Historical Hats & Reenacting History

[Hurricane Jack]

LOL, I can imagine, Jack! I live in CA so the living history here doesn't center around my ancestry. I was born in Texas, with a lineage going back 150 years on both my dad's and mom's sides. The furthest I can name were two Fitzgerald brothers who lived right on the Red River at the time of the Alamo. They had been there more than 20 years by that time. Although they didn't fight in those battles, they were given the same plots of land as the soldiers because they ran a still and a ferry across the Red, which was considered essential for the war effort.

My paternal grandmother's family was one of the Old 300 that went with Stephen F. Austin & settled what is now Austin, TX. I have an ancestor who died in the Alamo; his brother lived only because he wasn't there that day. Some of her ancestors were early Texas Rangers.

If we ever met we could visit for hours!

 

[RJR]

My paternal grandmother's family was one of the Old 300 that went with Stephen F. Austin & settled what is now Austin, TX. I have an ancestor who died in the Alamo; his brother lived only because he wasn't there that day. Some of her ancestors were early Texas Rangers.

If we ever met we could visit for hours!

A visit like that is the stuff of dreams!

 

[Blackthorn]

My paternal grandmother's family was one of the Old 300 that went with Stephen F. Austin & settled what is now Austin, TX. I have an ancestor who died in the Alamo; his brother lived only because he wasn't there that day. Some of her ancestors were early Texas Rangers.

If we ever met we could visit for hours!

You got that right! My great grandfather I mentioned who fought in the Civil War, but would never talk about it...his father died at the Alamo. I have a proud Texas lineage.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson had two Morgan horses he was fond of, he named Big Sorrel & Little Sorrel. It was Little Sorrel that he was riding the night he suffered what would be his mortal wound. Little Sorrel was captured by the Federal troups only to be recaptured by Confederate troups, then recaptured again by Federal troups & returned to the Confederacy after the General's death. Little Sorrel lived some 23 yrs at the Virginia Military Institute after Jackson's death. His last public appearance was at the 1886 World's Fair.

Later that yr when Little Sorrel died his hide was mounted & placed on display at the museum in Lexington, VA where it remains. His skeletal remains were on display at the
Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, PA until they were finally laid to rest in 1997, some 111 yrs after his death. In 1990 the town of Somers, CT where Little Sorrel had been born named a street after him. It seems Little Sorrel is honored on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line.

For a long time it was a tradition for the incoming Cadet class at VMI to be photographed at General Jackson's grave.

And early members of the UDC.

 

[Blackthorn]

Wow, I never knew any of this (except how Jackson died). One of my ancestors, born in 1864, was named Jackson, in Tennessee. I have no way of knowing his name or military service, but possibly his dad was off fighting at the time of the birth, hence the name.

 

[RJR]

General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson had two Morgan horses he was fond of, he named Big Sorrel & Little Sorrel. It was Little Sorrel that he was riding the night he suffered what would be his mortal wound. Little Sorrel was captured by the Federal troups only to be recaptured by Confederate troups, then recaptured again by Federal troups & returned to the Confederacy after the General's death. Little Sorrel lived some 23 yrs at the Virginia Military Institute after Jackson's death. His last public appearance was at the 1886 World's Fair.

Later that yr when Little Sorrel died his hide was mounted & placed on display at the museum in Lexington, VA where it remains. His skeletal remains were on display at the
Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, PA until they were finally laid to rest in 1997, some 111 yrs after his death. In 1990 the town of Somers, CT where Little Sorrel had been born named a street after him. It seems Little Sorrel is honored on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line.

For a long time it was a tradition for the incoming Cadet class at VMI to be photographed at General Jackson's grave.

And early members of the UDC.

Interesting information.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

James Harvey Childs (1834 - 1862), Colonel of the Forth cavalry. Already made a Colonel & dead by age 28. I've always thought this is a great pic & could be mistaken for a modern reenactor.

No known relation to Jim Crow Childs.

 

[Redfokker]

James Harvey Childs (1834 - 1862), Colonel of the Forth cavalry. Already made a Colonel & dead by age 28. I've always thought this is a great pic & could be mistaken for a modern reenactor.

No known relation to Jim Crow Childs.

Great image, lots of detail. Love it.

