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Edition 2018-1 Published by C. Sharps Arms Co., Inc.
CSA’s J.P.Lower-Sharps Page 3
Manufacturers of A WORLD FAMOUS SERIES of Classic Metallic Cartridge Rifles and Classic Sights
P.O. Box 885, Big Timber, MT 59011 Phone: 406-932-4353 Fax: 406-932-4443
2018 www.csharpsarms.com * [email protected] 2018
THE AMERICAN SHARPS SHOOTERS
Publisher: C. Sharps Arms Co. Inc., John R. Schoffstall – President
Mike Nesbitt - - - Editor ([email protected])
Allen Cunniff --- Field Contributor ([email protected])
Dangerous Don McDowell - - Field Contributor ([email protected])
Rick Hamilton—Field Contributor ([email protected])
Table of contents: Page
C. Sharps Model 1877 J.P. Lower Sporting Rifle by Allen Cunniff………,...….3
OLD WEST CENTERFIRES by Bob Gietz ........................................ ...………,…7
Outstanding Products ……………………………………….............................…12
JOHN TILTON—BUFFALO HUNTER by Leo Remiger………………….,…. 17
“Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason,”—Mark Twain
C. Sharps Model 1877 J.P. Lower Sporting Rifle
By Allen Cunniff
When shooting Sharps rifles at the local shooting club, it is not
uncommon for other shooters to stop what they are doing and come down to
inspect the big guns. The big boom and clouds of blackpowder are distinctive
to begin with, but the rifles in and of themselves are eye-catchers and seldom
fail to elicit compliments regarding their craftsmanship, beauty, and iconic
appearance. During one of those recent sessions where I had a pair of Model
1874s on the line, a pair of club members sauntered down to take a look. Of
course, the uninitiated are especially welcome to handle the rifles and, if
possible, to take a few shots of their own. The newest member commented that
he has always admired the Sharps. The older member voiced his admiration as well, but commented that while
he liked their looks, he “wouldn’t want to have to carry one all day in the woods”. As it turned out, a better
opportunity couldn’t have been scripted, and I removed a third Sharps from its case. This rifle, recently brought
back from a recent visit to Big Timber, Montana, was C. Sharps newest offering in their catalog, the J.P. Lower
Sporting rifle version of the Model 1877.
This particular rifle
was a pleasant surprise
awaiting my partner Mike
Nesbitt and myself during
our return visit to the C.
Sharps shop following the
J.P. Lower-style 1877 Sharps, lightweight sporting rifle Matthew Quigley Buffalo
Rifle Match. While I occupied myself in the shop in discussion with one of the gunmakers, Mike disappeared
into the offices for a few minutes. I knew something was up when Mike, with an ominous (which usually
translates to “expensive”) grin, approached me holding what appeared to be a ¾-size Sharps. Arguably, in his
hands every rifle appears smaller, but the size difference between this rifle and the Sharps I am more familiar
with was especially noticeable when compared to the robust rifles we had been handling for the past week.
Trim, balanced, and fitted with simple and sturdy sights, the Lower had instant appeal as a potential hunting
rifle. I was then in the process of outfitting a Model 1874 in .50/70 as a hunting rifle, and alongside it the
Lower seemed miniscule. Both Mike and I desperately desired to test this new rifle and with little coaxing, the
Lower was boxed up and made its way into the truck for the journey homeward.
The Model 1877 action was developed in large part as a lighter weight option to the heavier Model 1874
action. This was
particularly
important to the
long-range target
competitor of the
1870s who was
saddled with
rules
limiting weight to
10 pounds. A 12-lb Model 1874 (top), shows the size difference compared to the 7 ½-lb J.P Lower style 1877 (bottom)
Although the larger Model 1874 action could be fitted with a light barrel to meet weight restrictions, in doing so
the benefits of a heavier barrel in front of the action were lost. The lighter action of the 1877 allowed more
flexibility in barrel choices to build the rifle up to weight limits. Relatively few 1877s were produced, and less
than 200 were made in the target configuration. C. Sharps produces special target versions of the Model 1877
on a custom basis and has done so for several years. Many of these unique rifles are adorned with high-grade
wood and custom engraving. In the current catalog, C. Sharps now offers a standard target configuration Model
1877 at standard prices as well as J.P. Lower Sharps, a more utilitarian sporting rifle patterned after a relatively
rare offering from the original Sharps line.
