Item about J. L. Christensen, bootmaker in Texas
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Item about J. L. Christensen, bootmaker in Texas
 RedRiverTXOK
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Posted: 19 Jun 2009 12:28AM GMT |
Classification: Query
Surnames: Ware, Haynes, Cain
Big Spring Herald
Big Spring, Texas
Sunday, October 24, 1965
Historic Hand-Sewn Boots Available for a Museum
By SAM BLACKBURN
A weathered pair of boots, at least 90 years old, believed worn by a member of a luckless band of Fort Concho soldiers who were ambushed by a war party of Comanches, is available for display in a museum, provided the museum is one on a well established basis and the boots will be cared for.
The footgear, according to the present owner, J. L. CHRISTENSEN, was found near “Mushaway Creek” in what is now either Borden or Garza Counties soon after the Fort Concho troopers had met their disaster. The story told is that all of the cavalrymen with one exception died in the ambush. One, identified in legend as Capt. JACK WARE, is said to had escaped. He hid his saddle and blankets in a tree and made his way by foot to Fort Concho.
Apparently, the pair of boots which Christensen has, were removed from the feet of one of WARE’S fellow soldiers. They made of rawhide, cut in the simplest possible form, handsewn with the soles and heels fastened with wooden pegs.
CHRISTENESN said that old time rancher in Borden County gave the boots to the late H. H. HAYNES, who died a few years ago. Haynes was the grandfather of Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. He kept the relics for years but gave them finally to a daughter, Mrs. A. J. CAIN.
Mrs. Cain, in turn, gave them to Christensen. Christensen is a boot maker--his family has 100 years of bootmaking back of it--and he has a deep interest in such articles. Further, his late grandfather, E. E. CHRISTENSEN, also a bootmaker, was plying his trade in Fort Concho about the time of the legendary massacre. It is possible the boots were made by him.
Christensen said he thinks the boots are of historic interest--alike for their age and their novel design, as well as for the story of how they happened to be preserved.
He said no one seems to have determined the exact spot where the massacre occurred. The only description is ‘Near Mushaway Creek.” The only name which still remains in the legend is that of ‘Captain JACK WARE.’
The Fort Concho site is at the edge of San Angelo. It was established in 1867 and was known in its day as ‘The Pride of the Army of the West.” It was deactivated in 1889.
Fort Concho troopers were required to do more patrol and scouting work than were soldiers in other West Texas forts. It is probable they scouted over what is now Borden County. That area, prior to 1870, was a rugged unsettled area, which had long been a favorite hunting ground of the Comanches. There is a good possibility any patrol out of Fort Concho might have fallen foul of a Comanche war party in that section.
It is difficult to exactly establish the site of the legendary Indian fight. There is no ‘Mushaway Creek’ on the maps. There is a Mushaway Peak, however. This is a common name for a mesa in appearance to Signal Mountain in this county. It is a more accurate name seem to be Muchakooga but it is often listed as Mushaway. There is a story that Comanches on periodic raids southward into Mexico made use of both Signal Mountain and Mushaway Peak as lookout posts and as sites for signal fires. If there was battle in this area between Indians and a Fort Concho patrol in the early ‘70’s, it could well have occurred near this peak.
‘Peak’ and ‘creek’ sound much alike and the word could have bee misunderstood in the verbal passing along of the story of Christessen’s weather old cavalry boots.
“For their age,” remarked the owner, “they are in exceptionally good shape. A little repair work and a pair of half-soles and they would be ready for another 90 years.”
Big Spring, Texas
Sunday, October 24, 1965
Historic Hand-Sewn Boots Available for a Museum
By SAM BLACKBURN
A weathered pair of boots, at least 90 years old, believed worn by a member of a luckless band of Fort Concho soldiers who were ambushed by a war party of Comanches, is available for display in a museum, provided the museum is one on a well established basis and the boots will be cared for.
The footgear, according to the present owner, J. L. CHRISTENSEN, was found near “Mushaway Creek” in what is now either Borden or Garza Counties soon after the Fort Concho troopers had met their disaster. The story told is that all of the cavalrymen with one exception died in the ambush. One, identified in legend as Capt. JACK WARE, is said to had escaped. He hid his saddle and blankets in a tree and made his way by foot to Fort Concho.
Apparently, the pair of boots which Christensen has, were removed from the feet of one of WARE’S fellow soldiers. They made of rawhide, cut in the simplest possible form, handsewn with the soles and heels fastened with wooden pegs.
CHRISTENESN said that old time rancher in Borden County gave the boots to the late H. H. HAYNES, who died a few years ago. Haynes was the grandfather of Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. He kept the relics for years but gave them finally to a daughter, Mrs. A. J. CAIN.
Mrs. Cain, in turn, gave them to Christensen. Christensen is a boot maker--his family has 100 years of bootmaking back of it--and he has a deep interest in such articles. Further, his late grandfather, E. E. CHRISTENSEN, also a bootmaker, was plying his trade in Fort Concho about the time of the legendary massacre. It is possible the boots were made by him.
Christensen said he thinks the boots are of historic interest--alike for their age and their novel design, as well as for the story of how they happened to be preserved.
He said no one seems to have determined the exact spot where the massacre occurred. The only description is ‘Near Mushaway Creek.” The only name which still remains in the legend is that of ‘Captain JACK WARE.’
The Fort Concho site is at the edge of San Angelo. It was established in 1867 and was known in its day as ‘The Pride of the Army of the West.” It was deactivated in 1889.
Fort Concho troopers were required to do more patrol and scouting work than were soldiers in other West Texas forts. It is probable they scouted over what is now Borden County. That area, prior to 1870, was a rugged unsettled area, which had long been a favorite hunting ground of the Comanches. There is a good possibility any patrol out of Fort Concho might have fallen foul of a Comanche war party in that section.
It is difficult to exactly establish the site of the legendary Indian fight. There is no ‘Mushaway Creek’ on the maps. There is a Mushaway Peak, however. This is a common name for a mesa in appearance to Signal Mountain in this county. It is a more accurate name seem to be Muchakooga but it is often listed as Mushaway. There is a story that Comanches on periodic raids southward into Mexico made use of both Signal Mountain and Mushaway Peak as lookout posts and as sites for signal fires. If there was battle in this area between Indians and a Fort Concho patrol in the early ‘70’s, it could well have occurred near this peak.
‘Peak’ and ‘creek’ sound much alike and the word could have bee misunderstood in the verbal passing along of the story of Christessen’s weather old cavalry boots.
“For their age,” remarked the owner, “they are in exceptionally good shape. A little repair work and a pair of half-soles and they would be ready for another 90 years.”