Keen, Walker, like Thomas Griswold, sounds like a single name, but it is not. This rare carbine has long been considered a product of manufactures E.F. Keen and James M. Walker in Danville, Virginia. Danville is in Virginia’s southwestern corner and out of the path of the contending armies.

The gun was not manufactured by E.F. Keen as previously thought, it was manufactured by William Witcher Keen. W.W. Keen was born to Captain John Keen and Nancy Witcher Keen on October 10, 1811 in Pittsylvania County Virginia.

At the time William’s father, Captain John Keen, was 24 and his mother, Nancy Fountain Witcher, was 25. Witcher Keen married Elizabeth Ballard Fontaine on May 15, 1837, in his hometown. They had six children in 11 years. He died May 13th, 1880 in Pittsylvania, Virginia at the age of 69, and was buried in Danville, Virginia. His obituary simply read: "Danville, VA May 13- W.W. Keen, a well known Tobacco Dealer, planter and speculator, died this morning.”

In 1860 was a member of the Caswell Mutual Fire Insurance Company Board of Directors located at Milton, Caswell County, North Carolina.

A notice in the October 10, 1861 edition of the Richmond Dispatch notes that "Messers A.S. Buford and J. M. Walker are in the Confederate Army.” Which is immediately followed with "Messers W.W. Keen and Tarpley White (another bank director) absent from home.” So here we have a connection between Keen and a Tarpley as early as October, 1861.

In a letter dated December 31st, 1861, addressed to William Orrender of Davis County, North Carolina, Joseph P. May of Danville wrote, "There is a good deal of excitement in the army they expect hard fiting soon at deferant places. Wicher Keen…has moved to Danville…he and several others has gorne in to Manufacture of Guns for the army. At $40 a peace”.(sic)

Witcher Keen was president of the Bank of Pittsylvania. James M. Walker was a member of the Board of Directors.

Witcher Keen and James M. Walker had violated the biblical injunction and went surety for Danville Seargent C. W. Watkins. When he embezzled tax funds, the property of W.W. Keen and J.M. Walker were ordered confiscated in 1867, as they did not have the funds to cover the debt.

Keen bankrupted on April 6, 1871. It appears that he had been using the alias of William C. Claiborne.

The Keen, Walker carbines are generally .52 caliber, but there are several examples like this .54 caliber. The carbine is 39 inches in length and has a 20 inch barrel, made from a reused Hall Rifle’s barrel with seven lands and grooves. It used a paper cartridge, which was inserted into an iron breech block from the front, "tilted” position. The entire frame is made of brass to contravene the need for machine tools. Both the hammer and the iron buttplate are reused Hall Rifle parts.

The trigger guard lever is hinged and connects to the breech block. When the lever is pulled down, the front of the breech block rises.

Three invoices from Messer’s Keen and Walker to the Confederate Government exist, listing delivery of 101 guns in May of 1862, and two deliveries in September of the same year for 100 and 81; for a total of 282 guns.

The carbine is all original with the exception of a darkening of the barrel and a brazed repair to the upper brass tang that appears to have been done at the factory, or at the very least a CS repair center. I think it more likely that it left the K-W factory this way. All of the mechanics work perfectly.