OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

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rangerider7
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OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by rangerider7 »

I sure would have liked to be a fly on the wall in his gun shop during the 1880s!
Samuel L. Hart was born at Solon, Courtland County N.Y. , a gunsmith, machinist and manufacture who held several patents, enlisted in the 10th Wisconsin Infantry in August 1861, commissioned 2d lieutenant; he re-enlisted in the 41st Wisconsin Infantry in June, 1864 , in which he was commissioned Captain; an assistant signal-officer for the 4th Division Army of the Tennessee; seeing action in several battle's including at Pittsburg Landing , during the Siege of Corinth and Forrest's Raid into Memphis , where under the orders of General Nelson, Capt. Hart crossed the river at Pittsburg. He landed under heavy fire, as bearer of dispatches to General Buell, whom he found on the field, signaled Gen. Buell's orders across the river back to his commander. Captain Hart was finally discharged in October of 1864 returning to his home in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Like so many other veterans, Hart decided to head west to seek his fortune, settling with his young wife, Jane, daughter Minnie and three sons in the boomtown of Tombstone, Arizona Territory where he set up his Hart's Gun Shop on Fremont Street in the early 1880's, located just a short distance from the famous Fly Photography studio and right next door to the O.K. Corral. Hart was a highly regarded and skilled gunsmith (The Territories only). Spangenberg's Gun Shop sold guns, however they did not repair or make them, thus S.L. was entrusted with both basic repairs as well as also sought out for his special colt pistols. Some of Hart's more notable clients were Wyatt Earp , Doc Holiday , Ike Clanton and Buckskin Frank Leslie . Leslie's own famous 10" long barreled Colt "Buntline" was in fact a Colt factory model S.A.A. 45 in which S.L. Hart specially ordered.

On Oct. 26th of 1881 Samuel Hart, while working in his store would be one of the relatively few witnesses to the streetfight that made Tombstone and the Earp's famous. Historical records indicate Mayor Clum made a very unusual exception just two days later on the 28th, when issuing Hart a rare permit to carry a loaded firearm within town limits was granted (something strictly forbidden except for lawmen).

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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by kimwcook »

How cool is that. Thanks, rider.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by stretch »

Thanks for a fascinating post, range rider!

Tha late Captain Hart's life certainly wasn't boring. I agree - there
must have been some fascinating conversations in that shop, eh?

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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by KirkD »

Very interesting read and photo. Thanks for posting.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by Tycer »

Thanks. That was great.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by bsaride »

Hmmm,

I might be related, my grandmother's maiden name was Hart (going back to Johnathon Hart who signed the Declaration) and she lived in Phoenix.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by rangerider7 »

bsaride, might be. It would be worth looking into if it was me.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by Ysabel Kid »

Another good one! :D
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by JerryB »

Thanks, good picture and interesting story.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by bsaride »

rangerider7 wrote:bsaride, might be. It would be worth looking into if it was me.
No idea of how to go about it.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by rangerider7 »

bsaride, you might try a genealogy site online. Check to see if anybody in you family has already done the work. Start with your mother and go backwards as for as you can. Good luck!
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by gamekeeper »

I'll never forget visiting G.F.Spangenberg's gun shop, Est 1880 and still going strong.
Nice to read a bit of history and see a photo of Samuel L.Hart.
Thanks for posting.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by Borregos »

Very interesting, thanks for posting :D :D
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by Tombstone »

Really enjoyed the article on S. L. Hart...a freind just passed along the web site to us. Unfortunately, we weren't able to see the photo. We have a museum in Tombstone and were lucky enough to acquire a lot of S. L. Hart's personal artifacts, including several photos. Is there any way you can re-post the photo? For anyone out there who's interested, we have Wyatt Earp's leveraction shotgun, we can send you a photo, if you want to see it. It belongs to a freind of ours. Its neat that this site is named leveraction.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by bsaride »

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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by rangerider7 »

Thanks bsaride.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by 1886 »

Very interesting. Thanks. 1886.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by donw »

i've been to spangenbergers gun shop numerous times over the years.

thanks for more fill in history of a place i like to go to frequently.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by Tombstone »

thanks for showing the photo....Since we own this exact photo, I'm curious...did you get it off of a brief listing on Ebay? Glad you could share the wonderful history of Hart to other enthusiasts.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by Tombstone »

Thought you guys would like to see a picture of Wyatt Earp's model 1887 Winchester leveraction 10 ga. shotgun - made in 1892. It belongs to a friend of mine. I am a complete amateur at this forum business...so if this is a duplicate posting - you'll know why!
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by bsaride »

Tombstone wrote:thanks for showing the photo....Since we own this exact photo, I'm curious...did you get it off of a brief listing on Ebay? Glad you could share the wonderful history of Hart to other enthusiasts.
If you are asking me, I got it off this post initially.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by rangerider7 »

Yes it was on Ebay.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by jdm4ksu »

Good evening!
I am the great-great-great niece of Samuel L. Hart. I am trying to plan a trip to Tombstone in October, and want to see as much info on him as I can. I definitely will go to spangenbergers gun shop and the museum, but do you know of any other places that might have pictures or articles? Is there anything left of his gun shop, or what stands in its place now?

Any info would be greatly appreciated!
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by gamekeeper »

Welcome to the forum :D
As a British tourist I have only been to Tomestone once, coincidentally I'm wearing the Spangenbergers tee shirt I bought there as I write this :o .The folks at Spangenbergers were very friendly and I'm sure would tell you anything they know about Samuel L Hart. Good luck and enjoy your trip, I know I certainly did.

PS, rangerider7 has not posted here for a long time which is a pity, he had a great knowledge of the old West.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by Les Staley »

I bought a box of 12 gauge brass shotgun shells as a souvenir of Tombstone a few years back. Haven't shot any yet. Was at Spangenbergers. Seemed like the right thing to do. And a big Welcome to you, jdm4ksu!
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by Pete44ru »

.

Welcome to the forum, jdm4ksu !

It appears that you have good genes (and I don't mean pants ;) )


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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by Sixgun »

jdm4ksu wrote: Sun May 20, 2018 10:50 pm Good evening!
I am the great-great-great niece of Samuel L. Hart.
Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Well, you can start by telling me how many and what kind of original guns that you may have from good ole Sammy Hart. Then we can talk about marriage plans. :D ----6
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by jdm4ksu »

Well, since the reason for my trip is to celebrate 25 years of marriage, with a side trip to gather family info, marriage proposals would not be a good idea even if I did have any of Samuel's guns! To my knowledge, none of my family members have any of his guns - I know we all wish we did!

I do share the sentiment on my family heritage! My cousin has written some books about Samuel's sister and her husband - my great-great grandparents. The older I get, the more I value this knowledge, so I am looking forward to the trip to see what else I can find out!

I have a few names of people to contact from the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce, so plan on making those contacts.

Thanks for the responses!
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by Griff »

Howdy, and Welcome to the Forum. Enjoy your trip and research. I've only been to Tombstone once, for a day. Not nearly enough time to take it in.
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Re: OT:Photo- Samuel L. Hart- Gunsmith-Tombstone Ariz.

Post by .45colt »

Thank You for posting about this. We have been to Tombstone twice and the Old Courthouse is a favorite place of Mine to See . If the walls could talk. the history of the town and area is amazing. Good luck and keep Us updated.
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