HATS WITH HISTORY

[Lefty]

Many Loungers have found vintage hats that were once owned by someone of historical interest or significance: politicians, soldiers, businessmen, etc. I've seen a number of such hats posted in various corners of the Lounge by Dinerman, rlk, buler, and ScottF, but thought it would be great to have one thread with all of them.

If you own one, please post it here, along with some information on the historically interesting person who owned it. Please don't just post photos of famous people or hats, and while your grandfather may have been important to you...
Post it if you own(ed) it.

As I'm not sure if ScottF is still posting, I'll just quote his post:

It just arrived - the certificate signature is authentic, not a stamp. Hat is mint, felt is nicer than my 7X Stetson (feels nicer, anyway). I give up and will now be wearing a genuine cowboy hat in public...at times.

Vic's research

Hill, William Dexter Male White Farmer

Married Etta J. Warren February 18, 1906

Born May 27, 1888 Alabama

Died May 10, 1966 Borger, Texas

Father Cobb Hill Mother

Perrin Cemetery Perrin, Texas

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Could this be the original owner?

 

[Lefty]

As long as I can find 'em, I'll build this one up.

I just snagged this one. I'm very curious as to whether the date indicated is correct.

It is a very soft felo.t, has a 4" brim and a tall creased crown. The hat has original ivory colored grosgrain ribbon band.

Under leather band is a very fragile paper label that shows John B. Stetson. If other information was on label, it is illegible. The leather sweatband has three imprints that are still quite legible. They are: John B. Stetson, Trade-Mark, Philadelphia, No. 1 Quality, John B. Stetson Company.

Dave Jones, Cody, Wyoming / Buy it of Dave Jones.

Inside written in ink is "Oct - 1913, Gift by Chas. Gates

Tape has been put where creases are on crown. Probably trying to prevent holes.

I found it at a yard sale in Billings, MT. The seller said a friend gave him the hat several years ago. The friend told the seller that the hat was given to Larry Larry by Charles Gates. I copied information from Internet about these two men. Very interesting about two Easteners who loved Wyoming. Charles Gates was on a hunting trip to Cody, WY in 1913 when he died in his private railway car. Larry Larom was owner of a ranch on the South Ford of the Shoshone River. He also had one of the first Dude Ranches and was first president of the Dude Ranchers Association.

 

[Lefty]

(too many photos to fit with the previous post)

I did some research into this hat. The story checks out as to who gave it- not so much on who it was given to.

About Charles Gates:

Page 1, New York Times October 29, 1913

C. G. Gates Dies Suddenly in Car

Stricken with Apoplexy at Cody After a Hunting Trip in Wyoming

“Speed is Life,” He Said

Had Crowded his Thirty Seven Years with Many Exciting Experiences

Tips $1,000,000 a year
That was one of his boasts- his mania for special trains- to be buried in Woodlawn

Special to the New York Times

Cody, Wyo., October 28-

Charles G. Gates, son of the late John W. Gates, died here this afternoon at 1:40 of apoplexy. His death occurred in his private car Superb, which was lain on the side track at Cody station ever since his arrival some weeks ago. Mr. Gates and a party of six, including his two pricate physicians, came to Cody about five weeks ago for the purpose of hunting elk, deer, and bear, in the big game country adjacent to this place.

It is understood that one of his principal reasons for making this trip was the state of his health, which he hoped would be improved by a hunt in the pure air of the Wyoming mountains. The party fitted out at this point and spent five weeks in the hills. They returned to Cody last Thursday after a very successful hunt. Elk heads, bear hides and other trophies of Mr. Gates’s skill with the rifle are now being prepared for shipment east.

Mr. Gates appeared to be greatly benefited by his outing and was so well pleased with the country and his trip in general that he remained in Cody for several days, looking after his trophies and enjoying himself generally. His generous nature and jovial disposition made him a favorite with Cody’s town people, with whom he associated as though they were all old friends.
On his return from his hunting trip Mr. Gates spent more than $7000 buying fur coats for friends. He gave his chauffer $1000 and presented to his guide on the trip $10,000 in cash.

A few hours before his death Mr. Gates said he had just made a big turn on the Chicago Board of Trade, and that he expected to spend $70,000 before leaving Cody.

Yesterday he became ill, and, although no serious consequences were anticipated, he was immediately taken to his car and received treatment from his physicians, Drs. Williamson and Mothersell, who remained with him constantly until his death. This morning, at about 10 o’clock, his condition became worse, and Dr. Bennett, a local physician, was called in consultation. The trio of doctors rendered every possible service, but without avail.

