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ON THIS DAY NOVEMBER 28, 1810 Oliver Winchester born in Massachusetts, classic gunmaker and Republican Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut Oliver Winchester, He began his career building churches, then opened a furnishing shop. Later ventures included a clothing factory. Winchester relocated to Connecticut and bought a controlling interest in the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company from Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson — yes, that Smith and Wesson. Redesigning their rifle, chief engineer Benjamin Henry named it after himself. There were thousands of Henry rifles with Union forces during the Civil War. An improved Henry rifle became the classic Winchester rifle. Winchester served on the New Haven city council and cast an electoral vote for Abraham Lincoln's second term. In 1866, he was elected Lieutenant Governor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_rifle