Claim: John William Pearson, a successful business man, visited South Carolina and purchased smoothbore muskets.
Evidence: Pearson was a successful businessman who established a popular health resort in Orange Springs near Ocala as well as a hotel, grist mill and a machine shop. He visited Charleston, South Carolina where he became emotionally stirred by the Southern "fire-eaters." It was here that he purchased 125 smoothbore muskets, and 100 colt revolvers.