Frank, "cordwainer" is derived from "cordovan" -- the soft, very expensive leather from (I kid you not) the hairless insides of a horse's forelegs -- about two pairs of cordovan shoes per horsehide, which explains why they are so expensive nowadays. The leather was originally developed in Cordoba, Spain. What my dictionary says, anyway. Yrs aye, Warren ----- Original Message ----- From: "FRANK" <fes@kear.net> To: <CT-RIVER-VALLEY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, December 01, 2000 6:13 AM Subject: Re: [CRV] Shoe makers in Am. Revolution > Hey Warren-no disrespect-Thought a cordwainer was person who made ropes or > lines,mainly associated with the sea? Enlighten me please? Regards,Frank > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Warren Wetmore" <WebMerlin@MegsINet.net> > To: <CT-RIVER-VALLEY-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, December 01, 2000 4:23 AM > Subject: Re: [CRV] Shoe makers in Am. Revolution > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Lester M Powers" <lesterps@juno.com> > > To: <CT-RIVER-VALLEY-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2000 10:22 PM > > Subject: [CRV] Shoe makers in Am. Revolution > > > > > > > I dimly remember reading something somewhere a couple > > > of years ago about how George Washington made a special > > > big deal out of recruiting shoe makers in the American > > > Revolution. Does anyone remember any specifics about that? > > > > > > This may be a wild idea, but I have just found on a > > > 1779 Hartford, Windsor Co., VT deed that Rowland POWELL, > > > one of my ancestors, did not travel from Lebanon, CT > > > directly to Hartford, VT as previously advertised, but > > > rather laid over at Brimfield, MA in between. And on > > > his 1779 deed at Hartford, VT he is mentioned as being a > > > "cordwainer," i.e., a maker of shoes. Also, he is > > > believed by various folks to have served in the American > > > Revolution, and he is listed as a private in the > > > Revoultion in the DAR Patriot Index. This jiggled that > > > old dusty half-memory that George Washington made > > > special efforts to get shoe makers enlisted. > > > > > > Where did I hear about the shoe maker thing? What > > > was that? > > > > It makes sense -- an army need sturdy shoes in good repair to march > > from A to B. And if the shoemakers were enlisted men, they couldn't > > charge outrageous prices. > > > > And there were no Florsheim's or PayLess stores back then -- > > and the Quartermaster Corps was very primitive, if it existed > > at all. > > > > Yrs aye, > > > > Warren Wetmore > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== CT-RIVER-VALLEY Mailing List ==== > > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > > http://www.quadrangle.org [CRV musuem and genealogy library] > > List owner: NewEnglander1620@mail.ccsinet.net > > > > ============================== > > Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate > > your heritage! > > http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog > > > > > > > ==== CT-RIVER-VALLEY Mailing List ==== > This list covers genealogy and history of The Connecticut River Valley > Accuracy is important--double check your spelling and dates . > Got information to share-----share them.....list sources > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > http://www.quadrangle.org (genealogical lib for Ct-River-Valley area) > http://www.acpl.lib.in.us [research lib in Indiana] > listowner; NewEnglander1620@mail.ccsinet.net > > ============================== > The easiest way to stay in touch with your family and friends! > http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWLIST1 >
Thank You. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Warren Wetmore" <WebMerlin@MegsINet.net> To: <CT-RIVER-VALLEY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, December 01, 2000 5:41 PM Subject: Re: [CRV] Shoe makers in Am. Revolution > Frank, "cordwainer" is derived from "cordovan" -- the soft, very expensive leather from (I kid you not) the hairless insides of a horse's forelegs -- about two pairs of cordovan shoes per horsehide, which explains why they are so expensive nowadays. The leather was originally developed in Cordoba, Spain. > > What my dictionary says, anyway. > > Yrs aye, > > Warren > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "FRANK" <fes@kear.net> > To: <CT-RIVER-VALLEY-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, December 01, 2000 6:13 AM > Subject: Re: [CRV] Shoe makers in Am. Revolution > > > > Hey Warren-no disrespect-Thought a cordwainer was person who made ropes or > > lines,mainly associated with the sea? Enlighten me please? Regards,Frank > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Warren Wetmore" <WebMerlin@MegsINet.net> > > To: <CT-RIVER-VALLEY-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Friday, December 01, 2000 4:23 AM > > Subject: Re: [CRV] Shoe makers in Am. Revolution > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Lester M Powers" <lesterps@juno.com> > > > To: <CT-RIVER-VALLEY-L@rootsweb.com> > > > Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2000 10:22 PM > > > Subject: [CRV] Shoe makers in Am. Revolution > > > > > > > > > > I dimly remember reading something somewhere a couple > > > > of years ago about how George Washington made a special > > > > big deal out of recruiting shoe makers in the American > > > > Revolution. Does anyone remember any specifics about that? > > > > > > > > This may be a wild idea, but I have just found on a > > > > 1779 Hartford, Windsor Co., VT deed that Rowland POWELL, > > > > one of my ancestors, did not travel from Lebanon, CT > > > > directly to Hartford, VT as previously advertised, but > > > > rather laid over at Brimfield, MA in between. And on > > > > his 1779 deed at Hartford, VT he is mentioned as being a > > > > "cordwainer," i.e., a maker of shoes. Also, he is > > > > believed by various folks to have served in the American > > > > Revolution, and he is listed as a private in the > > > > Revoultion in the DAR Patriot Index. This jiggled that > > > > old dusty half-memory that George Washington made > > > > special efforts to get shoe makers enlisted. > > > > > > > > Where did I hear about the shoe maker thing? What > > > > was that? > > > > > > It makes sense -- an army need sturdy shoes in good repair to march > > > from A to B. And if the shoemakers were enlisted men, they couldn't > > > charge outrageous prices. > > > > > > And there were no Florsheim's or PayLess stores back then -- > > > and the Quartermaster Corps was very primitive, if it existed > > > at all. > > > > > > Yrs aye, > > > > > > Warren Wetmore > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== CT-RIVER-VALLEY Mailing List ==== > > > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > > > http://www.quadrangle.org [CRV musuem and genealogy library] > > > List owner: NewEnglander1620@mail.ccsinet.net > > > > > > ============================== > > > Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate > > > your heritage! > > > http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== CT-RIVER-VALLEY Mailing List ==== > > This list covers genealogy and history of The Connecticut River Valley > > Accuracy is important--double check your spelling and dates . > > Got information to share-----share them.....list sources > > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > > http://www.quadrangle.org (genealogical lib for Ct-River-Valley area) > > http://www.acpl.lib.in.us [research lib in Indiana] > > listowner; NewEnglander1620@mail.ccsinet.net > > > > ============================== > > The easiest way to stay in touch with your family and friends! > > http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWLIST1 > > > > > ==== CT-RIVER-VALLEY Mailing List ==== > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl ...type in Ct-River Valley or other mailing list > http://www.acpl.lib.in.us [large genealogy library in Indiana] > > http://www.quadrangle.org (genealogical lib for Conn River area) > > ============================== > Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate > your heritage! > http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog > >