**Slightly long post...refresh your cocktail
**Click on the images for a larger view
**Many thanks to the SWHF for the continued great work
9 Sept 19: Medical Examiner testimony added below Re: shooting referenced in the 1973 letter.
13 Dec 19: Update on delivering the Magnum back to the original owner's grandson with accompanying pictures including seeing the shotgun the Deputy faced-off against in 1950
George Franklin Spencer started with the Greene County, MO Sheriff's Department in 1932, not long after the Young Brothers Massacre occurred. He spent most of the 30's and early 40's finding ways to survive a few gun battles and establish himself as a respected lawman in rural Missouri.
After moving over to the Springfield Police Department he set out to upgrade his 38/44 HD. He ordered a 3.5" Nickel Registered Magnum with a humpback hammer, magna stocks, a Baughman ramp front sight on a plain King ramp base, and square notch rear sight on December 20, 1938.
He specified in his letter to have the SA and DA trigger pulls made identical to "Del Brice's" RM but it seems the factory took that to mean he wanted his whole RM to be identical to Delf "Jelly" Brice's RM which was a 3.5" blued gun. It's interesting to think at some point Detective Spencer crossed paths with the legendary Jelly Brice. It seems they were cut from the similar cloth as the Detective had his fair share of "shooting scrapes" as he refers to them.
The RM was delivered on January 18, 1939 to Detective Spencer and, as seen above, he was more than pleased (except for the finish).
Haven't seen many of these before...
Detective Spencer moved on from the Police Department to support the war effort and then became a full-fledged locomotive engineer (my other dream job, btw) before returning to the Greene County Sheriff's office in the late 40's.
Something happened in 1949 which required a new 3.5" barrel which was billed to the Sheriff at the time. I'm going to guess he either shot it out or clubbed someone with it (actually I have no idea).
Unfortunately, there was a fire at the local Springfield newspaper in 1947 which destroyed their archive from the 30's-40's so most of Deputy Spencer's stories are lost for the time being, but below are a few snippets I was able to find.
After retiring, Deputy Spencer reached out to the relatively new Historical Consultant at Smith & Wesson to reaffirm his shipping date on his RM
And then seemed to be in the selling mood in 1973. Thankfully he didn't sell but did save a copy of this letter which includes some very interesting information about his career and this 357 in particular.
Here is the group shot of the Deputy’s two duty weapons
Added 7 Sept 19.
The Greene County Archives provided copies of the inquiry testimony from the Medical Examiner's Office for the shooting referenced in Deputy Spencer's letter above. I have the whole file to include the original summons', all testimony, and the verdict. Posted here are some pages from Deputy Spencer's and Sheriff Hendrix's testimony.
The cliff notes backstory is Mr. Duncan was feared as dangerously mentally disturbed by his neighbors and a warrant was issued to take him into custody and have him sent back to a mental institution. Mr. Duncan was noted by his family and neighbors to have stated he would shoot it out with anyone trying to take him back. Apparently he attempted to follow through on that threat.
Deputy Spencer:
Sheriff Hendrix:
Newspaper article found by the Springfield Police Museum:
While I was visiting Deputy Spencer’s grandson he pulled this shotgun out of the safe. The Deputy took ownership and passed down the shotgun pointed at him in 1950. Of all the shootings he was involved in, he apparently never spoke of that one.
Edited to add a few more pictures from the Springfield Police Museum:
1940 department picture.
1942 Department headshots. Detective Spencer is second row, far left.
He's also listed on this arrest report for a gent with a lengthy record.
Update from November 2019:
In researching the RM I got in contact with Deputy Spencer’s grandson. Our first phone conversation lasted over two hours and he let me know that if I ever looked to sell he’d want the revolver back in the family. On Veteran’s Day I travelled back to Greene County and the RM returned home for good. While there, I got to see some other artifacts from Deputy Spencer’s career.
Some tools of the trade from another era:
A plaque with his badge:
A deputy card from Sheriff Floyd (Pretty Boy’s brother) in OK:
It was a great day and I’m glad the revolver has returned home where it belongs.
