4200A CASED COLT FIRST GEN SAA REVOLVER & OTHER EFFECTS

Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 4,000.00 USD
Estimated at 8,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
BELONGING TO FAMOUS LAWMAN JEFF MILTON WITH LARGE PROVENANCE FILE. Cal. 45 Colt. S# 50912. The consignor, Dave Trevallion, renowned stock maker for Purdy, began working on rifles for Jack Holliday, the neighbor to Jeff Milton, in the late 1960s. The two eventually became good friends. In 1974 Holliday gifted Trevallion the items he received from Jeff Milton over the years. Before Milton's passing, while retired in Tucson, he befriended W. (Bill) J. Holliday who was owner of the adjacent Holliday Ranch. Their friendship would last until Milton's passing, with Milton serving as Best Man at Holliday Sr.'s wedding. An accompanying photo shows Milton (2nd from left) with W.J. Holliday Sr. (center) & Jr. (left) together at the Holiday Ranch. Also mentioned in "JEFF MILTON A GOOD MAN WITH A GUN" by J. Evetts Haley on page 407, is an exchange that took place between Milton and a young Jack Holliday in the Holliday living room. Jefferson (Jeff) Davis Milton (1861-1947) was a well known & respected lawman with a long illustrious career roaming the countryside from Texas to Arizona. In July 1880, Milton began his lawman career as a Texas Ranger. Falsifying his birth date on the application, Milton, 18 at the time, added 3 years to his age in order to meet the minimum 21. In 1884 Milton traveled to New Mexico taking up employment as a Cowboy Detective for a cattle association and would later become Deputy Sheriff of Socorro County, NM. Gaining notoriety for his speed and efficiency with a firearm, Milton was hired in 1887, by Collector of Customs, Joseph Magoffin, in an effort to prevent smuggling. The early 1890s were spent working for the Union Pacific Railroad Company along with the Pullman Car Company. In 1894 Milton would become the Chief of Police in El Paso, TX, which at the time, was rife with murder, robbery, and other violent crimes. Later, in 1895, Milton would assume the role of Deputy U.S. Marshall. Finding his life as a Marshall less lucrative, Milton was hired on as a Wells Fargo Express Messenger on the Southern Pacific run from Benson, AZ to Guaymas, Mexico. His job was to escort costly shipments of gold & silver. It was during this time that Milton was wounded in a gunfight. Outlaw Burt Alvord and five others attempted to raid the express car in Fairbank, AZ and during the ensuing exchange of fight, Milton was shot in the left arm, shattering the bone. This injury left Milton with a crippled arm for the rest of his life. In 1904 Milton was directly commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt to the position of Mounted Chinese Inspector for the newly formed U.S. Immigration Service. In 1924, at age 62, Jeff Milton became the first ever officer appointed to the U.S. Immigration Border Patrol. In 1932 Milton retired to Tombstone AZ and later Tucson, where he passed away in 1947. Bbl. 4 3/4" replacement with altered front sight. 6 Shot fluted cyl. 1 Piece walnut grips. Backstrap bears commemorative inscription to James C Pym. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: notarized letter from consignor detailing the chain of ownership of the Jeff Milton items from Milton, to the Holiday family, and finally from his friend W.J. (Jack) Holliday to the consignor himself. Photocopies of signed letters from Jeff Milton to W.J. Holliday Sr. Picture of Jeff Milton together with both Holliday Sr & Holliday Jr. at the Holliday Ranch. Colt Factory letter. Other items from Milton include a bone handled wooden cane, pocket watch, a skeleton key with $3 brothel coin & a few other trinkets. Revolver is housed in a later, aged, walnut shadow line case with relic condition wood handled Bowie knife, cleaning rod & oiler. Case is lined in a maroon velour. CONDITION: metal has an overall gray cleaned appearance with scattered pitting, numerous small dents & patina. Heavily worn grip has been sanded & refinished with losses at toe area. Left side of grip has 4 notches carved at bottom. Bore retains strong rifling with an even mild wear & pitting. Mechanics in need of attention but holds in full cock position. PROVENANCE: Personal Collection of David Trevallion.(01-25398/BH). ANTIQUE. $8,000-12,000.