Model 1877 Standard Configuration Sharps Target Rifle, now offered in the C. Sharps catalog
J.P. Lower (last name rhymes with “power”) was a Denver gun dealer in the late 1800s whose company
bought and sold a large number of Sharps rifles. Lower would often order rifles with special modifications that
would appeal to his clients. The Lower style of the 1877 rifle was a sporting version, designed to take
advantage of the lighter, smaller profile. A total of 75 rifles were produced in the sporting configuration, all of
which were shipped to J.P. Lower. They were typically plain, although options were available.
The rifle that I was fortunate to have at my disposal on this particular day was a faithful reproduction of
the Lower design, with 28” octagon barrel chambered in .45-70 and rate of twist of 1 turn in 18”. This rate of
twist is well suited to the heavier bullets I prefer when shooting black powder cartridges. The shotgun style
buttplate settled quickly and securely
into the shoulder. Although tapped
for tang sights, its standard open
sights are ruggedly suited for field
use. The fore-end was functional and
plain, with a schnable tip. Compared
to its bigger 1874 brother, the Lower
is noticeably slimmer in appearance.
The svelte lines translate directly into
weight reduction. This one barely
nudged the scale to seven and one-
half pounds. While weight can vary
depending on wood, barrel length, Allen “touches off” the Lower-Sharps .45/70 from the bench
caliber, and other options, the basic profile is comparable to many modern bolt action centerfire rifles. The rifle
hoists and handles quickly. This becomes a noticeable
advantage when carried over rough terrain on extended or
arduous hunts, or when weight is a limiting factor.
There is a cost to the reduced weight when firing
full-power loads. Initial shots were taken with paper
patched loads using a 500-grain bullet over 70 grains of
Olde Eynsford 2f
powder. Firing
this load from my
1874 has become
routine and recoil
is not a significant
factor over the
course of a day at
On an old postage scale, just 7 ½ pounds the range, but
from the smaller Lower more attention was required until the shooter
mentally adjusted to the increase in jump. With that same load, this rifle The blocks were drilled to save weight
bucks and snorts! Firing from a bench rest required the shooter to closely monitor the rifle during recoil, lest
the forearm lift itself from the steady rest and fall back unsupported. While recoil is less of an issue when firing
occasional shots on a hunt, switching to a lighter weight “carbine” load of 385 grain bullet over 55 grains of OE
2F produced a more manageable recoil for extended range work. Regardless, once the shooter adjusted
expectations, the recoil was easily managed. The rifle itself is comfortable to handle and shoot. Needless to
say, the two club members who were initially introduced to the smaller rifle were afforded the chance to fire the
Lower Sharps and came away from their experience impressed with its features and quality.
Performance and quality of the rifle are as to be
expected from all C. Sharps products. The single trigger
is better suited for hunting purposes than the familiar set
trigger, and the Lower trigger is crisp and consistent.
Shooting paper-patched bullets, out of the box accuracy
was better than expected. First shots from a cold, clean
barrel were predictable and consistent, a feature desired
in a hunting rifle, and subsequent shots grouped nicely.
Built in Big Timber, the quality of wood, fit, and finish
are commensurate with other C. Sharps offerings, and
that means the highest standards in the world. The trim
design makes for a comfortable carry and is an especially
ideal size for a smaller framed shooter.
