Samuel Colt was born on July 19, 1814 in Hartford Connecticut to farmer turned businessman Christopher Colt and mother Sarah Colt. The family moved to Connecticut when Samuel was young. Unfortunately, when he was seven years old, his mother Sarah Colt died from tuberculosis. Afterward, his father remarried Olivia Sargent and Samuel had three sisters. However, one of his sisters also died during childhood. Tragically, his oldest sister passed away at nineteen years old due to tuberculosis while Sarah Ann took her own life.
Samuel had three brothers: James, who pursued a career in law; Christopher, who became involved in the textile industry; and John, whose occupations varied but unfortunately ended in tragedy when he killed a creditor in New York City in 1841. John was convicted of murder and chose to take his own life on the day of his scheduled execution.
Furthermore, Samuel’s maternal grandfather served as an officer in the Continental Army. One prized possession that Samuel has cherished since childhood is his grandfather’s flintlock pistol. At the age of eleven, he was sent to a farm in Glastonbury where he not only performed chores but also attended school.
Samuel’s interest in his school studies was overshadowed by his fascination with the “Compendium of Knowledge” scientific encyclopedia. This unique source of information introduced him to articles on gunpowder, which would continue to inspire him throughout his life. The encyclopedia also shared stories of individuals who had achieved incredible inventions, further fueling Samuel’s desire to do something remarkable. One day, Samuel overheard soldiers talking about the extraordinary Double-barreled rifle, and he was completely captivated by the idea. The concept of a firearm that could fire multiple rounds without requiring reloading seemed unimaginable to him.
At the age of fifteen in 1829, Samuel Colt started working at his father’s textile plant in Ware, Massachusetts. His goal was to create a gun that seemed impossible. Fortunately, the plant provided him with all the tools, materials, and machines he needed for this project. By following instructions from an encyclopedia, he successfully built a galvanic cell – which is an electrochemical cell generating electrical energy from redox reactions within it.
Colt demonstrated his interest in pyrotechnics on the Fourth of July by attempting to blow up a raft, which, although he missed, was still impressive. When he was sent to boarding school, Colt entertained his class with his passion for pyrotechnics. Unfortunately, a fire in 1830 ended his time at school. Following this incident, his father sent him to Calcutta to learn the seaman’s trade. During the voyage to Calcutta, Colt discovered the clutch that could be utilized to hold the gun.
Colt created a wooden copy of the “pepperbox revolver” using scrap wood discovered on the ship. Unlike the authentic firearm, Colt’s version had a mechanism that permitted the shooter to rotate the cylinder by cocking and securing the hammer, instead of manually turning the barrels. In 1832, after coming back to the United States from Calcutta, Colt joined his father’s company, which funded the manufacturing of two firearms still utilized today: the rifle and pistol. Regrettably, when initially fired, the pistol exploded.
Samuel, who had acquired knowledge about nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, from the chemist at his father’s factory, went on to conduct demonstrations of this new discovery across the United States and even traveled to present it in Canada. Consequently, Colt amassed savings from these shows and used them as a starting point to begin constructing his gun.
Using the money he made from his worldwide travels with nitrous oxide, he was able to pay a gunsmith to create the first version of his firearm. He decided against using multiple barrels and instead developed a fresh concept for his weapon. This new design featured a rotating cylinder that lined up with a barrel, taking inspiration from his idea of incorporating a pawl, which secures the cylinder in position. Colt streamlined the reloading process, enabling six shots in rapid succession with just one heated firearm, accomplished in only twenty seconds.
He sought assistance from Henry Ellsworth, a friend of his father who had lent him three hundred dollars and advised him to refine his gun before seeking a patent from the government. Eventually, he commissioned a gunsmith to construct his design after creating it. They faced financial difficulties for several years, but by 1835, Colt’s gun design had improved. Samuel Colt applied for a U.S. patent, ensuring that the gun was now his and could not be taken away. On February 25, 1836, he was granted Patent number one hundred and thirty-eight.
The Patent incorporated enhancements in loading and modifications in both the weight and positioning of the cylinder, resulting in improved accuracy for the shooter. Through assistance from affluent relatives in New Jersey, Colt established the Patent Arm Manufacturing Company in 1836, situated in Pearson NJ. This creation of the Colt revolver played a vital role in enabling individuals to contribute to the American civil war. Following the onset of the Mexican war in 1846, Zachary Taylor requested a provision of Colt’s revolver. However, Colt had already sold his remaining unit to a Texas Ranger and did not possess a prototype at that time.
Colt made a significant contribution to the manufacturing industry by introducing interchangeable parts. This was possible because most of the components of Colt guns were manufactured by machines. Samuel Colt’s primary objective was to enhance the assembly line so that more guns could be produced at a faster pace compared to individual craftsmanship. Notably, Colt hired professional engravers to embellish the firearms sold to prestigious figures such as European Kings, Russian Czars, and military officials. These guns were often ornamented with gold engravings.
