The Beagle Log 24 Aug 2007 - Horace Smith

Subject: The Beagle Log 24 Aug 2007 - Horace Smith Thu 23 Aug 2007 - 23:57

Notable Smiths

Who was Horace Smith? (b. 1808, d. 1893)

He was born was born in Chester, Massachusetts. He and his partner were noted inventors and manufacturers. They founded a manufacturing plant in Springfield, Massachusetts that is still in operation today. His estate was used to establish the Horace Smith Fund to help deserving students finance their education.

I suspect this will be difficult to answer so I’ll provide a few clues
- The product produced has been used by military and police worldwide
- The product is portable.
- Similar products, equally famous, are manufactured by two other New England firms.

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Don

Subject: Re: The Beagle Log 24 Aug 2007 - Horace Smith Fri 24 Aug 2007 - 9:16

Gorrit!!! Very Happy

Revolvers !!

Borrowed this snippet from Horace Smith Fund Info Website........
where more can be read at this page............
http://www.horacesmithfund.org/about.jsp

PS: My own Grandad's name was Horace Smith

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Carole, Smith Project/Smith Chat Admin
Nothing is too small to know, and nothing too big to attempt (William Van Horne)

Subject: Re: The Beagle Log 24 Aug 2007 - Horace Smith Fri 24 Aug 2007 - 13:46

Congratulation Carole, you got it.

In pulling this together, I found that Winchester Firearms was having financial problems in 2006 was looking for a buyer. As an ironic turn of events (see below), Smith & Wesson was interested in purchasing the firm. It appears Herstal F/N of Belgium was the successful bidder this summer.

Smith & Wesson

Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson came from old New England families. The two men formed their first partnership in 1852 in Norwich, Connecticut. Due to financial difficulties, they were forced to sell their company to a shirt manufacturer by the name of Oliver Winchester. In 1866, using the original lever action design created by Smith & Wesson, Winchester’s company emerged as the famous Winchester Repeating Arms Co.

In 1856, Smith & Wesson formed their second partnership to produce a small revolver designed to fire the rimfire cartridge. This revolver was the first successful fully self-contained cartridge revolver available in the world. In 1870, they began marketing the first large caliber cartridge revolver that established Smith & Wesson as a world leader in handgun manufacturing.

At the age of 65, Horace Smith retired from the company and sold his share of the business to Wesson. Mr. Smith died in 1893 leaving a large estate. His will, after several bequests to relatives and institutions, left the extensive residue of his estate be used for public purposes at the discretion of his executors.

The accomplishments of Smith & Wesson are so numerous that it is impossible to understand the history of modern handguns without first understanding the history of Smith & Wesson.

Clues:

- The product produced has been used by military and police worldwide
Smith & Wesson Model 10 Military & Police Revolver developed
in 1899 and has remained virtually unchanged since 1902

- The product is portable.
No comment necessary

- Similar products, equally famous, are manufactured by two other New England firms.
1) Winchester established in the 1850’s is located in New Haven, Connecticut.
2) Colt founded in 1847 is located in Hartford, Connecticut

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Don

Subject: Re: The Beagle Log 24 Aug 2007 - Horace Smith Fri 24 Aug 2007 - 21:44

Hi all.
Daz back again.
I lived in Canada back in the early 80's (that's the 1980's).
After 2 years in the Yukon I got my fiearms aquisition cert' and my first rifle was a Winchester 30/30, lever action. If I remember right it was 6 in the barrel and 1 in the breach, that way you could carry an extra round. You just had to be careful.
I moved from Whitehorse in the Yukon to Fort Good Hope in the NWT and used to go hunting there with friends on our skidoos.
At the time there was a $50 bounty on wolves due to their numbers. Quite a few were killed (by them) and loads were missed by me. In the territorial army I was a really good shot with the SLR .762mm but with the Winchester you couldn't hit a barn door over 50 meters. They were a great bush rifle but not made for distance. Though I did buy it because of all the John Wayne films I watched as a boy. When you actioned that lever you became Rooster Cockburn.

Love to all
Daz
xxx

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My family are like stars in the night sky of my life.
Always there at the end of the day.
The light of their love forever constant as the Northern star.
Safely guiding me home.
Dreams are the realities of tomorrow.
Everyone is in tune with the spirits of their ancestors. Unfortunately some are tone deaf.
Copyright. Daz.2008.

Subject: Re: The Beagle Log 24 Aug 2007 - Horace Smith Sat 25 Aug 2007 - 22:34

Hi Daz, (New lantern for burning the midnight oil!! ho ho :ck-wink:)

Copied your last message to new Topic with my reply.... here.........
>>>Hiya Daz - Rooster Cockburn!! (John Wayne) >>>)

Subject: Re: The Beagle Log 24 Aug 2007 - Horace Smith Tue 22 Jan 2008 - 14:43

Quite a significant inventor but all I have now is:

Horace Smith (b. 28 Oct 1808 Cheshire, MA - d. 15 Jan 1893, Springfield, MA; m. (1) Eliza Foster; (2) Eliza Hebbard Jepson, (3) Feb. 5, 1873, to Mary Lucretia Hebbard).

Silas and Pheobe were Horace's parents and Horace had a son Dexter.

Strange lack of online data on Horace - I've inquired with the 'Horace Smith Fund' and another party...I'll have to visit his Springfield family plot for clues some day:

Burial:
Springfield Cemetery
Springfield
Hampden County
Massachusetts, USA
Plot: Lot 1490
Find a Grave.com >> Horace Smith

http://www.horacesmithfund.org/about.jsp

National Cyclopaedia of American Biography:
Horace Smith By James Terry White

There MAY be some family data here:
History and genealogy of the wealthy families of America

Best
Evan Smith

Subject: Re: The Beagle Log 24 Aug 2007 - Horace Smith Tue 5 Feb 2008 - 16:44

Hi Don and Evan
As a reminder for myself, I've included a link to this Topic from the one where we have the "temporary" list..... WANTED Notable Smiths for 2008 Calendar

Evan, thanks for the additional information & interesting links, about Horace Smith.

Carole