Samuel Colt (born Hartfor, Connecticut July 19, 1814 - died Hartford, Connecticut January 10, 1862) was an American inventor and industrialist. He was the founder of the Colt's Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company (now known as Colt's Manufacturing Company), and is widely credited with popularizing the revolver gun. Colt's innovative contributions to industry have been described by arms historian James E. Serven as "events which shaped the destiny of American Firearms."