A piece of family history

[kragluver]

For Christmas my father gave me a Colt SAA that originally belonged to my GGG grandfather. This man was a Methodist circuit rider in South Texas in the 1850s. One of his sons was killed in an Indian raid near San Antonio in about 1859 and in grief, the family moved back to Tennessee. Along about 1876, my GGG came back to Texas packing this Colt. He founded the Methodist Church in LaVernia, Tx South of San Antonio.

The serial number dates the Colt to 1876. It was handed down through the family.... My gg uncle carried it as sheriff of Guadalupe county around turn of the century. He had the barrel cut down to 5". When dad got it in 1960, my mother had the gun re-blued and a modern smokeless barrel and cylinder installed. I have the original black powder parts together with the gun today. I'll post a picture when I get back to my home computer.

[butlersrangers]

Sounds like a real Family Treasure!

[Ned Butts]

Looking forward to those pictures!!! What an amazing family history involved!!

[reincarnated]

I think it absolutely marvelous that the family has been able to keep their own history as well as the old Colt. Too much of the real America perishes each day.

[psteinmayer]

All I can say is WOW! What an amazing family story and piece of history!!! Can't wait to see the pictures...

[FredC]

Kragluver, are you still near La Vernia? I am down in the south part of the county near the big town of Dewees, and used to live in Guadalupe county.
Another member mentioned working on a ranch near Pleasanton. It is a small world. I was going to ask the other fellow what he missed down here, we do see wildlife regularly, but it is hard to miss the stifling heat, rattlesnakes, scorpions, fire ants and all these other things that try to bite and kill you when you work out on the ranch.

[kragluver]

I have lived in the Fort Worth area since 1989 (Aledo for the past 14 years). I grew up on the north side of SA but my dad grew up on a farm on the elmendorf-LaVernia road. The remainder of that property was just recently sold. My parents still live near Bulverde. Dad still has a lot of friends in that area and points south.

The church in LaVernia has a historical marker with my GGG grandfather's name. Also, a great many of my ancestors are buried in the concrete cemetery in LaVernia (Dorsett & McGee).