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Worth-Walden Co., Dallas, TX

DaveProc

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,118
Location
Rhode Island
So, now the research on Walden Hat Co gets stranger. I have found 11 WWII Draft Registration Cards for individuals who claim Walden Hat Co as their employer in 1942
5-Living in Wallkill, New York
2- Living in Walden, New York
1- Newburgh, New York
1-Danbury CT
1-Montgomery NY
1-Dallas Texas

Could there have been two different Walden Hat Company's?
 

DaveProc

I'll Lock Up
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4,118
Location
Rhode Island
Article in the Middletown Times Herald , New York 1945, referring to the Walden Hat Company in Wallkill New York. wallkill.JPG
 

DaveProc

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,118
Location
Rhode Island
Here is the revised history of Walden Hat Co Dallas that fits into the 1963 forming of Worth Walden.
Using mostly Dallas City Directories, newspaper articles and ads, death certificates, WWII draft records and US Census records and a few other sources.
(There was also another Walden Hat Co. operating in Wallkill NY from the 1930s through at least the 1940s that is referenced in multiple Middletown Times Herald Newspapers from the time period)


John A Walden born 1887

1917-1924 John A. Walden Owns Dallas Hat Works, Hat Renovators

1927 John A. Walden employee Mill-Bert Hat Mfg Co

1928-1931 Superintendent Zenith-Casino

1928-1931+ Reuben Banks is a hatter with Zenith Casino Inc, Hat Renovators

1932-1933 John A. Walden owns Waldens Hat Shop

1934 Reuben Banks in Superintendent of the hat department of Zenith-Casino Inc

1933 Jon A Walden opens Waldens Hat Shop

By 1938 Frank T. Walden ( son of John A. Walden) and Reuban B. Banks are partners making and cleaning hats as Banks and Frank Hat Co.

January 1942 Frank T. Walden enlists in Army Army Air Corps

July 1942 Reuben Banks dies of Tuberculosis

1943 John A. Walden Archibald Hat Co./Walden Hat Co.Dallas

1947 John A. Walden operating Walden Hat Co, Dallas

1955 Frank T Walden manager Walden Hat Co., Dallas

1957 John A Walden operating Walden Co Dallas

1962 John A Walden Walden proprietor Hat Co

1962 John A. Walden dies

c. 1963 Worth Walden Formed


mid 1960s Frank T Walden is a Distributor for the Automat Company in Dallas
by 1970s Frank T Walden is President of General Chemical and Plastic Co.
 
Last edited:

DaveProc

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,118
Location
Rhode Island
Here is the history of Walden Hat Co Dallas that fits into the 1963 forming of Worth Walden.
Using mostly Dallas City Directories, newspaper articles and ads, death certificates, WWII draft records and US Census records and a few other sources.
(There was also another Walden Hat Co. operating in Wallkill NY from the 1930s through at least the 1940s that is referenced in multiple Middletown Times Herald Newspapers from the time period)


John A Walden born 1887

1917-1924 John A. Walden Owns Dallas Hat Works, Hat Renovators

1927 John A. Walden employee Mill-Bert Hat Mfg Co

1928-1931 Superintendent Zenith-Casino

1928-1931+ Reuben Banks is a hatter with Zenith Casino Inc, Hat Renovators

1932-1933 John A. Walden owns Waldens Hat Shop

1934 Reuben Banks in Superintendent of the hat department of Zenith-Casino Inc

1933 Jon A Walden opens Waldens Hat Shop

By 1938 Frank T. Walden ( son of John A. Walden) and Reuban B. Banks are partners making and cleaning hats as Banks and Frank Hat Co.

January 1942 Frank T. Walden enlists in Army Army Air Corps

July 1942 Reuben Banks dies of Tuberculosis

1943 John A. Walden Archibald Hat Co./Walden Hat Co.Dallas

1947 John A. Walden operating Walden Hat Co, Dallas

1955 Frank T Walden manager Walden Hat Co., Dallas

1957 John A Walden operating Walden Co Dallas

1962 John A Walden Walden proprietor Hat Co

1962 John A. Walden dies

c. 1963 Worth Walden Formed


mid 1960s Frank T Walden is a Distributor for the Automat Company in Dallas
by 1970s Frank T Walden is President of General Chemical and Plastic Co.
 
Last edited:

DaveProc

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,118
Location
Rhode Island
So, there has been a bit of activity and some cool hats posted the last few days from Walden Hat Co. in Dallas that eventually became Worth Walden around 1963. It piqued my interest and I thought I would see what I could dig up. I have posted this as a comment on two other threads, but I thought it deserved it's own.


walden 1.JPG Walden 2.JPG
So, this was my comment
Here is the revised history of Walden Hat Co Dallas that fits into the 1963 forming of Worth Walden.
Using mostly Dallas City Directories, newspaper articles and ads, death certificates, WWII draft records and US Census records and a few other sources.

(There was also another Walden Hat Co. operating in Wallkill NY from the 1930s through at least the 1940s that is referenced in multiple Middletown Times Herald Newspapers from the time period)


John A Walden born 1887

1917-1924 John A. Walden Owns Dallas Hat Works, Hat Renovators

1927 John A. Walden employee Mill-Bert Hat Mfg Co

1928-1931 Superintendent Zenith-Casino

1928-1931+ Reuben Banks is a hatter with Zenith Casino Inc, Hat Renovators

1932-1933 John A. Walden owns Waldens Hat Shop

1934 Reuben Banks in Superintendent of the hat department of Zenith-Casino Inc

1933 Jon A Walden Waldens Hat Shop

By 1938 Frank T. Walden ( son of John A. Walden) and Reuban B. Banks are partners making and cleaning hats as Banks and Frank Hat Co.

