Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1902-11-04
QUAINT OLD SHOES.
An Interesting Collection Dating Beyond
Revolutionary Days

An Interesting Collection Dating Beyond
Revolutionary Days
A Lynn shoemaker Of to-day
would be amused by the quaint shoes
in the collection Of the Essex insti-
tute in salem, says the Boston Tran
script There are rough shoes that
the forefathers wore in the field, dain-
ty slippers in which colonial danes
danced, and these delicate satin foot
covering appear a trihe smaller than
the mannish footwear for women OF
to-day; strong boots for boys to kick
about in days before the revolution
and tiny boots for babies in the era
die There are also large square
shoe buckles, almost as big as the
summer girl wears at her waist to-
day, one fine pair being those worn
by Capt John Ireson Of Lynn dur
ing the revolutionary days. The
first shoe pegged by machinery in the
country is also displayed. 1t is
clumsy-looking shoe, and its thick
sole has a double row Of pegs. The
machine evidently did a good job.
Deacon Samuel Preston, of Danyers,
invented the machine in 1888, ac-
cording to the inscription, but the
history Of the good man and his ma
chine is lost. The wooden shoe pegs,
by the way, were invented by Joseph
Walker, Of Hopkinton, Mass, in 1918.
One Of the earliest pairs of shoes
made on Mckay sewing machine
is also an interesting feature. The
shoesare square-toed, likethe end ola
box, cloth topped and congress style.
They we're Sporty shoes" in 1864.
The firm Of Bancroft & Puritan, Of
Lynn, made them, and A. M. Glass
RSssented them to theinstitute. The
cU4lsges9 Of old slippers suggests
the splendid balls and parties and
perhaps the happy weddings of
the forefathers' days. A slipper,
the pride of some fair damsel of 1850,
is Of green satin, a broad rounded
toe and a high heel.
Then there are somber black slip
pers Of 1885, with toes pointed some
thing like lead pencil, prettywhite
satin slipper of181O,a mouse-colOred
pointed toed Paris slipper of1819 and
another Paris slipper of 1926, of black
satin deliberately embroidered with
flowers, a spring heel and a round
toe. A white satin slipper has a
pointed toe, and j inch heel that
swells out like a balloon from its lead
pencil size on the ground. A boys
shoe, worn previous to the revolution,
shows that the youngsters of those
times kicked out their footwear Just
as they do to-day. This shoe was
something like a Butcher style, and
was fastened with buckle. A dou-
bic row ofwax threads plainly showed
how well the shoes had been made.
Some tiny shoes and slippers for ba-
bies are also displayed, one pair being
scarcely u inches long.
Then there are patterns and rough
looking rubbers the forefathers wore
to save themselves from rheumatic
pains and consumption in wet wealth
er, but discarded because they were
so homely, preferring to risk the dis
ease to their preyentions. These
patterns are cutsoles to be placed
under the shoe and to Be fastened
around the instep, sometimes with
embroidered pieces Of cloth. Brass
pieces add to the strength Of some Of
the patterns This collection Of
shoes, and also collections Of many
other articles of the forefathers, are
in the exhibition rooms of the insti-
tute.