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Hello,
I have been looking for any information to prove the history of a Winchester 1894 in my family, more concretely. I know at least anecdotally that this firearm was used in, and taken from the Ludlow Massacre. As the story has been told to me by multiple people in my family, it was taken by my Great Grandfather, who was a coal miner at the time, off of a slain (Pinkerton?) or some sort of combatant against the Miners during the conflict. I know that only 3 people were reported to have been killed in the massacre but this seems to only reference one part of the entire conflict. So this rifle was either A: taken from one of the 3 recorded non Miners killed, which I think were Colorado National Guardsmen, which this seems unlikely to me as what photos I’ve seen appear to have the National Guardsmen carrying 1903 Springfields. Or B: it was taken of a slain Pinkerton or other sort of strikebreaker during situation before or after the big fire/massacre at the center of the ordeal.
Anyhow, I realize its highly unlikely to find any information on this in a documented way, but was wondering if anyone might have any ideas on places to look for possible info, or knowledge I don’t. I haven’t noticed any particular markings that seem odd, the serial is 644370, which dates to produced in late 1912 I believe. This is the only picture I have of it currently:
Thanks,
John
Hello John,
Model 1894 serial number 644370 was manufactured (serialized) in the last week of December 1913, and it more than likely not sent from the assembly room to the warehouse for shipment until sometime in January, 1914. Does that fit with the timeline for the Ludlow Massacre?
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
Hello John,Model 1894 serial number 644370 was manufactured (serialized) in the last week of December 1913, and it more than likely not sent from the assembly room to the warehouse for shipment until sometime in January, 1914. Does that fit with the timeline for the Ludlow Massacre?
Bert
Hello Bert,
Thank you for your reply, yes that timeframe would fit in. The events at Ludlow occurred between September 1913 through December 1914, with the actual Ludlow Massacre taking place on April 20th 1914. Tensions started to get violent seemingly around March – April of 1914.
As the Wiki page for the incident puts it – “Confrontations between striking miners and working miners, whom the union called scabs, sometimes resulted in deaths. Frequent sniper attacks on the tent colonies drove the miners to dig pits beneath the tents to hide in. Armed battles also occurred between (mostly Greek) strikers and sheriffs recently deputized to suppress the strike: this was the Colorado Coalfield War.[28]“
In further reading, it seems that this rifle could have come from a few different groups involved against the Miners:
Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency, the main hired force to counteract the Miners.
Colorado Fuel & Iron Company mine camp guards
National Guardsmen (unlikely)
Local Colorado Militias/Sheriffs
That sounds like a great research opportunity for a retired person (or a student), especially if they live in the area. I’m about 100 miles but I’m not retired yet. LOL!
Anyway, I bet if you hit all the area libraries/museums and took a deep dive, you might come up with something. The weapon was pretty new at the time and may have been part of a kit-up for those specific troubles. Which group may have ordered up multiple rifles from local hardware stores (Sanborn Maps) because they didn’t have “issue” weapons like the CO Guard? Who was sympathetic and selling to the mine side?
Those on the mine side who were killed, or the specific incidents where they were over-run (and may have dropped the weapon), are probably really limited. There would have to be write-ups in the local rags at the time. Maybe cross-reference worker publications with mine-side publications. See if they are in agreement on times, dates and locations. That might narrow down when and where the weapon changed hands. If whoever lost it lived, they were probably pissed, especially if they paid for the weapon. And they would have been embarrassed so the story may not have gotten out. But if they were killed or wounded, and retrieved without a weapon, that would be a lead.
This country was “settled” and “civilized” at the time and had news and journalists and records. It’s not like an anonymous ambush on the prairie in the 1860s. Good luck and keep us posted. Of course, if you give it to me, I’d be happy to squeeze in the research. 
Looks like that 1894 has nickel trimmings.
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
Huck Riley said
That sounds like a great research opportunity for a retired person (or a student), especially if they live in the area. I’m about 100 miles but I’m not retired yet. LOL!Anyway, I bet if you hit all the area libraries/museums and took a deep dive, you might come up with something. The weapon was pretty new at the time and may have been part of a kit-up for those specific troubles. Which group may have ordered up multiple rifles from local hardware stores (Sanborn Maps) because they didn’t have “issue” weapons like the CO Guard? Who was sympathetic and selling to the mine side?
Those on the mine side who were killed, or the specific incidents where they were over-run (and may have dropped the weapon), are probably really limited. There would have to be write-ups in the local rags at the time. Maybe cross-reference worker publications with mine-side publications. See if they are in agreement on times, dates and locations. That might narrow down when and where the weapon changed hands. If whoever lost it lived, they were probably pissed, especially if they paid for the weapon. And they would have been embarrassed so the story may not have gotten out. But if they were killed or wounded, and retrieved without a weapon, that would be a lead.
This country was “settled” and “civilized” at the time and had news and journalists and records. It’s not like an anonymous ambush on the prairie in the 1860s. Good luck and keep us posted. Of course, if you give it to me, I’d be happy to squeeze in the research.
Good points, Ill try to look for some local maps and reports form the time if there may be some. The story as I understand it is that my great Grandfather killed whoever the rifle belonged to with a .32 revolver and took the rifle from him and continued using it against the strikebreakers. I don’t have the rifle with me though haha, my great uncle (great grandfathers son) had given it to me to clean a while back, hence why it appears to have nickel trim, the original bluing/finish was well beyond saving except for the barrel and mag tube, and just wiped away. Action still works and all, though just feels probably not as tight as it would have 100 years ago lol.
Hello
Here’s a digital archive I went through in the past when looking for old photos for the book and magazine. There were a number of mining images for Ludlow and other sites (with firearms) that you might find interesting. In my case, it looks like I had searched photographs-western history, but there’s a lot more there than that. Maybe they’d have something you’d find helpful:
November 7, 2015
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I would also ask any living relatives for written recollections of any oral history or any letters that may have mentioned the carbine. When those recollections match up with written history I feel it makes for interesting provenance.
Mike
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