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LOT 112
Newly Discovered,
Historic Montana Territory
Deputy Sheriff William
W. Tuttle’s Presentation
Inscribed Black Powder
Colt Single Action Army
Revolver with Personal
Archive - Serial no. 80185, 45 Long Colt cal., 5 1/2 inch round
bbl., nickel finish, antique ivory grips. Offered here are the
personal effects including an inscribed Colt Single Action
Army revolver that belonged to Dawson County, Montana
Deputy Sheriff William Warren Tuttle, Jr. (1856-1924) who
later became the mayor of Fernie, British Columbia, Canada.
This historic archive has remained with the Tuttle family until
now. Rock Island Auction Company is pleased to unveil for
the first time to the public this newly discovered presentation
inscribed Single Action Army.
Our story begins with William Warren Tuttle, Jr.’s father,
William Warren Tuttle, Sr. As told by his obituary, Senior was
“one of the early settlers of Minnesota, coming to Minnesota
in 1851, when that state was yet a territory. He moved to
Montana in 1885.” His other son, Henry, became sheriff
of Dawson County. By early June 1885, Henry appointed
his brother William, Jr. as jailor. Period newspapers record
William, Jr. with the additional title of deputy sheriff as early
as June 1886 in an expense report: “W.W. Tuttle, deputy
and jailor, $100.” William’s official appoint to deputy sheriff
is recorded in an accompanying handwritten statement
by his brother Henry which is dated January 4, 1887. Per
the statement, “I, Henry C. Tuttle, Sheriff of Dawson Co. do
hereby appoint and create William W. Tuttle Jr. a Deputy
Sheriff in and for said county Dawson.” The revolver was
manufactured in 1882, and the inscription on the back strap
points to the revolver being presented to William when he
became a deputy sheriff: “W.W. Tuttle/Dep Sheriff/Dawson
Co. MT./1886.” Otherwise, the revolver has standard Colt
markings and matching serial numbers on the frame, trigger
guard, and back strap.
William was the mayor of Fernie, British Columbia,
Canada, when the town was wiped out by a forest fire
on August 1, 1908. The Great Fire of 1908, as it was
called, saw the community burn to the ground in less
than 90 minutes. Fortunately, no one was killed ,but the
wake of destruction left over $5 million in property damage.
This was a staggering amount that by today’s money and
would be valued at over $158 million U.S. All the residents
lost their homes and possessions
with the exception of the clothes
they were wearing. Along with his
wife, William lead a relief committee
which distributed relief provided by
surrounding communities for three months.
William relinquished the office of mayor in 1909 and as
a token of appreciation the Fernie police department
presented William and his wife with an ornate sterling
silver serving dish which is included. This dish is
inscribed, “PRESENTED/TO/Mayor & Mrs. W.W. Tuttle/AS
A TOKEN OF RESPECT/UPON HIS RELINQUISHING OFFICE/
BY THE FERNIE CITY POLICE/E.J. Cook Chief R. Clark & R.
Bowen Constables/1909.” For years William was the owner
of the Royal Hotel in Fernie. After selling the property, he
lived in Spokane, Washington, engaged in the real estate
business circa 1909 until his death in 1924. His relocation
to Spokane may have been inspired by his work with the
relief committee. His wife recalled, “Spokane contributed
generously. We received from here a car of bread and a car of
meat, besides lots of other supplies, clothing and bedding,
shipped through the Chamber of Commerce. Hundreds of
dollars in case was sent direct to Mr. Tuttle as mayor for relief
work.” On the August 7, 1908, front page to “The Spokesman
Review”, William Tuttle is pictured with W.D. Finley who was
in charge of Spokane Chamber of Commerce relief car. At the
bottom of the page is an image of the destruction at Fernie
caused by the firestorm. This front page is included and is
displayed in a frame. Also included is William’s business card
when he was mayor and the photo of William that made it
onto the aforementioned front page of “The
Spokesman Review”.
William was well acquainted with President Theodore
Roosevelt. As explained by a period newspaper, “Mr. Tuttle
was an intimate friend of President Roosevelt and had rode
the range and slept on the ground with him. When Roosevelt
visited Spokane, Mr. Tuttle was invited to come here and
serve on the reception committee of 25 which welcomed
the president to the city.” The visit occurred in 1911. This
was a return to Spokane for the former president. In 1903,
Roosevelt was the first sitting U.S. president to visit Spokane.
In this own words, William recalled meeting Roosevelt for the
first time: “When I first met [Roosevelt] he had just come to
Dakota on the Little Missouri river. He was just learning the
ways of the west. Everything was a novelty to him and he
was a novelty to everybody. But he was an awful good
fellow. He was the great question asker I ever saw. He had
to be told about everything and nothing seemed to escape
him.” On September 8, 1883 Roosevelt arrived in the town
of Little Missouri in Dakota Territory and for the next two
weeks hunted bison. Over the next several years Roosevelt
made several more trips to the Dakota Territory as well as
to Montana. When Roosevelt won the 1904 presidential
election William sent his friend his congratulations. In return,
Roosevelt sent William a thank you on official U.S. president
stationary. Around the size of a note card, the official “The
President” marked stationary features the handwritten
note, “With hearty thanks for your congratulations.” This
presidential note along with the original mailing envelope
addressed to William is presented in a framed display along
with an image of an older William and a period newspaper
article retelling the moment William greeted the former
president during the 1911 visit to Spokane. The envelope
is postmarked November 18, 1904, just ten days after the
election. Roosevelt left the presidency in 1909 after his
term expired and went on a ten month African safari and
European tour. In 1912, Roosevelt jumped back into politics
to unsuccessfully run for president as a third party candidate
on the Progressive ticket.
Other items in the William W. Tuttle archive include
the following:
Three photographs showing Tuttle wearing cowboy gear, a
felt hat that appears to be the same hat worn by Tuttle in the
photos, whip, leather holster rig with a 4 3/4 inch SAA holster
by Wright, Beverly & Co. of Dodge City, Kansas, wide leather
tooled kidney belt, riding crop, boot hook, box of Remington-
UMC .45 caliber cartridges, and image of a young Tuttle on 6
inch diameter circular tin.
CONDITION: Very fine, retaining 97% untouched period,
possibly retailer applied nickel plating with modified front
sight. The well executed authentic inscription is crisp.
The slightly age shrunken grips are fine with typical age
lines, some handling marks, and attractive mellow aged
appearance. Mechanically functions, although needs work
as hammer has only three clicks. A Montana deputy sheriff
inscribed Colt SAA that will make a great addition to any
frontier or law enforcement collection.
Provenance: Montana Deputy Sheriff and Fernie,
B.C. Mayor William W. Tuttle, Jr. and his descendants.
Estimate: 25,000 - 50,000
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