**Click on the images for a larger view
**Many thanks to the SWHF for the continued great work
9 Sept 19: Medical Examiner testimony added below Re: shooting referenced in the 1973 letter.
13 Dec 19: Update on delivering the Magnum back to the original owner's grandson with accompanying pictures including seeing the shotgun the Deputy faced-off against in 1950
George Franklin Spencer started with the Greene County, MO Sheriff's Department in 1932, not long after the Young Brothers Massacre occurred. He spent most of the 30's and early 40's finding ways to survive a few gun battles and establish himself as a respected lawman in rural Missouri.
After moving over to the Springfield Police Department he set out to upgrade his 38/44 HD. He ordered a 3.5" Nickel Registered Magnum with a humpback hammer, magna stocks, a Baughman ramp front sight on a plain King ramp base, and square notch rear sight on December 20, 1938.
He specified in his letter to have the SA and DA trigger pulls made identical to "Del Brice's" RM but it seems the factory took that to mean he wanted his whole RM to be identical to Delf "Jelly" Brice's RM which was a 3.5" blued gun. It's interesting to think at some point Detective Spencer crossed paths with the legendary Jelly Brice. It seems they were cut from the similar cloth as the Detective had his fair share of "shooting scrapes" as he refers to them.
The RM was delivered on January 18, 1939 to Detective Spencer and, as seen above, he was more than pleased (except for the finish).
Haven't seen many of these before...
Detective Spencer moved on from the Police Department to support the war effort and then became a full-fledged locomotive engineer (my other dream job, btw) before returning to the Greene County Sheriff's office in the late 40's.
Something happened in 1949 which required a new 3.5" barrel which was billed to the Sheriff at the time. I'm going to guess he either shot it out or clubbed someone with it (actually I have no idea).
Unfortunately, there was a fire at the local Springfield newspaper in 1947 which destroyed their archive from the 30's-40's so most of Deputy Spencer's stories are lost for the time being, but below are a few snippets I was able to find.
After retiring, Deputy Spencer reached out to the relatively new Historical Consultant at Smith & Wesson to reaffirm his shipping date on his RM
And then seemed to be in the selling mood in 1973. Thankfully he didn't sell but did save a copy of this letter which includes some very interesting information about his career and this 357 in particular.
Here is the group shot of the Deputy’s two duty weapons
Added 7 Sept 19.
The Greene County Archives provided copies of the inquiry testimony from the Medical Examiner's Office for the shooting referenced in Deputy Spencer's letter above. I have the whole file to include the original summons', all testimony, and the verdict. Posted here are some pages from Deputy Spencer's and Sheriff Hendrix's testimony.
The cliff notes backstory is Mr. Duncan was feared as dangerously mentally disturbed by his neighbors and a warrant was issued to take him into custody and have him sent back to a mental institution. Mr. Duncan was noted by his family and neighbors to have stated he would shoot it out with anyone trying to take him back. Apparently he attempted to follow through on that threat.
Deputy Spencer:
Sheriff Hendrix:
Newspaper article found by the Springfield Police Museum:
While I was visiting Deputy Spencer’s grandson he pulled this shotgun out of the safe. The Deputy took ownership and passed down the shotgun pointed at him in 1950. Of all the shootings he was involved in, he apparently never spoke of that one.
Edited to add a few more pictures from the Springfield Police Museum:
1940 department picture.
1942 Department headshots. Detective Spencer is second row, far left.
He's also listed on this arrest report for a gent with a lengthy record.
Update from November 2019:
In researching the RM I got in contact with Deputy Spencer’s grandson. Our first phone conversation lasted over two hours and he let me know that if I ever looked to sell he’d want the revolver back in the family. On Veteran’s Day I travelled back to Greene County and the RM returned home for good. While there, I got to see some other artifacts from Deputy Spencer’s career.
Some tools of the trade from another era:
A plaque with his badge:
A deputy card from Sheriff Floyd (Pretty Boy’s brother) in OK:
It was a great day and I’m glad the revolver has returned home where it belongs.
Last edited:
Loved all the photos as well. A hearty "Well Done!"