In its standard configuration, this is an excellent
choice as a large bore hunting rifle. However, it is also
easily modified using options to meet more specific user This 5-shot group was with 385 grain bullet loads
requirements. One of our club’s shooters, Phil Weibe, recently ordered the Lower-Sharps to be as a hunter that
will also see a good deal of range time. After due consideration and discussion, Phil passed on his first choice
of caliber (.45/90) and wisely opted to have the rifle chambered in .40/70 instead. He selected a 26” tapered
Phil Wiebe’s round barreled .40/70 SS with the added eyes for the sling round barrel with optional sling mounts installed on the buttstock and barrel and also added a robust Ron
Heilman-made Sporting Tang Site to allow shooting at somewhat extended ranges. He retained the standard
open blade front sight for its simplicity in field use. The resulting rifle is ideally suited for its intended use and
an eye-catcher for certain.
The new J.P. Lower-Sharps is available as shown in the current catalog and built by the skilled C.
Sharps Arms’ craftsmen in Big Timber, Montana, USA (of course). This rifle is offered with more options than
were available to the 19th century hunter. Barrels are available in 26, 28, and 30 inches round or octagon, with
no other options for barrel weight. Due to the rifle’s lighter weight, recommended calibers would be on the
lighter end as well, such as .38/55, .40/65, .40/70 Straight or Bottleneck, and .45/70. Starting prices for the
Lower style 1877 begin at $2440.00. For more information contact C. Sharps Arms at (406)932-4353 or visit
their website at csharpsarms.com.
"Peace" is that brief, glorious moment in history when everybody stands around, and smart people are reloading." Author Unknown
Old West
Centerfires By Bob Gietz
Nine shooters were physically present for this second Old West
Centerfires match for the 2018 series. (Jim Dickerman had shot his targets early.)
The weather was amazingly mild while snow covered the range and roads even
though we enjoyed some nicely moderating temperatures and sunshine. Coffee
was on hand for those who needed a warm-up and scoring was a combined effort with Jerry Mayo and Mike
Nesbitt running quality control. There were several faces not recently seen with Ken Kurfurst shooting for his
first time at our Capitol City Rifle & Pistol Club.
Ken’s rifle is something to be mentioned. It is an
original Remington Hepburn, although very tastefully re-
barreled, in .45/90 caliber. A very fine-looking rifle and Ken
said he hadn’t fired it in about eighteen years. When Ken
decided to get back into black powder cartridge shooting,
we’re glad he thought about joining us.
Match prizes were awarded with selection for a
combination of club-provided meat prizes, plus merchandise
items from C. Sharps Arms and SPG. First place went to
Sam Snelson shooting his C. Sharps Arms, .45/100 with a
very good score of 179-4X. And, according to the recorded
scores, Sam was the only shooter today to score an X at 200
yards, he got three of them. Close behind, Lynn Willecke
Ken Kurfurst with his fine Hepburn shooting a heavy barreled C. Sharps Arms
1874 Hartford in .50/70 also scored a 179
losing to Sam only by virtue of X’s. Very
close behind in 3rd place was Jerry Mayo with
his C. Sharps Arms ’74 Hartford in .45/70
scoring 176-X and he had the high score at 100
yards. Then Jim Dickerman placed 4th using
his 1874 Pedersoli Sharps in .45/70 scoring
171 on his witnessed “shoot in advance” targets. Lynn Willecke fires a good shot with his .50/70
Will Ulry shot his 1874 Shiloh Sharps .45/70 for a score of 169 to claim 5th place. Then Don Kerr landed in 6th
place with his C. Sharps Arms ’74 Hartford Target Model chambered for the .45/90 scoring 167-X. Allen
Cunniff admitted to being a bit rusty after placing 7th with his favorite C. Sharps Arms 1874 in .45/70 also
scored 167 with the tie going to Don Kerr because of his X. Mike Nesbitt fell to 8th place with his C. Sharps
Arms Hartford Model ’74 in .44-70, scoring 165-X. Our new shooter, Ken Kurfurst captured 9th place along
with our apologies because his 100-yard target was somehow lost and Ken’s final score was based on
substituting his 200 yard score. That’s why his score is the same at both distances, with a total of 152 points.