 

[RJR]

Great image, lots of detail. Love it.

+1

 

[niv]

From the video TJ posted I would like to see more of this guy's slouch hat.

I believe this gentleman (top two pics) was assigned to my section of cavalry during the filming of 1st Manassas in "North & South II. He rode an off-white horse with a Plantation saddle, and played a mean fiddle around the campfire at night. Good guy.

 

[DocCasualty]

Thought I'd share some pics of an historic hat a friend of mine recently was given. That's right, given as in gratis by someone he had just met at a living history gathering. Once he saw it he questioned the fellow several times if he was sure he wanted to give it to him, recognizing the historical value of the piece. The only history that is known is that it was in this guy's attic for years and and that's about it. Seems the fellow was quite keen and knowledgeable about the fur trading period. I think he was impressed with my buddy's knowledge of the era and his great nature. When he was told the guy was going to give him a hat he had for years in his attic, he assumed it was going to be some wool felt repro or such. You can imagine his shock and surprise when he was handed this:

Sorry for the poor pics. It's a beaver felt bicorn that appears totally original and in amazing shape. Liner is in great shape and no moth bites, just some wear on the bottom edges. Metal stays are not rusted. Liner is imprinted "A.H.Stevens" "Norfolk" and the two or three letters below that are not clear.

Haven't had time to research it yet but appears to be a military bicorn of the War of 1812 period. I assume Stevens was the hatter.

 

[Moviehats]

Here are some photos of us this past Saturday at Tombstone's "Doc Hollidays" event. Val Kilmer was the guest of honor. You can see him in the straw hat (closest I could get).

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Augustus D. “Gus” Raney, a carryover from the Old West days in New Mexico. Twice charged with murder, he was also suspected in the deaths of two of his own sons. He claimed he was 101 yrs old when he died in 1983 but it is more likely he was just in his 80's. No known pictures exist of his wife Myrtle "Sugarfoot" Raney who was in her 80's at the time of Raney's death, or of their surviving son & daughter.

 

[hatophile]

Here are some photos of us this past Saturday at Tombstone's "Doc Hollidays" event. Val Kilmer was the guest of honor. You can see him in the straw hat (closest I could get). View attachment 82214 View attachment 82215 View attachment 82216 View attachment 82217 View attachment 82218

That guy dressed like Doc Holliday sure resembles Val Kilmer.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Captain Samuel J. Richardson, commander of Company F, 2nd Texas Cavalry (2nd Mounted Rifles) wearing leopard skin pants.

All he needed was a new leopard skin pill-box hat.

 

[DocCasualty]

Captain Samuel J. Richardson, commander of Company F, 2nd Texas Cavalry (2nd Mounted Rifles) wearing leopard skin pants.

All he needed was a new leopard skin pill-box hat.

Cool pic, Jack! Thanks for sharing. Wonder if he harvested that leopard?

Just noticed the pic is reversed as the lock is on the left side of the carbine.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Just noticed the pic is reversed as the lock is on the left side of the carbine.

The reverse image thing is common but I have forgotten the reason why. The famous pic of Billy the Kid is printed in reverse.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Col Henry Gimpel (1849 -1914) served the 69th New York Infantry in the Civil War as a 15 yr old drummer boy in 1864. After the war he joined the 5th Regiment, New York State National Guard & in Dec 1877 earned the rank of lieutenant colonel. By 1880 he was an active member of the G.A.R. In 1912 he started collecting an invalid's pension until he died two yrs later.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

James Timberlake (1846 - 1891)

Second Lieutenant serving the CSA during the Civil War; farmer, rancher, & deputy U.S. marshal after the war. Co-conspirator along with Governor Thomas Crittenden, Dick Liddil, & Bob & Charlie Ford to assassinate Jesse James. Timberlake died just 9 yrs later at the age of 44 of Opioid overdose (& perhaps a guilty conscience).

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Willebe,


I didn't even think about the books on the table & being in the pic in the other thread. I brought my reply to here, where it probably should be.

Donald Hale is now deceased but some yrs ago he put together a 3 vol set of all the newspaper clippings from his research & personal collection on Jesse & Frank James. The clippings are invaluable now to researchers & living history presenters.