The Beginning
Jefferson Milton Davis was born in Sylvania, Fla. on Nov. 7, 1861, and was the son of the Confederate governor, General John Milton. After the Civil War, the family resided on the remnant of the large family estate, which had been taken over by the new government.
Milton moved to Texas at age 15, working for a relative in a mercantile store, while also trying his hand at cowboying in the old Fort Griffin buffalo country. On July 27, 1880, armed with a few letters from prominent citizenry, Milton went to Texas Ranger headquarters in Austin. Lying about his age by three years, he stated he was the required 21 years of age and was quickly sworn in as a Texas Ranger private.
Back in those days, Rangers supplied their own guns. Milton went with a Colt .45 SAA and an 1873 .44 WCF carbine. The rangers were given 100 cartridges to go with their guns, as well as a stipend of 12 rifle and pistol cartridges per month, which the State considered ample.
Milton later obtained a Colt Frontier .44-40 so he could have the same ammunition as his .44 WCF carbine. Unfortunately, when shooting the revolver the first time, the gun tied up with the cylinder locking up tight from primer flow-back. This happened every time Milton shot the gun.
The .44-40 was quickly traded for a highly ornate .45 Colt Milton got from a gambler. The .45 Colt was Milton’s chosen caliber from then on. Later, he was known to carry a second .45 Colt, a cutdown “shorty” possibly a sheriff’s model, in a shoulder holster hidden under his shirt. This second gun was said to have saved him on several occasions.
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