10th and last place went to Phil Wiebe with his new C. Sharps Arms Model 1877 Lower-Sharps in .40/70 SS
scoring a 28 with some obvious bench work required to smooth the rough edges.
This looks like a cold crew of Sharps shooters After completion of the established course of fire, an optional relay was held for an “after aggregate”
match. This mainly is done for shooters interested in trying an offhand event. The target used was a 50-yard
standing buffalo and the six participants each fired 5 shots after contributing a quarter to the “pot.” Allen
Cunniff carried the pot away (again) with a dandy score of 45-2X.
The next Old West Centerfires match, to be shot at 100 & 200 yards again, will be on April 7th, 2018 on
the High Power Range at the Capitol City Rifle & Pistol Club just out of Littlerock, Washington.
Scores for this Match
Name Rifle/Cartridge 100 yd. 200 yd. Total Accum.
1st Sam Snelson 1874 C Sharps Arms .45/100 82-X 97-3X 179-3X 179-4X
2nd Lynn Willecke 1874 C Sharps Arms .50/70 84 95 179 179
3rd Jerry Mayo 1874 C. Sharps Arms .45/70 89-X 87 176-X 245-X
4th Jim Dickerman 1874 Pedersoli Sharps .45/70 77 94 171 321
5th Will Ulry 1874 Shiloh Sharps .45/70 79 90 169 169
6th Don Kerr 1874 C. Sharps Arms .45/90 79-X 88 167-X 354-5X
7th Allen Cunniff 1874 C Sharps Arms .45/70 80 87 167 167
8th Mike Nesbitt 1874 C. Sharps Arms .44/70 83-X 82 165-X 349-5X
9th Ken Kurfurst Remington Hepburn 45/90 76* 76 152 152
10th Phil Wiebe 1877 C. Sharps Arms .40/70 SS 13 15 28 97
Not Shooting in this Match
Jeff Ritter 180-3X
J.R. Ritter 173-2X
Bob DeLisle 150
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTS: by Mike Nesbitt
.41-370D From Accurate Molds
When Phil Wiebe ordered his Lower-style Sharps in .40/70 SS, he asked
me what good molds were available for the .40 caliber Sharps cartridges. I
had to reply that a wide variety of molds for good bullets were being made by
several mold makers and he could just about have his choice. Then he
“elbowed” me a little harder, asking if I was to buy a new mold, what would I
get. I had to answer by telling him that I always wanted to try Accurate
Molds’ #41-370D but never had. So, Phil went ahead an ordered that mold.
He got a double cavity mold, one cavity dropping 41-370D grease groove
bullets and the other making 40-385P paper patch slicks. After casting several
of each, Phil gave me some samples.
I loaded the 370D bullets for both my .40/70 SS and the .40/70 BN. My
interest in shooting was focused on the .40/70 BN, so that’s the rifle I spent
the most time with. On a 100-yard target, I fired 10 shots with the Bottleneck
and that gave me the tightest group I have ever gotten with that rifle. Just a
Accurate Molds’ #41-370D couple of hours later, I ordered my own copy of 41-370D.
The good shooting continues and 41-370D quickly became my favorite
bullet for the .40/70 BN. Under that bullet I load 70 grains of Olde Eynsford 1 1/2F powder, and a Walters’
.060” wad goes between the bullet and the powder. The bullet is seated with all lube grooves, filled with either
Big Sky or BPC lube, being covered. When chambered, the nose of the bullet is riding on the rifling lands but
usually the cartridge can be chambered easily after using a blow tube to keep the fouling soft between shots.
There is still more shooting to do with this bullet in
the .40/70 BN. For some of those future shots, flying
across a chronograph will be in order because I’m just
curious about how fast they are going. That velocity, of
course, is not nearly as important as how well they are
hitting or grouping. I’m still curious about how fast they
are going.
