Sources
Jim,
I have more information on that board but it's at my mountain property. I can't remember all this stuff so I have to look through my piles of paperwork. I do remember that it definitely is a put together by Jesse James son. Jesse jr. and that he did in fact drive around and charge a nickel to see the board in the early 1920's. He also took photo's of the board and sold photo's...That's the reference to the Governor...It's a photo of the board signed by Jesse James Jr....Notice also he claims that "THE PHOTO" is authentic...not the guns in the photo?
Also, some of the guns on the board are actually photo'd and in the library of Congress. The photo's are documented as taken in January of 1921 but the guns that I've seen match what is on the display board. The Hopkins and Allen 44 Army, The Schofield 45 (Jesse's last gun?), and the Winchester rifle. However, the Library of Congress "Clearly" lists them as NOT Confirmed authentic! That part I believe.
NRA Arms Museum Brass Pro Shop in Springfield, Missouri has one of the Jesse James claimed Schofield revolvers. Likely from that display board.
One of two Remington 44 model 1875's that was Frank James turn in guns when he turned himself into the Governor after Jesse's death is displayed in Bianchi's Frontier museum. At least it was.
National Museum of Crime and Punishment had Clarence Hite's Number 3 Russian in 44cal. That's in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
I have to comment on Cole Younger's "Gift" to State Senator George Wilson...Serial number 13. Claimed to be a Civilian Schofield and given to the Senator by Cole "AFTER" he got out of prison about 1901...I honestly don't see how that has anything to do with the Gang activities. Cole was in prison from 1876-1901...So, maybe he had this minty Schofield in his shoe? I don't know.
All of the Schofields that I have researched so far have been a dead end. Nothing proven. Not even close.
An early error can be seen in a News Paper article after the Jesse James Murder in which they list the guns taken as a Colt 45 and a Smith and Wesson 45 but in my opinion that was an error. Accounts that were actually documented by law enforcement, etc list the guns as a Smith & Wesson 44 and Colt 45 backed up by the Sheriff's written notes, Bob Fords "sworn statement" that also lists the serial number of the Colt 45 by the way, and "early" news paper accounts within a day or two of the murder. Those I tend to believe more than any other account that tend to get embellished and distorted soon there after.
I've found zero early references to a 45 Schofield other than the error made by newspapers that in my opinion were simply mis-identifying the caliber since all early Smith & Wesson's were not caliber stamped. The Colts actually are on the trigger guard bow. Small print but it's there.
I firmly believe that the gang used 44 Smith & Wesson Model 3's....and several have been documented and are actually listed in Court records that I have read but never a 45 Smith & Wesson.
Add to the fact that Jesse James Jr. was driving around with a put together wood board charging a nickel a view some years later with a Schofield revolver on the board? There you have it...Total distortion. That is the earliest reference to the Schofield revolver that I am aware of; Circa 1921.
I'm not saying that a Schofield wasn't part of the gang's tools....I just can't prove it.
Murph
Last edited by BMur; 09-03-2021 at 07:24 PM.
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