Part 120

Who Made the First Shoes?

~WHERE SHOES COME FROM~

The making of shoes is one of the oldest arts of which there is any human knowledge. Long before primitive man devised any method of recording his exploits or thoughts, he contrived--through necessity--a method of protecting his feet from the rough way or hot sands over which he was obliged to travel in his search for food and shelter.

That foot covering antedates clothing or ornaments is shown from the fact that the primitive savage to-day, devoid of clothing or ornament, is almost invariably found with a crude form of foot protection and there is scarcely a tribe or nation without it’s traditions of the shoe--its mysterious power for good or evil.

What Was the First Foot Covering Like?

The first foot covering devised was undoubtedly a simple form of sandal--a rough bit of hide, wood or plaited grass held to the foot by means of thongs, generally brought up between the toes and tied about the ankle. This form of foot covering is depicted in records of the greatest antiquity: in the ruined temples at Thebes Egypt, the ancient sandal maker is shown at his task; the Assyrian bricks show the ancient warriors and people of that time wearing the simple sandal.

The dispersion of the human races and the wandering of tribes into colder climates brought the necessity for more thorough protection for the feet and body, and that this was accomplished was shown in the gradual increase in the number of straps or thongs which held the sandal in place and, in the colder climates, in the contrivance of a bag-like foot covering--traces of which are found even now in the Indian moccasin and the foot covering of the Eskimo. In all colder countries this type of footwear is still in evidence, the seam around the outline of the foot being a relic of the puckering string which held the bag-like covering to the foot.

A flat sandal with felt sole. Also showing “Tabi” or glove-like sock worn by Japanese.]

The sandal was developed and adorned by the Greeks, but it was not until the days of the Roman Empire that anything approaching the present form of shoes was designed. In this period a form of foot covering was developed--that was appropriated by the Emperor and worn by him only--which covered the entire foot with the exception of the toes.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE SANDAL TO THE SHOE]

Japanese Astrida or Rough Weather Clog.]

A primitive form of foot covering very generally used by Japanese at the present time.]

The Boot Developed from the Sandal.

It was but a step from this form of foot covering to the boot which covered not only the foot but the lower leg as well and which came widely into use afterwards in the form of the Jack-boot.

Up to the fourteenth century there had been little in the way of development of foot covering, but it is well established that in the year 1408 there were shoemakers’ guilds in Europe. Some of these were semi-religious in character, the members working in communities and sharing in the general product of their toil. Guilds of this period were very generally dedicated to either Saint Crispin or Saint Crispianus (the patron saint of shoemaking), and even to this day the birthday of Saint Crispin is celebrated in some of the English shoemaking guilds on October 25. The ceremonies attending the celebration in the olden days were of a very elaborate nature.

~THE SHOE WHICH THE CHURCH AND LAW FORBADE~

In the process of time the shoes began to lose the crude nature and design in which the Dark Ages had held them and developed a style the first of which was apparent in the gradual elongation of the toes, the custom said to have been introduced by Henry, Duke of Anjou, and these shoes were known as “Crakrows” or “Poulaines.” The style finally ran to such extremes that effort was made to stop it by the church and government, but with indifferent success until finally its end was accomplished by the imposing of summary fines and threat of excommunication by the church.

Immediately the style went to the other extreme and the toes became very broad, as evidenced in the period of Elizabeth, and in some instances the shoes were as broad as six inches at the toe. They were made of velvet and were slashed to show the satin lining.

Who Made the First Shoes in America?

The first shoemaking in America is recorded when Thomas Baird arrived on the second voyage of the Mayflower in 1628. Baird was under contract with the Plymouth Company to make shoes for the colonists and brought with him divers hides, etc., for this purpose. It was recorded that in 1636 a planter in Virginia employed six shoemakers to make shoes for his slaves.

That in the early history of the country the art of making shoes had become of considerable importance is shown by the very summary laws passed by the different colonies regulating the industry. Particularly was this so in the Province of Pennsylvania which, in 1721, placed upon its statute book most drastic laws regarding the making of shoes and regulating the prices to be charged therefor.

Shoemaking in New England early received impetus from the arrival of one Phillip Kirtland, a Welshman, who came to Lynn, Mass., in 1636. He was an experienced shoemaker and taught his art to many of the colonists in his vicinity.

Shoemaking in this locality was further advanced by the arrival of John Adams Dagyr, who settled in Lynn in the year 1750. Dagyr was a celebrated shoemaker and was enabled, from his own means, to secure the best examples of work from abroad. He possessed the peculiar quality of being able to teach the art to those who came under his charge.

The fame of New England made shoes was due largely to the teachings of these men and the industry has continued to be one of the first in importance. In Massachusetts alone, according to the census of 1910, over 40 per cent of the entire value of shoes in the United States was produced.

The young man of this period, who essayed to learn the shoemaking trade, was ordinarily apprenticed for a term of seven years under the most rigorous terms, as shown in some of the indentures of that period which are still in existence. He was instructed in every part of the trade and, upon completion of his term of service, it was the custom for the newly fledged shoemaker to start what was known as “whipping the cat”--which meant journeying from town to town, living with a family while making a year’s supply of shoes for each member thereof, and then leaving to fill other engagements previously made.

It was soon found that the master workman could largely increase his income by employing other men to do certain portions of the work, while he directed their efforts, and this gradually lead to a division of the labor and was the beginning of a factory system--which has been in process of development from that time.

In the year 1795 it is recorded that there were in the city of Lynn, Mass., over two hundred master workmen, employing over six hundred journeymen, and that they manufactured shoes at the rate of about one pair per day per man.

Factory buildings, as the words would be known to-day, were practically unknown at that time. The small buildings, about ten feet square, were in the back yards of many homes and in these little shops were employed from three to eight men.