The accompanying letter lists this rifle with a 26 inch octagon barrel in .38 caliber and pistol grip stock when shipped on August 7, 1894. Although not confirmed by the factory letter, the engraving, inscription and deluxe checkered pistol grip stock are definitely factory. As noted Marlin expert William Brophy explained, "Unfortunately, the few remaining factory records do not, with any regularity, indicate if the gun was factory engraved or not." Factory engraved Model 1889s are rare with high condition examples like this one being even rarer. At the time the rifle was manufactured, famed engravers Conrad F. and his son George Ulrich worked at Marlin. The sides of the casehardened receiver feature profuse floral scrollwork on a stippled background along with scroll borders. The top of the receiver features light scrollwork and is marked "MARLIN SAFETY." The scrollwork is equal to Marlin's factory grade no. 5 pattern with the addition of an inscription. The left side of the receiver has the inscription inside an oval panel. The inscription reads, "W.W. Taylor/Sheriff/of LaSalle County/Illinois/May 24th 1894." The barrel is marked with the two-line address/patent dates marking ahead of the rear sight and "38-W" at the breech and is equipped with a combination Beach front sight and elevation adjustable rear sight. The rifle is also equipped with a folding tang peep sight. The highly figured forearm and pistol grip stock feature factory multi-point No. B style checkering. The buttstock is fitted with a casehardened crescent buttplate. The Von Lengerke & Antoinne of Chicago retailer marked leather case is adorned with a minimalist entwining line motif, wonderful "WWT" monogram and "W.W. Taylor,/Chicago, Ill." inscription. William W. Taylor was born in Chicago on October 31, 1853 to an Illinois coal pioneer father, and when he was 16 years old the Taylor family moved to LaSalle, Illinois, in 1869. After receiving an education at Chicago University and University of Notre Dame in Indiana, Taylor spent most of his life in the coal industry, eventually becoming president of the St. Paul Coal Company. He also had a prominent public service life and served the city of LaSalle as the city clerk in 1877/78, fifth ward alderman for two years and circuit clerk for two terms. At the end of his second circuit clerk term, Taylor, now a resident of Ottawa, became the supervisor of that township and later second ward alderman. From 1890 to 1894 he was sheriff of LaSalle County. As retold in his obituary, it was during the bituminous coal miners' strike of 1894 that Sheriff Taylor traveled to LaSalle “to settle the trouble and because of his interference with the strikers and law breakers he was shot four times and was pounded and beaten until he was nearly dead.” In a demand for better wages, which had been cut during the panic of 1893, coal miners across the United States united and began a nationwide strike on April 21, 1894 that unsuccessfully ended eight weeks later. In several counties the strike became violent, as Taylor personally experienced on May 24 when a firefight erupted between the strikers and about 40 law enforcement officers. The officers, who were mostly wounded including Taylor, retreated after running out of ammunition. The situation in LaSalle was not resolved until early July when a well-armed militia of about 60 men was raised to force the 2,000 miners to capitulate. When the militia was deployed a still recovering Taylor “came back to the heat of trouble, wrapped in blankets to help settle the difficulties and disturbances at the mines.” This rifle was shipped in August 1894; about a month after the tension coal strike in LaSalle ended. Moreover, 1894 marked the end of Taylor’s tenure as sheriff. Perhaps the rifle was a fitting retirement gift from fellow law enforcement officers and/or city officials who wanted to show their gratitude and appreciation for their local heroic sheriff severely wounded in the line of duty while attempting to quell violence in their city that resulted from the coal strike of 1894. After his tenure as sheriff, Taylor returned to the coal industry in various positions at various companies through the remainder of his life. Six weeks prior to his sudden death from sepsis in December 1911, Taylor was elected president of the St. Paul Coal Company. Ten days prior to his death he was appointed a member of the state mine rescue station commission. As the name implies, mine rescue stations responded to mine disasters and emergencies at underground coal mines and were in their infancy in 1911. As a member of the mine rescue station commission, Taylor would have assisted in the creation of the first mine rescue teams, which Illinois continues to maintain to this day. Taylor also had close ties to hotel interests in Ottawa. From 1883 until 1905, he retained ownership of the proclaimed “finest hostelry between Chicago and St. Louis,” the Clifton Hotel. Comes with an extensive research file related to the life of W.W. Taylor which includes copies of period newspapers, estate records and LaSalle County publications and documents. The included provenance letter from Liscom Cox explains that the rifle was gifted to Roy Mountain by the grandson of W.W. Taylor, Robert Morris, and then, after “about 2 years,” it was purchased by Liscom A. Cox.

Exceptionally fine. The barrel and magazine retain 90% original blue finish. The forend cap retains 70% original blue finish. 90% original blue finish remains on the loading gate. The receiver, hammer and lever retain 90% vivid original case colors. The casehardened buttplate has silvered out. The engraving and inscription are crisp. The wood is very fine with minor dings and scratches, a couple divots and a few blemishes in the overall crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. The case is fine with a broken closure strap, flex wear on the flap, and minor handling/storage marks. A rare and desirable factory engraved Marlin deluxe Model 1889 with the added bonus of being factory inscribed to an identified and well-documented heroic Illinois sheriff.