The grouping is very pleasing. The group shown
here was fired at 100 yards with the load mentioned just
above. This group was fired while shooting from the sitting
position with the rifle’s barrel resting in a set of Cat’s
Shooting Sticks which are mentioned more completely on
the next page.
There is more shooting to do with this bullet and
using it in the .40/70 SS is high on the list. When that
shooting gets done perhaps we’ll mention this bullet again.
Accurate’s mold blocks can be aluminum, brass, or
steel, in single or multiple cavities, and those double or
more cavity molds can be cut for two or even three
different bullets. To look at all of Accurate’s bullets see
www.accuratemolds.com where you will find easy-to-
follow instructions on ordering your next bullet mold.
You can also write to Tom Ellis, Accurate Molds, P.O.
Box 315, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110. Accurate Molds’
prices start at $76.00, that’s for a single cavity with
aluminum blocks.
CAT’S SHOOTING STICKS
After seeing their ads in black powder cartridge magazines, I got in contact with Gary and Chris Ladd,
they’re the cats who run Cat’s Shooting Sticks. We had a most pleasant conversation and what boiled out of
that was me giving them my address so I could receive two sets of shooting cross-sticks. The main reason I was
getting two sets was so I could compare them as well as seeing the advantages each set can offer.
Both sets are made of strong oak and they are both 48” long. That makes them designed for shooting
from the sitting position and they are long enough for me to use while seated on a low “turkey hunter’s” stool.
We might say that one of these sets of sticks is a bit more deluxe than the other while the plainer set is what
we’d probably call more straight-forward. Both sets are truly excellent and I’ll try my best to explain why.
The first set I tried were the “Spiked Sticks” which are
drilled to accept heavy nails (with heads removed) that can be
forced into the ground. The “Spiked Sticks” have leather strips
glued to the sides of the sticks so the rifle’s barrel is not resting
directly on the wood. This set also has plastic knobs on the pivot
or adjustment bolt.
It took me only one trip to the range where I did some
shooting across the set of Spiked Sticks to really like them. One
feature I instantly enjoyed was the adjustment. With regular
cross-sticks if you need to adjust your height, you usually need to
re-set the sticks. But while
using Cat’s Shooting
Sticks the shooter can just lean forward, loosen the pivot a little, adjust
the pivot bolt up or down as needed, and re-tighten it. Presto!! The
change in height is done as simple as that.
I was using the Spiked Sticks in hard gravelly ground, tapping
the sticks down with light blows of a hatchet used as a mallet. The
sticks stayed put, very firmly, and my shooting went very well. The
Spiked Sticks are priced at $73.00 plus shipping.
The more deluxe
sticks with the pinned steel blades were also tried but in an area
where the ground was a grassy sod. There the sticks were
simply pushed into the ground and yet they remained very
sturdy. These deluxe sticks also have sliding leather “sleeves”
that offer greater padding and better protection for the rifle’s
barrel. This set of sticks also features wooden oak knobs on
the pivot bolt which do look better than the plastic knobs. And
the “Pinned Steel Blade Sticks” are priced at $86 plus shipping.
I used this set of sticks while shooting in a silhouette match.
Cat’s Shooting Sticks is also a great place to get cross-
sticks for prone shooting as well as for bench shooting. Those,
along with the sticks for sitting/kneeling are their most popular
products. They also offer several different items and all are handcrafted for shooters by shooters, most of which
are manufactured right in their home workshop. Everything is ready for immediate delivery except the shooting
stools which are made when ordered. Custom orders are welcome and if one wishes something unique, they’re
always open for suggestions. As an example, those sliding leather sleeves are available separately.
