S D Myres History

[LittleCooner]

S.D. Myres Saddle Company History and Maker Marks - [url]www.vintagegunleather.com California[/url]

I found this link from the vintagegunleather website on the History of Tio S D Myres of Sweetwater and ElPaso and decided to share to the group. Rambling thru my genealogy, I discovered that Sam's first wife and childhood sweetheart was born a couple of miles from my house and is part of my family, being the Druzie Rogers that is named in the article near the end of the third paragraph. Woo Hoo, I am connected to the guys that made history in the great American west. I have posted the front page obit to Sam that appeared in the El Paso to his findagrave memorial. It is sad he divorced my relative after 25 years of marriage, but the boys that took over part of the company near the end do have my DNA in their blood. Just a neat part of history that I am enjoying sharing to those who love handguns and leather. I am now somewhat connected to Tom Threepersons.

 

[CelticSire]

Quite the interesting article. The "$10,000 Saddle" that is mentioned would cost $260,388.00 today.

 

[turnerriver]

Thanks for posting your family tie to the S.D. Myres Co., that makes for interesting reading.
A word on posting links to commercial websites-the forum prohibits it for several reasons. The linked site exists, of course, to sell products. Their historical information contains inaccuracies and omissions. For instance the FBI was not named as such until 1935, it didn't officially approve or issue firearms until 1934 and there was no known government contract with Myres for equipment. Actually B.T. Crump and Heiser competed for their holster business in the later 1930's and '40's. Myres holsters were favored by agents and purchased by them individually.
Myres turned over the saddlery to the government during WW I to build McClellan saddles, a deeper commitment than shown here. While he knew about and made holsters during the Sweetwater years his catalog business didn't start until 1931, the development of the Border Patrol holster came about in the mid 1930's. Bill Jordan didn't come along until the 1940's.
Charles Askins played a part in that development as well. The company lasted well into the 1970's and their most well known logo stamp isn't shown.
Small points perhaps but accuracy is important to all of us.
The family ties you reveal are interesting and appreciated.
Regards,
turnerriver

 

[crazyphil]

Very good information turnerriver. Here, just for the fun of it, are pictures
of the Border Patrol holsters that you mentioned. The first one, on the
left, is rumored was a collaboration between Myres and Askins. The one
on the right was first made for Bill Jordan by C. H. Werner in Alpine, TX.
By the time Bill got back from island hopping across the Pacific his holster
was pretty well worn out, so he went into Sam Myres shop and had him
make a replacement. It wasn't long until the word got out and every
lawman in the country wanted a holster just like Bill Jordan's.
Our Boise PD issued S&W 10-6 in the 1970 and prescribed the Jordan
Border Patrol in Black plain or basket weave. Hume ended up with the
rights to make Bill Jordan's BP holster after Myres died. Shown 3rd
from left, and Hume updated it with a thumb break as shown 4th from
left.
When asked how to tell the difference between Askins and
Jordan models I say just look at the trigger guard.

 

[CQB27]

Very good information turnerriver. Here, just for the fun of it, are pictures
of the Border Patrol holsters that you mentioned. The first one, on the
left, is rumored was a collaboration between Myres and Askins. The one
on the right was first made for Bill Jordan by C. H. Werner in Alpine, TX.
By the time Bill got back from island hopping across the Pacific his holster
was pretty well worn out, so he went into Sam Myres shop and had him
make a replacement. It wasn't long until the word got out and every
lawman in the country wanted a holster just like Bill Jordan's.
Our Boise PD issued S&W 10-6 in the 1970 and prescribed the Jordan
Border Patrol in Black plain or basket weave. Hume ended up with the
rights to make Bill Jordan's BP holster after Myres died. Shown 3rd
from left, and Hume updated it with a thumb break as shown 4th from
left.
When asked how to tell the difference between Askins and
Jordan models I say just look at the trigger guard.

Because I'm a holster novice I have to ask. Why two snaps on the strap for the second holster from the left?

 

[crazyphil]

The 2nd snap is so you can snap the strap out of your way
in case you suspect you might need to draw the gun quickly.
Actually, in the photo, the strap is in that position as shown.
The snap that is a little farther down on the strap would be
used to snap over the hammer to hold the gun in the holster.

 

[crazyphil]

If you have serious interest in the provenancee of the Jordan Border Patrol
holster, you can get it right from Bill Jordan. In January 1984 he authored
an article in Shooting Times titled How The "Jordan" Border Patrol Holster
Came To Be.

After Bill worked out the features that he wanted in a holster, (I quote
from his article) "I paid a visit to an old German saddlemaker in Alpine,
Texas. Proprietor of the Alpine Saddlery, he was a master leatherworker,
and he translated my instructions into a holster to fit one of the finest
handguns ever made, Smith & Wesson's Three Fifty Seven Magnum with
a 3 & 1/2' barrel. The holster was even better than I'd thought it would
be...."

Bill goes on to explain that when he went from Marine Corp
reserve to acitve duty in the Pacific, he had Pop Elmer, a Kansas
City gunsmith make him a Colt Revolver chambered for the .45
Colt Auto Rim. He figured .45 ammo would be more available
than .357 in the Marine Corp. But apparently the .45 was the
same frame size as the .357 because he took the same holster
with him.

If anyone wants more detail, go up to Search function, type
in Border Patrol Holsters Re-Visited.

 

[turnerriver]

Here's a page from a Myres catalog featuring Bill Jordan.
Regards,
turnerriver