Samuel L. Hart was born at Solon, Courtland County N.Y. , a gunsmith, machinist and manufacture who held several patents, enlisted in the 10th Wisconsin Infantry in August 1861, commissioned 2d lieutenant; he re-enlisted in the 41st Wisconsin Infantry in June, 1864 , in which he was commissioned Captain; an assistant signal-officer for the 4th Division Army of the Tennessee; seeing action in several battle's including at Pittsburg Landing , during the Siege of Corinth and Forrest's Raid into Memphis , where under the orders of General Nelson, Capt. Hart crossed the river at Pittsburg. He landed under heavy fire, as bearer of dispatches to General Buell, whom he found on the field, signaled Gen. Buell's orders across the river back to his commander. Captain Hart was finally discharged in October of 1864 returning to his home in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Like so many other veterans, Hart decided to head west to seek his fortune, settling with his young wife, Jane, daughter Minnie and three sons in the boomtown of Tombstone, Arizona Territory where he set up his Hart's Gun Shop on Fremont Street in the early 1880's, located just a short distance from the famous Fly Photography studio and right next door to the O.K. Corral. Hart was a highly regarded and skilled gunsmith (The Territories only). Spangenberg's Gun Shop sold guns, however they did not repair or make them, thus S.L. was entrusted with both basic repairs as well as also sought out for his special colt pistols. Some of Hart's more notable clients were Wyatt Earp , Doc Holiday , Ike Clanton and Buckskin Frank Leslie . Leslie's own famous 10" long barreled Colt "Buntline" was in fact a Colt factory model S.A.A. 45 in which S.L. Hart specially ordered.
On Oct. 26th of 1881 Samuel Hart, while working in his store would be one of the relatively few witnesses to the streetfight that made Tombstone and the Earp's famous. Historical records indicate Mayor Clum made a very unusual exception just two days later on the 28th, when issuing Hart a rare permit to carry a loaded firearm within town limits was granted (something strictly forbidden except for lawmen).
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