Lot 86

Wyoming Cattle Growers Association Colt Single Action Army

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Wyoming Cattle Growers Association Colt Single Action Army

Estimate: $7,500 - $12,000

Starting Bid: $6,500

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 21, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Historic Antique Omaha Shipped Colt Single Action Army Revolver Marked for the Wyoming Cattle Growers Association with Holster and Factory Letter The included factory letter lists this revolver in .41 caliber with a 4 3/4 inch barrel and blue finish (grips not listed) when part of a shipment of four guns of this type sent to Lee Clark Andreisen Hardware Co. in Omaha, Nebraska, on November 10, 1891. The revolver has standard blade and groove sights, the smaller dished ejector rod, "41 COLT." on the left side of the barrel, the two-line address on top of the barrel, the two-line patent marking and encircled Rampant Colt trademark on the left side of the frame, matching serial numbers on the frame, trigger guard, and back strap; assembly number "25" on the loading gate, and a pair of smooth ivory grips with "VIII" on the back of each along with "CHC" scratched on the back of the right grip. In addition, the left side of the front strap is marked "WYo. CA. GR. AS. 77". It is accompanied by a brown leather holster with tooled borders and "44" marked on the belt loop. The revolver was purchased by Brig Pemberton from Larry Kaufman back in October 1969. The revolver is accompanied by a binder of research. In addition to the marking on the grip frame, the revolver is notably in the same serial number range as a series of revolvers documented as used during the Johnson County Cattle War in Wyoming, including serial number 143567 documented as carried by William Little of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association's "Invaders" during the conflict in the list published in the article "The Arms of Wyoming's Cattle War" in the Shooting Times in July 1967. 143314 listed as owned by B. C. Schulze was also discussed in the article "A Johnson County War Colt" by Dr. William B. Shugars III, and 142792 identified as owned by Mike Shonsey and later used to kill Dudley Champion is discussed in "The Johnson County Cattle War" by John D. Masters. Some period newspapers and other publications referred to the organization as the Wyoming Cattle Growers Association. The violence was sparked by competition between the established cattlemen on one side and homesteaders on the other largely over the sharing of public land for grazing as well as claims by the cattle barons that the smaller operations engaged in rustling. The ranchers banded together in the Wyoming Stock Growers Association which had significant political influence within the state as well as their own detectives, some of whom engaged in extra-judicial killings. The cycle of violence between the two sides began as early as 1888 with the lynching of Ella Watson and Jim Averell by the WSGA. In the spring of 1892, homesteaders and smaller cattle growers formed the Northern Wyoming Farmers & Stock Growers Association to band together against the cattle barons and their allies. In response, the Frank Wolcott and the WSGA hired 23 gunmen, many from Texas recruited by Tom Horn, to supplement their numbers and "invade" Johnson County. The Invaders totaled over 50 men, most armed with both a Winchester and a Colt. Documentation carried by Frank M. Canton confirmed the hired guns were contracted for $5 a day plus $50 for every rustler or suspected rustler they killed. He also had a list of seventy Johnson County residents they wanted killed, and the Invaders brought along dynamite. They first attacked the KC Ranch, targeting Nate Champion who had survived a previous assassination attempt and killed one of his assailants and was the key witness in the case against stock detective Joe Elliott for the first attempt. Early in the fight, Nick Ray was mortally wounded and dragged back into the cabin by Champion who continued to exchange gunfire with his assailants throughout the day, wounding multiple Invaders. Champion could only hold out alone for so long, and he was shot dead when he tried to flee the cabin after the Invaders set it on fire. They left a note reading "Cattle thieves beware" pinned to his bullet ridden corpse. Jack Flagg, who was shot at and pursued by the Invaders when he passed by during the siege at KC Ranch, escaped and reported the attack to Sheriff William "Red" Angus of Buffalo who formed a posse of over 200 men in response. The Invaders fortified themselves at the TA Ranch in preparation for the posse. There the two sides exchanged gunfire for three days, with the posse's number reportedly growing to over 400 men. Several of the Invaders were shot and killed, but Mike Shonsey slipped away and got word to Governor Amos W. Barber, one of their political allies who in turn sent a request to President Benjamin Harrison for assistance. The U.S. 6th Cavalry were dispatched from For McKinney to resolve the situation before the posse could use the Invaders' dynamite to blow their cover and force them out. Wolcott and the other 45 surviving Invaders were taken prisoner by the cavalry, and the governor worked to impede any investigation into their murderous plot. Their forty-five rifles and forty-one revolvers were logged so that the arms could be returned to the respective owners giving a great record of the firearms used. Despite clear evidence of their plot for numerous murders and arson, including the documentation in Canton's bag, and the killing of Champion and Ray, no prosecution took place. Many newspapers were controlled by the cattlemen and their allies and reported their victims as "notorious rustlers" and portrayed the raiders as justified vigilantes. Many of the hired gunmen are reported to have been released on bail and fled back to Texas even before the charges against the Invaders were dropped. The homesteaders and farmers were naturally outraged but had little recourse. Although Dudley Champion attempted to kill Mike Shonsey in retaliation but was instead shot and killed. The following year, however, the Wyoming Stock Growers Association was opened to all stock growers, not just the major cattle barons. In the years that followed, the violence shifted to the cattlemen verse the sheepherders competing for range lands, resulting in multiple murders and countless slain sheep. The violence culminated in the deadly Spring Creek Raid in 1909 during which three sheepherders, two dogs, and two dozen sheep were killed. Unlike the "invasion" in 1892 and numerous other incidents in Wyoming, law enforcement within the state saw that culprits were brought to justice, and seven men were charged with murder and arson. Two of the men completed suicide or were silenced before the trial. Five were sentenced to prison but ultimately served little time, one soon dying while a prisoner, one escaping in 1913, and the others all paroled by 1914. Though they all escaped the noose, the convictions largely brought an end to extra-judicial violence over grazing rights on the Wyoming range.

Manufacturer: Colt

Model: Single Action Army

BBL: 4 3/4 inch round

Gauge: 41 Long Colt

Finish: blue/casehardened

Grips: ivory

Serial Number143557

Class: Antique

  • Provenance: The Ralph Irwin Collection; The Larry Kaufman; The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection
  • Condition: Good. The revolver has a well-worn appearance we expect to see from a western used sidearm with strong original blue finish in the protected areas and gray and brown patina on the balance, light oxidation and pitting, holster wear, and distinct markings. The grips are very good with attractively aged patina and natural grain, shrinkage from age, and age lines concentrated on the butt. Mechanically functions. The holster is very good with mild wear, period alterations, and loose stitching. Overall, a very fascinating revolver associated with one of the most dramatic events in western history.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000