It was indended to attach his private car to the noon train for Billings, but his condition at that time was such that it was not considered advisable to move him.

The people of Cody had grown attached to Mr. Gates, and the entire community was shocked beyond measure when the news came that he was dead. A message was immediately sent to his mother in New York, and the disposition of his body was directed by her.
A special engine was engaged and through service arrangements were made for New York. It is understood that as soon as the embalming process has been completed the Superb, bearing the body of its late owner, will be started East.
A Plunger in Wall Street.

Charles G. Gates, dead at 37, lived up to his motto, “Speed is Life.” Following in the foodsteps of his father, John W. Gates, in the lavish distribution of tips, gaming for high stakes, and plunging in the stock market, he had made himself conspicuous also in the last few years for his record breaking dashes across the continent in special trains. It was on one of these occasions that a friend asked him why he spent thousands of dollars to get to New York a few minutes sooner, and he replied “Speed is life.”
It was not until he came to New York ten or twelve years ago that he began to loom up in the news columns. As a youth he had been in the steel and wire business with his fater, and later had entered a Chicago brokerage firm, where he learned the details of the business. Then he came East and bought a seat on the Stock Exchange

Did a Huge Wall Street Business

The heavy operations of John W. Gates were transferred to Charles. B. Gates & Co., in which the father was a member, and in the boom times that preceded the panic of 1907 it did a tremendous business. It was nothing unusual for the firm to carry at times more than $100,000,000 worth of stock for its 2,500 customers and John W. Gates said that for three years it did about 8 per cent of all the business transacted on the Stock Exchange.

In May, 1907, the firm went out of business, and the two Gateses, who were constant companions, left of Europe. The house had been bullish at the top of the market in 1906 and was supposed to be greatly extended. Wall Street figured it dissolved with a loss of $6,000,000 but John W. Gates sturdily maintained that he and his son were quitting at a profit. However, the older Gates suddenly returned at the height of the October panic, and in common with other holders, sold his Tennessee Coal and Iron stock to the Steel Corporation.

Little was heard of Charles G. Gates for two years or more, but in July, 1910, he returned from Paris, where he had fallen ill, and was operated on here for appendicitis, from which he soon recovered.

The next Fall he figured in a story that he had lost $40,000 in a gambling house of this city, and, although he poop-poohed the story, it was generally credited. He had long been a familiar feature on the race tracks and at gambling resorts, and on one occasion was said to have won $20,000 at a sitting in Reno.


Charles Gates in NYC

On the hunting trip

His Hunting Party

Shaking hands with Buffalo Bill Cody

His Funeral

 

[fluteplayer07]

Fantastic Idea!

This was my very first vintage hat, when I was a newbie here back in December. It's a Borsalino Savona from a store in Ohio, in mint condition. I never attached an age to it, because I didn't know much when I first got it. But recently, I figured it was worth a shot to flip down the sweatband to find the paper tag with the numbers, that's used to determine age. I ended up finding a whole lot more than I bargained for. I found a name. And it wasn't just any name; it was a name with the title Lieutenant Colonel in front of it. Lt. Col. Dewey E. Albright of the United States Air Force, to be exact. I rushed to search the history of Lt. Col. Albright, and I was surprised to find record of him in multiple sources. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for "extraordinary achievement against the enemy" while he served in 387th Bombardment Group during WW2. He was born, and died in Ohio.

 

[rlk]

Stetson 3X Walt Disney

 

[jbucklin]

I guess that one speaks for itself!

 

[rlk]

I'm now the Caretaker of the above Resistol too as ScottF passed the hat. His Phil Rizzuto Knox I believe has moved along as well and the posts' photos are gone.

 

[hatophile]

Did anyone bid on Roy Roger's hats up for sale in the last few weeks?

 

[buler]

Gov Dan Thornton Stetson One Hundreds

I ran across these 3 Stetson One Hundred's a while back. They were all marked with "Dan Thornton" on the sweatbands. When I asked the seller for background on them, he said that his father has received them when he purchased a home owned by the former Governor.

Based on the sincerity of the seller during our phone conversation, the non-precise stamping of the name on the sweats and the less than pristine condition of the hats (the Gov was known for really wearing his hats) I believe that they were owned by Dan Thornton.

B

Pics of Dan Thornton in what could be Stetson One Hundreds:

[/QUOTE]

Wiki info:

Daniel I.J. Thornton (January 31, 1911, to January 19, 1976) was a United States cattle breeder and Republican politician who served as the 33rd Governor of the State of Colorado from 1951 to 1955.