January 1942 Frank T. Walden enlists in Army Army Air Corps

July 1942 Reuben Banks dies of Tuberculosis

1943 John A. Walden Archibald Hat Co./Walden Hat Co.Dallas

1947 John A. Walden operating Walden Hat Co, Dallas

1955 Frank T Walden manager Walden Hat Co., Dallas

1957 John A Walden operating Walden Co Dallas

1962 John A Walden Walden employee Hat Co
1962 Helen and Herman Stearman Owners Walden Hat Co ( Herman Stearman is a masonry contractor)

1962 John A. Walden dies
1963 Helen M. Stearman owner
By 1965 the Stearmans are back in the masonry business and out of the hat business

c. 1963 Worth Walden Formed


mid 1960s Frank T Walden is a Distributor for the Automat Company in Dallas
by 1970s Frank T Walden is President of General Chemical and Plastic Co.
 
Last edited:

Héctor Fernández

One Too Many
Messages
1,267
Location
Greatest Country, U.S.A.
So, there has been a bit of activity and some cool hats posted the last few days from Walden Hat Co. in Dallas that eventually became Worth Walden around. It piqued my interest and I thought I would see what I could dig up. I have posted this as a comment on two other threads, but I thought it deserved it's own.


View attachment 206505 View attachment 206506
So, this was my comment
Here is the revised history of Walden Hat Co Dallas that fits into the 1963 forming of Worth Walden.
Using mostly Dallas City Directories, newspaper articles and ads, death certificates, WWII draft records and US Census records and a few other sources.

(There was also another Walden Hat Co. operating in Wallkill NY from the 1930s through at least the 1940s that is referenced in multiple Middletown Times Herald Newspapers from the time period)


John A Walden born 1887

1917-1924 John A. Walden Owns Dallas Hat Works, Hat Renovators

1927 John A. Walden employee Mill-Bert Hat Mfg Co

1928-1931 Superintendent Zenith-Casino

1928-1931+ Reuben Banks is a hatter with Zenith Casino Inc, Hat Renovators

1932-1933 John A. Walden owns Waldens Hat Shop

1934 Reuben Banks in Superintendent of the hat department of Zenith-Casino Inc

1933 Jon A Walden opens Waldens Hat Shop

By 1938 Frank T. Walden ( son of John A. Walden) and Reuban B. Banks are partners making and cleaning hats as Banks and Frank Hat Co.

January 1942 Frank T. Walden enlists in Army Army Air Corps

July 1942 Reuben Banks dies of Tuberculosis

1943 John A. Walden Archibald Hat Co./Walden Hat Co.Dallas

1947 John A. Walden operating Walden Hat Co, Dallas

1955 Frank T Walden manager Walden Hat Co., Dallas

1957 John A Walden operating Walden Co Dallas

1962 John A Walden Walden proprietor Hat Co

1962 John A. Walden dies

c. 1963 Worth Walden Formed


mid 1960s Frank T Walden is a Distributor for the Automat Company in Dallas
by 1970s Frank T Walden is President of General Chemical and Plastic Co.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful research.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 

DaveProc

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,118
Location
Rhode Island
Thanks for sharing this wonderful research.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
My pleasure, I don't claim to know 1/10 of 1% about the history of hat making compared to others on this site, but, I have 25+ years experience as a historian and archivist and for some reason this one hat maker fascinated me :)
 
Last edited:
Messages
18,173
I didn't go deep enough for this one. I'm guessing the Resistol case probably went with another high-end hat at some point.

These mink (cashmere, vicuna, etc) blends with beaver seem to be a notch up (in pricing at least) from an all-beaver hat for several makers.

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That's a 1990's hat & case. They were being made on the Resistol line. Very nice hats.
 

Cynthia Williams

New in Town
Messages
1
Well I've read all 3 pages of this thread looking for info on the RESISTOL HAT SUITCASE ! I found an image of it on Google is how I found ya'll . I am a vintage clothing dealer from OKC , OK. (52 + years ) First case I've found like this . Want to sell it . It's perfect on the outside , water stain on inside .
IMG_6267.JPG
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Well I've read all 3 pages of this thread looking for info on the RESISTOL HAT SUITCASE ! I found an image of it on Google is how I found ya'll . I am a vintage clothing dealer from OKC , OK. (52 + years ) First case I've found like this . Want to sell it . It's perfect on the outside , water stain on inside . View attachment 330668


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Jamey Ainsworth

New in Town
Messages
2
The 'Worth-Walden' hat company was owned by my Great uncle Jack Waldrip and his wife Tommie Lee. He bought the original location on West Jefferson and incorporated the original Walden name into 'Worth'. I don't know when exactly that was...but it was sometime in the 60's. He and Aunt Tommie Lee owned and operated at that location through the late 90's...perhaps early 2000's. The area deteriorated until it was no longer financially viable for them to continue...repeated burglaries made it difficult to continue insurance coverage. They retired and sold the building.

He had quite a history there...he had made hats for LBJ and John Connally. I do remember that he had a brother who also made hats. The name Hargrove comes up due to the Waldrips, Hargroves, Chambers, and a few others all being related and intermarried.
 

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