To contact Cat’s Shooting Sticks, their telephone number their phone is 435-590-7983 and their email
address is [email protected]. By regular mail, send any notes to Cat’s Shooting Sticks, 1020 S 4375 W,
Cedar City, Utah 84720. And they also have a web site at www.catshootingsticks.com. Orders are welcome at
any time of the day, seven days a week, and Visa or Mastercard are accepted, as well as mail orders. A visit to
their web site lets you see their entire line. Buffalo Arms (www.buffaloarms.com) also carries these products.
Lyman Products Celebrates 140 Years of Providing Innovative Products
for Shooters, designed by Shooters.
In 1878, William Lyman invented the Lyman Tang Sight to correct the problems associated with sights of his
day, and the Lyman Gunsight Company was born. 140 years later, Lyman Products Corporation continues his
legacy by employing a team, many of whom are shooters and reloaders themselves, dedicated to the goal of
developing and producing products to improve the shooting and reloading experience for their customers.
The proud tradition and history of Lyman Products began simply in the late 1800’s when William Lyman, an
avid outdoorsman, and inventor, created a product that resolved problems with gun sights of his day. The commonly
used vernier sights were adequate for daytime shooting, but almost useless if the lighting was not perfect. Lyman’s
No. 1 Tang Sight featured a small disc and a large aperture, a combination that made the thin rim almost invisible
and greatly improved the shooter’s ability to shoot quickly and accurately. His patented design launched the Lyman
Gun Sight Company, and today, the Lyman tang and receiver sights still utilize the same principles originated over
140 years ago to enhance both the sight picture and the speed of aiming.
Through the years, Lyman has continued to develop innovative products for shooters and reloaders,
carrying on the legacy of William Lyman. In 1925, the Lyman family purchased Ideal reloading products, which
included the well-known Ideal reloading handbooks. Since then, Lyman handbooks have become known as the
“bible” of reloading, and are considered the most trusted source for data. Lyman released its 50th Edition Reloading
Handbook in 2016, containing new and modern reloading data to service current and future reloaders, and
continuing to be the most respected and sought out source of expertise. Always keeping abreast of current trends in
the shooting sports industry, this year, Lyman addresses the fast-growing sport of Long Range Shooting and the
specific reloading challenges that it presents, in the new Long Range Precision Rifle Reloading Handbook.
Lyman reloading kits, presses and dies have provided generations of reloaders with all the high-quality equipment
they need to start reloading and to pass down this hobby to the next generation of shooters. In conjunction with the
140th birthday in 2018, Lyman has released a whole new line of reloading presses and reloading kits. This line
features a press for every need, from the Ideal C-Frame press that is perfect for beginners, or as a companion press
for experienced reloaders, to the Victory Single Stage Press, to the All-American 8, the only 8-stage turret press on
the market. All of these presses are proudly made in the USA, and feature solid cast-iron bodies and all of the
features and quality that customers have come to expect from a Lyman product.
Over the years, Lyman has acquired several other brands to address other needs of their shooting
audience. In 1996, the world-renowned Pachmayr brand came on board, bringing leadership in recoil pads and
handgun grips. TacStar joined Lyman in 1997 to improve the company’s offering to the tactical and law enforcement
markets. Introduced in 1999, "Butch's Bore Shine", took the competitive shooting market by storm, and by 2000,
was in such demand that Butch joined forces with Lyman Products to promote and distribute this revolutionary gun-
cleaning product to shooters worldwide. The patented line of A-Zoom precision metal snap caps were originally
introduced to the market in 2000 and joined the Lyman family in 2002 to meet the growing demand for high-quality
training rounds for shooters, hunters, law enforcement professionals, and the military. Peterson Instant Targets, the
originator of the adhesive fluorescent target, joined Lyman as Targ-Dots in the early 1990’s. Trius Traps had already
established an enviable 45-year reputation before it became a Lyman brand in 2003. Lyman and our stable of
brands continue to place the greatest emphasis on input from our customers and from our own staff of shooters to
create and provide innovative products for our sport.
