WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 SADDLE RING CARBINE THAT BELONGED TO CAPT. JACK CRAWFORD, “THE POET SCOUT”.

WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 SADDLE RING CARBINE THAT BELONGED TO CAPT. JACK CRAWFORD, “THE POET SCOUT”. SN 51687. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Nickel finish with 20″ rnd bbl, square base barleycorn front sight and first type 2-position flip rear sight. Top of receiver has the second model, screwed on dust cover rail mounted with an impressed oval thumbprint dust cover. Left side of receiver has a staple & ring and it is fitted with single set trigger. Carbine is mounted with uncheckered American walnut with straight stock & carbine buttplate with trap. Wood appears to have been painted black at one time apparently to create a contrast against the nickel finish. This carbine belonged to Capt. Jack Crawford, famous western scout, poet & author. John Wallace Crawford (Capt. Jack) was born in 1847 in County Donegal, Northern Ireland. His mother was Susan Wallace Crawford who was the daughter of William Wallace who had decended directly from Sir William Wallace, the famous Scottish Chieftan who fought with Robert the Bruce and Bonnie Prince Charlie for the liberation of Scotland from British rule. Jack’s father & mother were refugees in Ireland when they met & married. Jack was the third of their four children born of this marriage. Jack’s father left the family in Ireland in 1854 to come to America and after four years of struggling, Jack’s mother left the children with a relative and joined her husband in America. A short time later they sent for the children and the family settled in Minersville, PA where his father became a coal miner. At the outbreak of the Civil War Jack’s father joined the Army and when his father left, Jack as a 14 year old boy was forced to go to work in the mines to support his family. He twice tried to join the Army but was rejected as being too young but finally succeeded in joining the 48th Pennsylvania. Jack was wounded twice, first in Spotsylvania in May 1864 and again at Petersburg in April 1865. The first wound he received was the most severe and for which he was hospitalized in Philadelphia. During his hospitalization one of the Sisters of Charity nurses taught the young Jack to read. Shortly after the war was over Jack’s father died from hiswar wounds and shortly before that Jack’s mother had passed away. With no roots to hold him Jack went West with letters of recommendation endorsed by Gen. Sherman to frontier Army officers and was eventually hired as a scout. Jack began writing his poetry and became an independent reporter for various newspapers in the Nebraska and Dakota territories. With the outbreak of the Black Hills Gold Rush, Jack migrated to Custer City where he was made Captain of the Volunteer Militia. After the Custer massacre Capt. Jack was sent west as a messenger to Gen. Crook where he was hired as a scout, eventually replacing Buffalo Bill Cody as Chief Scout under Gen. Merritt. It was under Gen. Merritt that he was scouting Indians which campaign resulted in the Battle of Slim Buttes. Capt. Jack made his famous ride from northern Dakota Territory to Fort Laramie, Wyoming Territory, to carry the news of the battle, a distance of about 350 miles, swarming with hostiles. He made the ride in just under four days, killing two horses in the process, for which he was awarded the sum of $722.75. Jack married and had four children, three of whom survived. He moved his family to New Mexico Territory and scouted for the Army against the Apaches and finally settled around the little town of Socorro. In 1886 he retired from Army scouting to concentrate on ranching & mining. He continued writing and in 1886 published his first book of poetry under the title The Poet Scout: A Book of Song and Story, a copy of which, with a long pencil inscription on the fly leaf, accompanies this carbine. Capt. Jack toured briefly with Buffalo Bill & Wild Bill Hickock but returned to New Mexico to other interests, all the while maintaining his writing & reporting. In 1894 Capt. Jack published a second volume of poems entitled Camp Fire Sparks, a collection of Army poems. During his life & career in the West Capt Jack Crawford was one of the recognized pioneers acquainted with all the famous & infamous characters of his era. He was a real life hero and a true brave frontiersman. He died Feb. 28, 1917 in Long Island, NY. Also accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum white sheet identifying this carbine with set trigger shipped on May 30, 1880 to order #20039. Finish is not mentioned. Additionally accompanied by a framed small broadside advertising an appearance by Capt. Jack Crawford in Cranville, NY on Dec. 30, 1897. Admission was 25 cents with reserved seats 35 cents. Also accompanied by a framed large broadside with a rough drawing of Capt. Jack entitled “POET – SCOUT’S APPRECIATION OF HIS / FRIEND – AMERICA’S GREAT FIGHTER / A REAL CONVERSATION BETWEEN GENERAL CHAFFEE AND CAPTAIN JACK CRAWFORD”. It is undated. Finally accompanied by a large packet of information including a notarized receipt dated Nov. 3, 1948 from the Fort Bliss, Texas Museum which is for the loan of fifteen items that belonged to Capt. Jack Crawford by his granddaughter Irene Shontz. This carbine is listed by serial number with the notation “Winchester Gun used by Captain Jack in ‘West’ shows”. Also included in this packet is a hand written genealogical chart showing Capt. Jack’s family tree where Irene (1897-1966) is listed as the daughter of Capt. Jack’s daughter, Eva Lenore. This carbine is undoubtedly something that Capt. Jack would have used during his public appearances as it is well recorded that he almost always used various firearms during his presentations. PROVENANCE: Capt. Jack Crawford; Crawford Family. CONDITION: Good to very good. Overall retains 60-70% strong orig nickel with the loss areas gray metal color, barely noticeable. There is a hairline in the wrist, otherwise wood is sound retaining a mottled brown/black finish. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with moderate pitting, dark in the grooves. 4-37741 JR322 (20,000-50,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2009

