Winchester, Oliver Fisher

Winchester, Oliver Fisher

▪ American manufacturer
born Nov. 30, 1810, Boston
died Dec. 11, 1880, New Haven, Conn., U.S.

      U.S. manufacturer of guns and ammunition who developed the Winchester rifle and made the Winchester Repeating Arms Company a success by the shrewd purchase and improvement of the inventions of other men.

      As a young man, Winchester moved to Baltimore and operated a men's furnishing store there until 1848, when he set up a factory in New Haven to manufacture dress shirts. His financial success enabled him, in 1857, to purchase the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company of New Haven, successively reorganized as the New Haven Arms Company, and, in 1867, the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.

      B.T. Henry, whom he retained as plant manager and chief gun designer, had designed the lever-action Henry repeating rifle and patented it in 1860. Widely used in the Civil War, it was the forerunner of a long line of Winchester guns, including the famous Model 73, a favourite weapon of the settlers in the American West.

      Winchester augmented his line by purchasing the patents of the American Repeating Rifle Company, the Spencer Repeating Rifle Company, and the bolt-action repeating rifle of Benjamin B. Hotchkiss. Winchester was also noted for his philanthropy, particularly to Yale University.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Winchester, Oliver (Fisher) — born Nov. 30, 1810, Boston, Mass., U.S. died Dec. 11, 1880, New Haven, Conn. U.S. manufacturer of guns and ammunition. He initially set up a factory to manufacture dress shirts, and his success enabled him to purchase the Volcanic Repeating Arms… …   Universalium

  • Winchester, Oliver (Fisher) — (30 nov. 1810, Boston, Mass., EE.UU.–11 dic. 1880, New Haven, Conn.). Fabricante de armas de fuego y municiones estadounidense. Primero instaló una fábrica de camisas de vestir, y su éxito le permitió adquirir la fábrica de armas de repetición… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Oliver Fisher Winchester — Infobox Person name = Oliver Fisher Winchester image size = caption = Winchester circa 1847 birth date = November 30, 1810 birth place = Boston death date = December 11, 1880 death place = New Haven, Connecticut occupation = Winchester Repeating… …   Wikipedia

  • Oliver Winchester — Oliver Fisher Winchester (* 30. November 1810 in Boston, Massachusetts; † 11. Dezember 1880 ebenda) war ein amerikanischer Geschäftsmann und Politiker. Leben und Wirkung Winchester, gelernter Schreiner, machte sein Geld als Hemdenfabrikant und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Oliver — Oliver, Joan Oliver, Joe Oliver, Miguel de los Santos * * * (as used in expressions) Cromwell, Oliver Davis, Benjamin O(liver), Jr. Ellsworth, Oliver Evans, Oliver Goldsmith …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Fisher — Fisher, Irving Fisher, John * * * (as used in expressions) Ames, Fisher Fisher, Irving Fisher (de Kilverstone), John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1 barón Fisher, Sir R(onald) A(ylmer) Winchester, Oliver (Fisher) …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Winchester — /win ches teuhr, cheuh steuhr/, n. 1. a city in Hampshire, in S England: cathedral; capital of the early Wessex kingdom and of medieval England. 88,700. 2. a town in E Massachusetts, near Boston. 20,701. 3. a city in N Virginia: Civil War battles …   Universalium

  • fisher — /fish euhr/, n. 1. any animal that catches fish for food. 2. a fisherman. 3. a dark brown or blackish marten, Martes pennanti, of northern North America. 4. the fur of this animal. [bef. 900; ME fisscher fisherman, OE fiscere. See FISH, ER1] * *… …   Universalium

  • Fisher — /fish euhr/, n. 1. Andrew, 1862 1928, Australian statesman, born in Scotland: prime minister 1908 09, 1910 13, 1914 15. 2. Dorothy Canfield /kan feeld /, (Dorothea Frances Canfield Fisher), 1879 1958, U.S. novelist. 3. Irving, 1867 1947, U.S.… …   Universalium

  • Oliver — /ol euh veuhr/, n. 1. one of the 12 paladins of Charlemagne. Cf. Roland. 2. Joseph ( King ), 1885? 1938, U.S. cornet player, bandleader, and composer: pioneer in jazz. 3. a male given name. * * * (as used in expressions) Cromwell Oliver Davis… …   Universalium

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