and shoot sporting clays with it. Its pretty challenging to hit clays with two full choke bores but it needs to be shot. Its not just a wall hanger. I'm still doing research on John and Alice. I'll keep you posted.....