"Brands That Perform" means something here at Lyman. Performance means more than just getting the job
done. It means delivering value while advancing technology. Most importantly, it means listening to the needs of
shooters and reloaders. In fact, the development of our products is most often directly linked to the feedback we get
from our customers and the retailers who supply them. Whether pioneering the use of digital technology in reloading
tools or reintroducing "antique" calibers and bullet moulds, Lyman continues to improve and innovate the tools and
accessories used by serious shooters and reloaders.
Lyman is proud to be celebrating 140 years in the shooting industry and looking forward to many more years
to come. Visit Lyman at www.lymanproducts.com. (Reprinted with permission from Lyman.)
“There is nothing government can give you that it hasn’t
taken from you in the first place,” Winston Churchill
“It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled,” Mark Twain.
John F. Tilton – Buffalo Hunter
by Leo Remiger
John Tilton was born in Noble County, Ohio, May 28,
1841. He was married to Mrs. Adeline Eastey in Barton County,
Kansas, November 26, 1872. Mrs. Tilton was the mother of two
children by a former marriage, their names being Frank H.
Eastey and Estella Eastey.
John Tilton enlisted in the U.S. Army in September,
1861, as a private in Company G., 10th Regiment, Iowa
Volunteer Infantry. He served in several campaigns during the
war including Vicksburg, Jonesboro, and the Evacuation of
Atlanta. He was honorably discharged from the army on August
16, 1865.
Tilton started west in 1867 and was employed by the
Union Pacific Railroad Co., having numerous contracts for
grading and for furnishing timber for bridge work. His next
employment was near Denver in 1869 where he was employed
in Gomer’s Mills in Bijou Basin near that city. It was here that he met George N. Moses for the first time.
In March of 1870, Tilton and Moses bought two yoke of oxen and in company with Bill Leak, Joe Townley
and W.H. White – better known as “Heck” White – the outfit started for Kansas following the Union Pacific right
of way. They landed at Ellsworth after encountering a terrific storm near Cheyenne Wells. It was the merest
chance that they were not all frozen to death.
They located claims near Ellsworth in the form of soldiers’ homesteads and made some improvements,
but threw them up and pulled for Barton County after hearing of the wonderful country near the big bend in the
Arkansas. George Moses had ridden ahead to the new country while Tilton remained and looked after a big hay
contract they had secured. Tilton preempted the northeast quarter of 32 on the southwest outskirts of Great Bend
while George Moses was to take the southwest quarter on section 28, which was not in the town site of Great
Bend. While John Tilton was on his way to Salina to file he was overtaken by George Moses who told him not
to file on the quarter originally picked for him as it had been decided to locate the town on it.
George Moses filed on the northwest quarter of 32. This was in July or August of 1870. John Tilton
could not pay out on his preemptions, so he got Bill Leak to homestead the quarter. Leak then gave John Tilton
the north eighty acres of it as his share. John Tilton laid out the Ireland’s addition to Great Bend in 1887. He
was the first constable in the county and served Great Bend as city marshal.
In 1871 he with George Moses, Jim Gilmore, Jim Travers and W.W. Winstead were hunting buffalo on
Bluff Creek. Tilton and Moses furnished the outfit, two yoke of oxen for which they had been offered $500.00.
These were the same oxen that brought them to Kansas from Colorado. They had but little more than started on
the hunting trip when a band of about fifty Indians charged up about an hour after sundown, but when they saw
that the hunting party was ready to fight they laid down their arms and became very docile. That night the hunters’
oxen were stolen. The men hunted for days but were unsuccessful in the recovery of the animals. George Moses,
who was riding Gilmore’s horse, met a party from east of Wichita who were camped on the Ninnescah and got
them to go after the other boys who were marooned on Bluff Creek. The outfit was finally reunited but the oxen
were never found. A claim was later allowed by the government for the loss of the oxen.