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2260	$0.00	WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 SADDLE RING CARBINE THAT BELONGED TO CAPT. JACK CRAWFORD, “THE POET SCOUT”. SN 51687. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Nickel finish with 20″ rnd bbl, square base barleycorn front sight and first type 2-position flip rear sight. Top of receiver has the second model, screwed on dust cover rail mounted with an impressed oval thumbprint dust cover. Left side of receiver has a staple & ring and it is fitted with single set trigger. Carbine is mounted with uncheckered American walnut with straight stock & carbine buttplate with trap. Wood appears to have been painted black at one time apparently to create a contrast against the nickel finish. This carbine belonged to Capt. Jack Crawford, famous western scout, poet & author. John Wallace Crawford (Capt. Jack) was born in 1847 in County Donegal, Northern Ireland. His mother was Susan Wallace Crawford who was the daughter of William Wallace who had decended directly from Sir William Wallace, the famous Scottish Chieftan who fought with Robert the Bruce and Bonnie Prince Charlie for the liberation of Scotland from British rule. Jack’s father & mother were refugees in Ireland when they met & married. Jack was the third of their four children born of this marriage. Jack’s father left the family in Ireland in 1854 to come to America and after four years of struggling, Jack’s mother left the children with a relative and joined her husband in America. A short time later they sent for the children and the family settled in Minersville, PA where his father became a coal miner. At the outbreak of the Civil War Jack’s father joined the Army and when his father left, Jack as a 14 year old boy was forced to go to work in the mines to support his family. He twice tried to join the Army but was rejected as being too young but finally succeeded in joining the 48th Pennsylvania. Jack was wounded twice, first in Spotsylvania in May 1864 and again at Petersburg in April 1865. The first wound he received was the most severe and for which he was hospitalized in Philadelphia. During his hospitalization one of the Sisters of Charity nurses taught the young Jack to read. Shortly after the war was over Jack’s father died from hiswar wounds and shortly before that Jack’s mother had passed away. With no roots to hold him Jack went West with letters of recommendation endorsed by Gen. Sherman to frontier Army officers and was eventually hired as a scout. Jack began writing his poetry and became an independent reporter for various newspapers in the Nebraska and Dakota territories. With the outbreak of the Black Hills Gold Rush, Jack migrated to Custer City where he was made Captain of the Volunteer Militia. After the Custer massacre Capt. Jack was sent west as a messenger to Gen. Crook where he was hired as a scout, eventually replacing Buffalo Bill Cody as Chief Scout under Gen. Merritt. It was under Gen. Merritt that he was scouting Indians which campaign resulted in the Battle of Slim Buttes. Capt. Jack made his famous ride from northern Dakota Territory to Fort Laramie, Wyoming Territory, to carry the news of the battle, a distance of about 350 miles, swarming with hostiles. He made the ride in just under four days, killing two horses in the process, for which he was awarded the sum of $722.75. Jack married and had four children, three of whom survived. He moved his family to New Mexico Territory and scouted for the Army against the Apaches and finally settled around the little town of Socorro. In 1886 he retired from Army scouting to concentrate on ranching & mining. He continued writing and in 1886 published his first book of poetry under the title The Poet Scout: A Book of Song and Story, a copy of which, with a long pencil inscription on the fly leaf, accompanies this carbine. Capt. Jack toured briefly with Buffalo Bill & Wild Bill Hickock but returned to New Mexico to other interests, all the while maintaining his writing & reporting. In 1894 Capt. Jack published a second volume of poems entitled Camp Fire Sparks, a collection of Army poems. During his life & career in the West Capt Jack Crawford was one of the recognized pioneers acquainted with all the famous & infamous characters of his era. He was a real life hero and a true brave frontiersman. He died Feb. 28, 1917 in Long Island, NY. Also accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum white sheet identifying this carbine with set trigger shipped on May 30, 1880 to order #20039. Finish is not mentioned. Additionally accompanied by a framed small broadside advertising an appearance by Capt. Jack Crawford in Cranville, NY on Dec. 30, 1897. Admission was 25 cents with reserved seats 35 cents. Also accompanied by a framed large broadside with a rough drawing of Capt. Jack entitled “POET – SCOUT’S APPRECIATION OF HIS / FRIEND – AMERICA’S GREAT FIGHTER / A REAL CONVERSATION BETWEEN GENERAL CHAFFEE AND CAPTAIN JACK CRAWFORD”. It is undated. Finally accompanied by a large packet of information including a notarized receipt dated Nov. 3, 1948 from the Fort Bliss, Texas Museum which is for the loan of fifteen items that belonged to Capt. Jack Crawford by his granddaughter Irene Shontz. This carbine is listed by serial number with the notation “Winchester Gun used by Captain Jack in ‘West’ shows”. Also included in this packet is a hand written genealogical chart showing Capt. Jack’s family tree where Irene (1897-1966) is listed as the daughter of Capt. Jack’s daughter, Eva Lenore. This carbine is undoubtedly something that Capt. Jack would have used during his public appearances as it is well recorded that he almost always used various firearms during his presentations. PROVENANCE: Capt. Jack Crawford; Crawford Family. CONDITION: Good to very good. Overall retains 60-70% strong orig nickel with the loss areas gray metal color, barely noticeable. There is a hairline in the wrist, otherwise wood is sound retaining a mottled brown/black finish. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with moderate pitting, dark in the grooves. 4-37741 JR322 (20,000-50,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2009 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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