Captain Samuel Walker from the Texas Rangers purchased some of Colt’s initial revolvers for his men during the Seminole war. He decided to acquire more of these revolvers for his men to use in the Mexican war, so he traveled to New York City to seek out Colt. On January 4, 1847, he met Colt at a gunsmith shop and placed an order for one thousand revolvers. Walker requested some modifications for the gun, such as increasing its capacity to hold six rounds instead of five and ensuring it had enough power to fatally injure either a man or a horse with just one shot.
Walker demanded assistance from Eli Whitney Blake, an established firearms manufacturer, to help build his guns. Blake used Walker’s prototype and new improvements to establish a new firearm business. Blake successfully produced one thousand of these new guns called the Colt Walker, and soon received an order for one thousand more. However, the government auctioned off his guns and he no longer had a model gun. As a result, his business began to fail since he couldn’t produce more guns. During this time, he became interested in perfecting underwater mines for harbor defense during the war. He was paid fifty dollars per mile of cable, which led him to promote telegraph companies to create a broader market for his cable. To develop a waterproof cable capable of conveying electricity underwater for the remote-ignition, also known as the “submarine battery,” he had to innovate. After his Colt factory gained success, the British Government noticed him and invited him to London where he spoke about his new invention within parliament.
In his speech, he discussed the flaws of the original British gun and went on to explain the improvements made in his own design, emphasizing its superiority over the former. In 1847, the demand for Samuel Colt’s revolvers surged as the United States Army sought to buy a significant quantity for use in the war. It was during the Mexican War that soldiers expressed their fondness for Colt’s gun and placed an order for one-thousand units. As a result, he expanded his operations by establishing a facility in England, which further solidified his prestige.
Then, he would quickly start buying land along the Connecticut River to establish another facility there. In 1855, he finished building the new manufacturing plant in Hartford, Connecticut. At his personal plant, he would produce a diverse range of firearms, including his renowned creation, the Navy Colt. This particular gun gained significant popularity among gunfighters like Wild Bill Hickok. His plant earned the reputation for being the largest firearms plant globally. Samuel Colt became internationally renowned thanks to his innovative manufacturing concepts like interchangeable parts, production line, and advanced machinery.
Colt’s guns gained a reputation for being exceptionally high-quality and reliable. As tensions between the North and South escalated in the late 1850s, this ultimately led to the American Civil War. Colt supplied both sides of the conflict with 300,000 revolvers and 100,000 rifles during this war. The outstanding dependability of Colt’s firearms resulted in a continuous increase in sales, particularly in Southern states. However, on April 12, 1861, when the official announcement of the Civil War was made, Colt redirected his business towards providing weapons to the Union Army.
In Hartford, CT, the original manufacturing company where Colt produced his revolver was operating with 1,000 employees. Samuel Colt had accumulated significant wealth and possessed a mansion called Armsmear near his company. Nonetheless, the high demand for firearms during the civil war negatively affected Colt’s well-being. He was diagnosed with chronic rheumatism and peacefully passed away at his mansion on January 10, 1862, when he was 47 years old. At that juncture, he left behind an estate valued at $1 million.
Elizabeth, Samuel Colt’s wife, inherited the company that had produced 400,000 revolvers during his lifetime. After his death, the Colt family sold the company to investors. In 1867, Elizabeth commissioned architect Edward Tuckerman Potter to build an Episcopal church in remembrance of Samuel Colt. The church features marble sculptures depicting guns and gunsmith tools as a tribute to Colt’s career as a firearms manufacturer. Today, Colt’s company remains operational and continues its production of firearms.
Two of the most popular guns that have been created are the Colt. 45 pistol, designed in 1872 and produced in 1873, and the peacemaker, introduced in 1873. The Colt.45 is a single action army hand gun with a revolving cylinder that holds six rounds. It came in thirty different calibers and barrel lengths for improved accuracy and shooting. This firearm was actively used during the American-Indian wars, Mexican revolution, and the Spanish-American war, serving as a sidearm in these conflicts. The peacemaker has gained widespread acclaim and remains unparalleled in its fame.
The Colt Peacemaker, a six-round capacity single action revolver, played a significant role in shaping the west. Originally designed for the U.S. Calvary in 1873, this gun was favored by notable figures such as Buffalo Bill, Theodore Roosevelt, and Capitan Jack Crawford. Today, Samuel Colt’s legend lives on with antique versions of the Peacemakers fetching hundreds of dollars. The most valuable models were produced between 1873 and 1941 and can be sold for up to ten thousand dollars. Recognized as “The Best handgun ever made,” Samuel Colt’s contribution to American firearms history led to his induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006. Furthermore, on December 5, 2007, the Colt manufacturing company in Hartford, Connecticut was designated a national historic landmark.
For more information about Colt: Legend & Legacy by Samuel Colt and Stephanie Casey visit http://www.simonpure.com/colt.htm which was accessed on December 08, 2012.
