Colt

Colt, Samuel (1814-1862), an American, noted as the inventor of the revolving pistol. He was born at Hartford, Connecticut, and as a boy ran away from his father's silk factory and went to sea for one voyage, during which he made a model of his pistol. On his return he learnt chemistry and lectured upon it for two years in order to raise money to carry out his invention. The first effort proved a commercial failure, but in 1847 the government ordered 1,000 for the Mexican War, and the general adoption of the patent throughout the world made the venture a thorough success.