Clothing for the Common Man

[Hardscrabble Gus]

Still looking at pictures, some of ancestors, many from on-line sources, as I'm forming ideas for personna, dress, etc.  Thought I'd share a link that shows many everyday hard-working men in the their everyday work clothing.  The time era generally runs from 1870-1900 with some from a few years before and after that time frame.  These men, mostly white, though a few African-Americans, Native Americans, women and children are also pictured, were involved in Michigan's lumber era.  I figure there are other options to find clothing ideas than limiting myself to pictures of cowboys and the old west and the hard workers of the lumber era would be one.  Now if I'm off the wall with that theory, correct me before I waste too much time looking elsewhere.  Here's the link, which has 4 pages, and I'm sure similar sites with cowboy era working men and women can be found in other subject matters:  http://www.michiganepic.org/lumbering/photoarchive/archive1/index.htm










 

[Delmonico]

Those type of personas are as good as any other, have helped folks over the years with lots of personas other than the cowboy.

[Fox Creek Kid]

And not one pot belly in the bunch! 

[Delmonico]

Those end up often being lawyers, bankers and insurance reps.

[Hardscrabble Gus]

Delmonico, thanks for the insights.     And Kid, I really gotta work at losing the pot belly, especially since I don't have the smarts or desire to be a lawyer, banker or other such fella.

[Delmonico]

A lot of the time also the clothing is not that much different when dealing with work clothing, except for footware and hats.  Of course to really look right one should wear the clothes till they look less than new.  This allows one to also get used to wearing them.  It is almost funny sometimes to see someone who ain't wore the clothes for months, they don't look like they belong in them.  Looks worse than a pot belly.   But they is why my impression is a cook, would you trust a skinny cook.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

And not one of em is wearing a belt to hold his pants up!! Excellent photos!! Hardscabble, where in Michigan are you? My folks are from Pshobetown, over in the Grand Traverse area...Lelaneau County (I think that the correct spelling).

OCB

[Sod Buster]

Hardscrabble Gus,

Thanks for the photo's and the link. I bookmarked it for later use. It's too bad they don't provide any dates and or specific documentation for each photo.

The log books on page two of the archive indicate 1882....at least for those photos.

[Hardscrabble Gus]

Bill, I live between a small town called Big Rapids and a much smaller town called White Cloud, not far from a town named Woodville that no longer shows up on most maps.  Its about 60 miles north of Grand Rapids and about 100 miles south your folks.  They live in a real pretty area, at least what can be protected from the developers.

[Grizzle Bear]

In the third picture, I like the guy in the striped trousers and checked shirt!
Grizzle Bear

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Hardscrabble.......
We've been to the Grand Rapids Pow-wow many , many times.

Have you met James Hunt? He lives up there and is an NCOWS member & I think (?) that James and Monterrey Jack Brass are trying to get an NCOWS posse established in the Michigan Area....You guys get one started and I'll join.....

OCB

[James Hunt]

Hardscrabble: Indeed you are not the only NCOWS member in MI, Montery Jack Brass and I live in southeastern MI. I live about 15 minutes west of Ann Arbor, Brass about 30 minutes east of Ann Arbor. It is about a 2 1/2 hour drive to Grand Rapids from my front door. If you want to stay in touch with what we are doing we have a discussion board called the "association", PM me and I would be glad to fill you in on it. Regrards, Jim

[River City John]

I'm with you, Griz,. . . .plus that nifty banded coat the man on the right is wearing.

[Delmonico]

I think it is interesting that the striped pants are not striped up by the waist and down at the bottom of the legs, that is really different.

[Delmonico]

On page one, the second picture of the general store has "Log Cabin" brand syrup in it.  That would put it after 1887 the date of it's introduction.  It used a small percent of maple syrup and cane syrup with the new-fangled artificial maple flavor, made from coal tar.

It originated in St. Paul Minnesota.

[Dr. Bob]

Griz & RCJ,

I'm with you!!   'Course you saw my plaid suit at the Convention!  

Del,

The pants are pretty unique. 

Also, lots on non "cowboy or derby" types of hats.  News boy, wheel hats, hunting caps and others! 

Great set of pictures Hardscrabble Gus!   Thanks for sharing them.

[Hardscrabble Gus]

Those striped pants are different; if you go to the actual site it looks like the waistband area and knee to ankle section of the legs have smaller pattern stripes than the mid-section of the pants.  Different for sure.

As a side thought, some of these pictures can be dated by items in them as noted.  I think, without having done the research yet, that many more might be narrowed down in time frame if the camp is identified.  For example, both Mecosta and Newaygo counties (area I live) have extensive lists and documentation of the many different camps, who owned them, and years of operation.  I'm thinking that if I see an item/items I'd like to document, I'll take the next step of seeing if the camp/location is identified and go from there.  Just a random thought on a Saturday morning before the drudgery of attending graduation open houses begins, sigh...

[Delmonico]

I'm going to do some more looking at the store pictures when I have time, some more of the items in them may help date them as well as the cookhouse ones.