The gun shown here was originally made as a rifle. In the year 1855 it was bored out and made into a shotgun. That same year it was sold to a Westward moving wagon train to be used in hunting game. The wagon train was wiped out by hostile Indians and the gun fell into their hands. The Indian possession is evidenced by the crude markings and ornaments on the stock.
		Shown here is the roll block firing mechanism. The block rolls open to accept a 12 gauge shell and rolls closed again before firing.
	Sometime later it came into the hands of a Kansas farmer who passed away in the early 1950's, almost a hundred years after it was sold to the wagon train. The farmer was almost a hundred years old when he died and had explained the history to his children and grandchildren. Harry Hoy, an Independence, Missouri businessman, purchased the gun from the estate and has held it for the last fifty-three years to be used in reenactments at various parks and historic sites in the area.
	Harry Hoy is on the look out for hostile Indians at "Missouri Town 1855" historic site.