December 6-8, 2023 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/6/2023
According to an included copy of an affidavit signed by Daryl Dwyers, this rifle belonged to Tom Rynning, a famed member of the Arizona Rangers, Rough Riders, and a U.S. Marshal. Rynning was born in Norway and immigrated with his parents in 1868, at the age of 2, when the family settled in Wisconsin. In 1885, Rynning enlisted in the 8th Cavalry regiment and participated in the Indian Wars, serving under Sheridan against the Cheyenne before transferring to the Arizona Territory, where he served under Fountain and fought in the Apache Wars, including being present when Leonard Wood captured Geronimo. Rynning then rode to Dakota and fought in the Ghost Dance War before he was honorably discharged in 1891. After the Indian Wars, he settled in Tucson, Arizona, and became a building contractor. In 1898 Leonard Wood, whom Rynning knew and was friends with, was raising soldiers for a volunteer cavalry regiment for the Spanish-American War, and Rynning joined as a private in the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, known as the Rough Riders. He fought at San Juan Heights, where he assumed field command of the Americans after Captain O'Neill was shot in the head, leading the Rough Riders up Kettle Hill, and ordering the waving of the regiment flag from the top of the hill (incidentally, that flag is now preserved in the state capitol building in Phoenix, Arizona), and then joining Roosevelt on the charge up San Juan Hill. After the war, another Rough Rider, Alexander Brodie, was elected governor of Arizona, and appointed Rynning as the new captain of the Arizona Rangers after the resignation of Burton Mossman. As the captain of the Rangers, Rynning was involved in the Clifton and Morenci riots, the Cananea Strike, and the 1906 raid of Partido Liberal Mexicano, which uncovered weapon caches intended for raids into Mexico. He resigned from captaincy in 1907, and President Taft appointed him to the position of Superintendent of the Yuma Territorial Prison, which Rynning immediately abandoned in favor of beginning construction of the Prison Complex at Florence, which is still in use. He was removed as superintendent in 1912 by a new governor, George Hunt, and was reinstated by Hunt's successor, Edward Campbell, in 1921. He would later move to San Diego, where he became a deputy marshal in 1934, and served as undersheriff before dying in 1941. He was buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, where his tombstone still stands. The rifle was made in 1921 and is fit with a blued 20" nickel steel round barrel with pinned blade front sight and standard rear sight. Chambered in .30 W.C.F. with full magazine. Barrel with typical legends. Blued solid saddle ring frame with blued loading gate and plain trigger. Shotgun style butt with smooth steel buttplate and matching plain walnut forearm. CONDITION: Overall good. 90% original factory barrel finish with light usage wear and random handling marks. Action has faded to a silvery patina with traces of blue left on the loading gate, lever, hammer, and bolt. 80% original stock varnish with usage dings and marks; most offensive at toe. Good mechanics, bright bore with visible rifling. PROVENANCE: Accompanied by a binder with copies of photos of Rynning, copy of aforementioned affidavit signed by Daryl Dwyers and witnessed by Captain Gerald Rowe, attesting that this gun, listed by serial number, was purchased and used by Rynning. Dwyers relates some history as well, some of which does not suit the provided dates (the gun was manufactured too late for Rynning to have used as an Arizona Ranger, and the Rangers disbanded in 1909, making it impossible for him to have been a tracker for them after he was Superintendent) but may just be misremembering family stories told to him. Dwyers states that the Winchester was given to his mother, Rynning's daughter, who then passed it to him, and Rynning was turning overship over to "Sgt. Taylor, making it his property and do hereby disclaim ownership of it." Other contents include various scans of books, newspapers, and printouts of webpages discussing Rynning. PROVENANCE: Ex. Dick Burdick, Ex. Schreiner collections.
Paperwork
Binder of Information