Poor Farmer shoes

[SparksBird]

I agree what Lee has said and what Emmanuel has posted. You can't simply say that you want "farmers shoes". They didn't exactly make the "farmers model" when it came to shoes. You would simply be wearing a pair of civilian shoes. The style and type of shoe were probably based on whatever you could get. If you were a dirt-poor farmer, your shoes were probably worn until they literally fell off of your feet. As long as you could patch or repair them, they would be fine.
As a side note, from experience you find that period shoes do not last long when farming. A combination of being wet and in adverse conditions really cause period shoes to fall apart quickly. Working in stalls and around manure will really put stitching to the test. I have had times where I have gone through two pairs of shoes in a year, and that was only wearing them from 9-5 and not all day, every day. At our historic site, we do have quite a few references to shoes being repaired almost monthly. In Henry Arnold's account book, he would usually take his shoes or boots with him when he went to market. The cost for the repair was usually pretty minimal, but this can add up over time, and he wasn't a poor farmer.

Rick Musselman
Palestine #158, F & A.M.
Director of Education, Carriage Hill Farm
President, MOMCC

[Virginia Mescher]

In Virginia Mescher's book and CD, Historic Accounts, there are over 1000 entries for shoe purchases. Unfortunately, the descriptions leave a bit to be desired but, even with the terms used, the prices seem to be all over the map. For example, there are a pair of coarse shoes for $2.50 but then there are "men's shoes" for $2.00 -- lesser quality? smaller? We just don't know.

Interestingly, there is an entry for "Negro shoes" which we'd expect to be the lowest quality but this pair was $2.25, more than many pairs of mens' shoes.

I don't have the time to do the analysis any time soon but it would be interesting to compare shoe purchases to the economic status of the purchaser.

Michael Mescher

[bazoo]

Hi
There was some wooden soles shoes or slaves shoes that was strong and used as working shoes by farmers.
Thats shoes very used in France from XIX century to 1970 ( in french, galoche) where seen less commonly in the USA .
I 've seen some information about that in the North south trader march april 1987 wooden sold confederate army shoes by Craig Caba
He said there was some isued to the ANV by the Richmond dépot : "buchanan, Virginia shoes were made with wooden soles , canvas upper, and squared leathers toes . The triple lacer, ankle high pattern was reinforced with oilcloth binding"
There was an other exemple know as Major JJ McIver's shoes made locally in Darlington SC, " Conform with the ankle pattern. The square toed wooden soles had butternut wool upper with two buttons
The last exemple " plantation shoes hand made on the NC Miller estate , Pittsylvania County Virginia show sturdy construction . Thick wooden soles form the basis for the buff leather uppers wich were attached by blacksmith made iron tacks.
I've find some in virtuate museum but the links dont work
http://www.chicagohs.org/aotm/nov97/nov97fact1.html
http://www.museum.state.sc.us/cultur...AfricShoe.html
I've find wooden shoes here http://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/exh...section4a.html
but i'me not totally sure that that kind of shoes where really commonly worn in USA.
By carefull you can find some of that last pattern by only that made with hand tools are accurate machine made date from about 1930's
Tegard
Bizzs Bazoo

Luc Géraudie
France

[Greg Barnett]

Just wanted to post a picture of poor Confederate farmer shoes. I know that these are poor Confederate farmer shoes because this is my Great great grandfather Levi W Barnett. I know that he was a Confederate soldier and I know he was a poor farmer. The photo was shortly after the war. The date of the photo is around 1867. The child in his lap is my great grandfather William Zachary who was born 3 Aug 1865, he appears about two.
I love this photo. Oh, yes, please note the shoes. The are other interesting clothing details in the photo as well. The ladies may find interest in Mary's dress.
The dog's name was Tom
Just my photographic based data.
Cheers

[J.H.Berger]

A good question about simple shoes!
I also wonder how common wooden shoes were in America in the 1860s especially in regions with European immigrants. Especially from Holland and Germany as wooden shoes were the typical poor people/ farmers footwear.
Does anybody have accounts on that one?

[bazoo]

For the wooden shoes like this dutch one ( http://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/exh...ction4a.html#4) , I think there was not a lot but I have no complementary information.
I think this could be avoid because very difficult to find accurate one.
In France , there was a lot and each part of the country have his spécific pattern.
There was pattern for the different moments of the life working or for wedding .

There was the wooden soles shoes like the slaves shoes, more confortable .
I've some sources I 've give bellow.

In France when the wooden shoes died , the farmer put them in the cheminey , so it's difficult to find some really old ones.
Regards
Luc géraudie

[georgerutherford1861]

The Deutschheim Historic Site in Hermann, Missouri, has one if not a couple of pairs of wooden shoes on display as in use in the area. This website http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/kade/deutschheim.html mentions them. How extensive was their use? I do not know, but perhaps the staff at the historic site could be of assistance, they may have specific documentation to the fact. Hope this helps.

Doug Frank