Page 78 - 88-BOOK3

Jeff Kurtz
LOT 3096
The books “Indian River Country Volume 2, 1890-1892” by Jim and Bonnie Garmon and “Forgotten Heroes: Police Officers Killed in Early Florida, 1840-1925” by Dr. William Wilbanks which provided
much of the following information. Jefferson Davis Kurtz (1861-1895) of Virginia was a descendant of Johann Adam Kurtz who had served as Daniel Morgan’s bodyguard during the American Revolution. Kurtz lived in Texas in the 1880s before moving to DeLand, Florida, in 1887. Florida in the period was largely a sparsely settled frontier and well-known for lawlessness. There he served as a deputy sheriff, city marshal, and then was elected sheriff of Volusia County in 1892. He was known as the “brave
little sheriff ” and had a reputation of being “fast with his fists and his gun.” He was an efficient and determined lawman. He was shot and killed on April 25, 1895, in Ormond, Florida, while assisting Putnam County Sheriff J.W. Hagan in trying to arrest a suspect in a shooting after an East Coast Line Railroad pay dispute. His assailant, Judge Roland, was wounded by Kurtz in an exchange of gunfire at
a cabin and then killed by Sheriff Hagan shortly after Roland shot Kurtz in the chest with a Winchester rifle. Kurtz was the first Volusia County Sheriff’s Department officer killed on duty. The department has shared a cropped group photograph of Kurtz appearing to be armed with this revolver. His brother Deputy Sheriff Charles M. Kurtz was killed when he dropped his revolver and it discharged in 1907 hitting him in the throat, and his nephew Deputy Sheriff William Kurtz Kremer was also shot and killed in 1898, on his very first day as a deputy. April 25, 1995, was declared “Sheriff Jefferson Davis Kurtz Remembrance Day” in his honor by the Volusia County Council. The Southern Express Co. had rail lines throughout the South, and there was an attempted robbery of one of their express cars in May 1892, during which one of their agents was shot and killed and another shot twice and seriously wounded. The robbers fled the scene and were pursued by Sheriff Kurtz and other lawmen. It was reported that he received rewards from the express companies for arrests of outlaws that preyed upon their business. Per Wilbanks, the transportation of Kurtz’s casket from Florida to his hometown of Winchester, Virginia, “was paid for by the Southern Express Company in appreciation for Sheriff Kurtz’s service in ‘running down’ the ‘Monroe Junction train robbers’ several years earlier.”
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Historic Documented “Soft Shipped” New York Engraved Antique Black Powder Colt Single Action Army Revolver with Grip Inscribed “Presented to Jeff Kurtz by the Southern Ex. Co. Vigilante 1892” and Factory Letter - Serial no. 121971, 45 Long Colt cal., 7 1/2 inch round bbl., nickel finish, antique ivory grips. The factory letter lists this fascinating revolver as one of four guns of this type in a shipment to Hartley & Graham in New York City
on April 15, 1887, in .45 caliber with 7 1/2 inch barrels, “Soft” finish, and grips not listed. The remarks state that “soft” finish “indicates subject revolver was shipped without final finishing for engraving outside our factory.” The revolver has classic L.D. Nimschke style New York engraving consisting of scroll patterns with beaded backgrounds, wavy line designs
and accents, “Nimschke stars,” and floral/fan patterns on the recoil shield
and loading gate. Cuno Helfricht and the factory engravers of the period
also used similar patterns. The revolver is finished with nickel plating
and niter blue screws. The barrel has a blade front sight and the one-
line address. The ejector has the smaller dished button. The frame has
the three-line patent marking. The trigger guard is marked “45 CAL” on
the left side of the bow. The assembly number “756” is marked on the
loading gate arm. The matching serial number, “121971,” is marked on the frame, trigger guard, and back strap. The antique ivory grip is inscribed with “Presented to/Jeff Kurtz/->by the<-/ Southern Ex. Co./Vigilante/1892.” on the left side with black enamel fill.