Daniel Isaac J. Thornton was born in Hall County, Texas on January 31, 1911. Dan Thornton graduated from Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) and the University of California at Los Angeles and married Jessie Willock.[1] In 1937, the Thorntons purchased a cattle ranch near Springerfield, Arizona, and in 1941 they moved their cattle operation to a ranch near Gunnison, Colorado. The Thorntons developed the Thornton Triumphant Hereford Cattle strain.

In 1950, Thornton defeated incumbent Colorado Governor Walter Johnson. Governor Thornton was famous for his Stetson hat, pipe, and cowboy boots. Thornton served as governor for two two-year terms. In 1952 he was one of five people on the short list for the Republican vice presidential nomination. Dwight Eisenhower instead chose Richard Nixon. (Richard Nixon: The Rise of an American Politician. Roger Morris. Pg. 726) Dan Thornton died of a heart attack in Carmel, California, on January 19, 1976.

Governor Thornton was the namesake of the City of Thornton, Colorado.

 

[Lefty]

not mine (thus violating my own thread rule.:eusa_doh

 

[rlk]

Resistol Beaver Fifty for Dale Robertson

ebay note to seller

 

[Lefty]

A Hemingway signed hat (with scores of other signatures) is on this week's repeat of Antiques Roadshow.

see it here

 

[Rick Blaine]

Lefty, I think you may recall this one-

This is a Panama that belonged to Gen. Wm. Kunzig who was second in command to Gen. Omar Bradley during the D-Day invasion of Europe.

The General passed in May at age 98, the oldest living graduate of West Point. It is the only of my 50+ lids on which I have a solid provenance. But that is not why I am posting it here.

This hat has an unusual (to me) weave pattern in the crown's center.

It seems to grow from an initial thicker central braid or plait in a fashion I am unacquainted with. Has anyone else seen this or know how it is called?

You can see here the degree of oxidation that has occurred.

I don't think it is a particularly fine hat, but a nice one with a killer backstory. It had a ventilated gray leather band (from a local D.C. Gentleman's shop) that was fried as crisp as Sunday morning bacon, which is ok as it only just fits, the straw does sorta irritate my forehead tho' ... gonna have to do something about that prior to next spring, I suppose...

Thread here

 

[feltfan]

Here's an old thread I started:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?14473-Teddy-s-Toppers

 

[danofarlington]

Aren't there any hats on the market from Antebellum years? If so, could they be recognized?

 

[ScottF]

I'm now the Caretaker of the above Resistol too as ScottF passed the hat. His Phil Rizzuto Knox I believe has moved along as well and the posts' photos are gone.

That Resistol was one of the coolest hats that ever passed through my hands - basically a perfect western hat. I also had a Shudde Bros that belonged to a famous rodeo star from the '50s (Casey something). Like everything else I've ever collected, if I can't use it I eventually let someone else enjoy it.

Robert - almost all the hats I wear now are westerns. That would be your fault for getting me started.

 

[Lastmohecken]

That Resistol was one of the coolest hats that ever passed through my hands - basically a perfect western hat. I also had a Shudde Bros that belonged to a famous rodeo star from the '50s (Casey something). Like everything else I've ever collected, if I can't use it I eventually let someone else enjoy it.

Robert - almost all the hats I wear now are westerns. That would be your fault for getting me started.

That would have probably been Casey Tibbs, and I believe he was a Saddle Bronc Rider. I know my dad has seen him ride, and I remember seeing some of his stuff at the Cowboy Hall of Fame.

 

[Lastmohecken]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...LojDaWQ%3D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I recently purchased a Resistol 20X Black Gold, that has the name "HORSE" on the sweat band, from ebay. And I also received a signed letter stating that the original owner was Michael Horse who was an American Indian actor, who played Tonto in the last remake of the Lone Ranger, a few years ago. He said he won it in a Rope for Hope event a few years ago.

I don't know why it went so cheap, as it's a $400.00 hat, and I got home for around $50.00 freight and all. I really like the hat, as those 20X Black Golds are pretty nice hats. I am leaving it western, but I had to change the crease to a Gus type, because I didn't have room for my head in that low cattleman's crease.

 

[hatophile]

Nice find Lastmoheken.

 

[frussell]

Cool, Michael Horse was Deputy Hawk on Twin Peaks. A Casey Tibbs hat, if original, would go for some $$$ in cowboy collectible circles. He was a champion rodeo cowboy, and well-remembered in that community. Frank