Samuel Colt made his fortune providing the needed firepower for mid-1800s settlers against Plains Indians and soldiers in the Mexican-American and Civil Wars. Colt's guns, particularly his revolvers that could fire multiple bullets before reloading, protected those in danger.
He accomplished a lot in his 47 years. Here are eight highlights:
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1. He was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on July 19, 1814, one of eight children of Christopher and Sarah Colt. His maternal grandfather was Mr. John Caldwell, an officer in the Continental Army. Sarah Colt died of tuberculosis when Samuel was 6.
2. Fascinated by engineering, Colt conducted tests with gunpowder and electricity. After orchestrating two pyrotechnics displays on consecutive July Fourths in 1829 and 1830 — the latter of which set a building on fire at his Amherst, Massachusetts, school — he was sent on a trip overseas by his father,
according to the History channel.
3. While away, the 16-year-old apprentice found the inspiration for his revolver design when he noticed how the ship's wheel could rotate or remain in place with a locking device, giving him the idea of a revolving chamber that could hold multiple bullets.
4. Before opening his first gun manufacturing business, Colt earned money at public gatherings posing as a practical chemist with a portable lab. He amused crowds by giving laughing gas to audience members.
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5. One of his brothers, John C. Colt, was found guilty in the 1841 murder of a man to whom he was in debt. The case was high-profile, given the family connection. He was believed to have fatally stabbed himself hours before his scheduled execution, according to the History channel.
6. Colt was an early master of assembly line production. Thanks to the use of interchangeable parts, armory employees could make about 150 weapons per day, which allowed costs to stay reasonable. He also treated his workers well, constructing a sprawling complex that included housing, parks, orchards, a railroad station, and a public gathering hall,
according to Encyclopedia.com.
7. Not only could Colt make a capable revolver, but he knew how to sell them. He hired famed artist George Catlin, known for his oil paintings of Native Americans,
to incorporate Colt revolvers into some of his paintings.
8. At the height of his wealth and relevance in American manufacturing, Colt died of rheumatic fever on Jan. 10, 1862, at age 47. His close friend and weapons engineer, Elisha K. Root, became president until his death on Sept. 1, 1865, which put the company in the control of Colt's brother-in-law Richard Jarvis.
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