Shoe and Boot Makers and a Giant in Early Reston

Harness makers in Reston have been mentioned in previous posts by name of Wilkins and Youngs. Today's post covers two men who worked in leather as well and specialized in goods no longer available for purchase in Reston - shoes and boots. These two William Hollowell and Louis Ranger were in business at the same time and their ads in the March 1923 Reston Recorder showed up side by side below.

William Louis Ranger and his wife, Jessie Matilda Lelonde came to the Sinclair district from Brightside, Lanark, Ontario in 1908. The couple had two sons and six daughters between 1909 and 1923. He worked at Sinclair and Tilston before moving to Reston in 1910 and operating a harness repair shop for the next 44 years, until 1954.  His ad below from the 1920 Reston Recorder indicates he has purchased the boot and shoe repair business of Mr. D. Gardner. Equipment would have included heavy duty sewing machines, various hammers, awls and lasts or forms for the leather to be molded around.  He makes the valid point in his ads that repair is cheaper than buying new boots plus they are already broken in and comfortable on your feet. The shop was built in the late 1890's and was located on the west side of Main Street just south of the Dennis County Cafe. 

 Notice the ads above change the order of his initials from W.L. to L.W.  I have seen his name written Louis but his son is written Lewis.  He had another son Orval, also spelled Orville.  None of the family took up the leather trade in Reston but most ended up moving farther west to Broadview and the coast. The handwritten receipt to the right from August 26, 1948 is made out to T.E.B. (Thomas Edwin Boulton) from W. L. Ranger for $1.60.  Your guess is as good as mine concerning the  "1 1/2 c" though.  

William Hollowell is mentioned in the first Trails Along the Pipestone page 483 as living in New England, Reston's settlement south of the tracks. Ted Haines built a house about half a mile south of the tracks in Reston's early days and he contacted his friend Bill Hollowell back in Kent, England to say a shoemaker was needed in the growing railway town. Bill, his wife Mary and their 7 children arrived in 1906 and his shop was on the southeast corner of Main Street for many years after.

William Hollowell supposedly made shoes for the 8 foot tall Bardal Giant, Erwin "Hi" Johnson, as remembered in these clippings from the 1972 Recorder and his obituary from 1993. 

                                        

                      
The end of the horse era and farming and move to ready made footwear meant the end of the cobbler trade in Reston. I hope you enjoyed today's walk into the past!