On October 16, 1871 – An outfit from Quincy composed of Ed Tyler, W.W. Hartshorn, Louis and Jerry
Frey drove their teams into the camp of George Moses and John Tilton, which was then located where the old
Fair Building of Great Bend used to stand in 1912. Hy and Jim Bickerdyke were camped with Moses and Tilton.
The men had hauled a load of lumber from Russell on the U.P. railroad and built a shack by putting up some posts
and built the shack like a tight board fence. The size of each room was determined by the length of the board.
The shack had been added to until there were four individual rooms. The Moses/Tilton party was glad to meet
the travelers and allowed them the use of half the shack until they could do better.
At that time there was no railroad and very little money. There were plenty of buffalo and other game for
meat, but there was little else to eat. The Hubbard store on the Walnut was the only one for miles, the next nearest
being on the Union Pacific, north, about 45 miles, and nothing south or west. When the Quincy crowd arrived at
the camp, George Moses wore an army hat, shirt and coat along with buckskin pants. The others were clad
something like George Moses.
Up to that time there had been no buffalo killed for hides only, as it would not pay to haul them to the
Union Pacific for the price offered and there were very few horses to do the actual hauling. Later a good many
cattle were used. However, buffalo hides were used for partitions in the shack and any other place for which they
had no lumber.
In the fall of 1871 George Moses and Ed Tyler were looking down the trail toward Fort Zarah and they
noticed something coming west. It was decided that it was not a man, a buffalo or a horse, but finally it developed
that it was a man carrying an umbrella and when he arrived they found that it was Judge Tom Morton of Illinois.
He was dressed in broadcloth, white shirt, collar and cuffs, blackened boots, in fact he was dressed in the regular
town style. He had come to Fort Zarah with a bunch of soldiers from the east. He stopped at the Moses/Tilton
camp and in a few days had bought Ed Tyler’s team, also another team from one of the Quincy party and suggested
to George Moses that they go out on a regular buffalo hunt.
They left camp in December, 1871 and went to the southwest where the buffalo were plentiful and they
hunted as far as the Medicine Lodge country before returning. From that time they made buffalo hunting a regular
business and hundreds of hides were ready to ship when the Santa Fe railroad arrived. This first hide hunting
party was composed of John Tilton, George Moses, Hy Bickerdyke and Judge Morton.
Edwin Tyler left a rather amusing story of one of his hunts with John Tilton: “One day he (John Tilton)
proposed to me that we go to the Five Mile Timber to get a load of wood. He took a 22 calibre revolver* and I
took an ax. We had no thought of finding any buffalo, but as my reputation had suffered in the hunting line I was
rather in hopes that something would happen so that I could distinguish myself. As we were driving around a
sand hill where Clayt and Ed Moses had their cattle sheds we spied a buffalo cow. John stopped the team and
sneaked up behind the hill until he was within twenty feet of the animals. He then began firing the pistol. The
cow dropped and we found on examination that she had been shot through the lungs and shoulders. The animal
had no more than touched the ground when John was on top of her and was holding her down by the horns, while
he called to me to bring the ax. I had lost the ax in the excitement and was looking for a tree. I found one but
after John had coaxed and pleaded with me for some time, I took the ax to him and then returned to my tree. It
took John but a short time to kill and skin the buffalo. I then remarked to him that we had done very well. And
you should have seen the look on his face when I said “We.” I often wanted to go with the hunters after that but
none of them seemed to want my company.”
John Tilton hunted a great deal with George Moses and W.C. Gibson and the men hunted buffalo until
1874.1
* According to Cartridges of the World, 3rd Edition, by Frank C. Barnes – the .22 Short was introduced
in 1857 for the Smith and Wesson First Model Revolver. The .22 Long was listed in the 1871 Great
Western Gun Works catalog as available in a seven shot Standard revolver.
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1. Biographical History of Barton Country, Kansas, Great Bend Tribune Publishing Company,
Great Bend, Kansas, 1912, PP 29-32, 42, 52, 240-244, 318
