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GARFIELD
COUNTY, COGENWEB PROJECT
Here
is a short history of the Thompson Saddle Company
(Provided by Edwin Thompson)
In the later part of the 1800s William
R. Thompson was a famous saddle maker, and designer whose
designs were used by many saddle makers throughout the west.
William R. Thompson was born August 24, 1848 in New York
near Niagara Falls. His father had immigrated from Scotland.
While a young teen, William started learning saddle making
and working as a saddle maker. By 1886 he lived in Leadville
and worked for the saddle making firm Becker and Leonard.
Becker died in 1890 and Thompson moved to Rifle. One
resource says that in 1888, W. R. Thompson had his own
Saddlery in Rifle. Another says he had opened his own shop
by 1896 where he worked until his death in 1907.
One of
W. R. Thompson's saddle designs was the White River Saddle
Tree, which he designed later in his career. In addition to
harness and saddle making, Billy Thompson, as he was known
in the community, repaired boots and shoes.
He advertised
himself as the “boss carpenter on saddles,” and carried a
full line of harness, saddles, bits, spurs, whips, ropes,
horse millinery and the best gloves on earth. For those on a
budget, he offered second hand saddles at reasonable prices.
The demand for W.R. Thompson saddles required Thompson to
hire Denver saddle maker Charles Hunter to help with
production. By 1902 he hired Aspen saddle maker John Kirsher
to assist with the work. From a black leather saddle made
for Marshal Nuckolls, to a fine saddle with a silver horn,
to saddles trimmed in rattlesnake skin, and women’s side
saddles, the W.R. Thompson Saddle Co. made quality custom
saddles and wholesale saddles to fit any need or occasion.
At times, a W.R. Thompson saddle was presented as a first
prize in bronco riding contests.
Perhaps the most
important order in the saddle making career of William R.
Thompson came in 1905. With President Theodore Roosevelt
coming to Divide Creek for a bear hunt in April that year,
hunting guide Addison Hockett of Eagle requested a custom
saddle made for the president. This saddle was presented to
Roosevelt when he began his hunt at New Castle, and it was
in use during the entire three-week hunt.
William and
Virginia Chenoweth were married December 4, 1902 in Price
Utah. I can find no record of descendants.
On Nov. 29,
1907, William R. Thompson passed away, with his wife of
almost five years, Virginia, by his side. In 1908, veteran
saddle maker Frank Bregenzer carried on the tradition of the
W.R. Thompson Saddle Co. Bregenzer made saddles in Denver in
the 1880s, then in San Francisco and in Nebraska before
coming to work for William R. Thompson.
Frank Bregenzer
made saddles in Rifle Colorado from 1908 to 1925. Between
1911 and 1916 he made saddles in W.R. Thompson's shop. In
1916, Bregenzer sold the W.R. Thompson Saddle Co. to John
Dougan of Meeker, while Bregenzer went on to make saddles in
his own name until his death in 1925.
John Dougan sold
the W.R. Thompson Saddle Co. to Edward C. Webb, who made
saddles until his death in 1941. The Company ended when the
last owner E. C. Webb died.
Here is his shop first floor
of the Clark Annex to the Winchester Hotel. His shop
survived the 1902 fire with damage to the contents. Also
here is a photo of one of his saddles.
For more
information, stop by The Heritage center in Rifle, they have
several of his saddles on display.
Note: much of this is
copied directly from the Frontier Diary Column
W. R. Thompson Saddle Company
Rifle's second
saddle maker, Ed Webb, worked for Billie Thompson then took over the business
about 1920
Sandy the hobby horse at Ben Franklin, was not the only toy pony
on 3rd street. About 1920, saddle maker Ed Webb also had a pony in his store,
his own creation and with a saddle he crafted.
By that time, the saddle shop
was two doors west of the PCA building on 3rd street. This sounds like where
another leather merchant, Art and Bobs would later be located.
Edward
Cleyburn Webb was born September 2, 1887 in Durango, Colorado. He and May
Harriett Beavers were married April 30, 1912 in Meeker. She was born March 9,
1892 in Meeker. They had one child, daughter Carol May born September 25, 1922.
By 1910, Ed was working for the Thompson Saddle Company in Rifle. In 1916, John
Dougan bought the business and moved all of the stock of goods to Meeker.
Ed
remained in Rifle as manager here and soon purchased the rest of the business.
By about 1920, the store had been moved to west 3rd street just past the PCA
building. Ed was then making saddles using the Thompson patterns.
Also by
1920, his wife May was working for Mountain States Telephone Company.
In
1936, Ed was elected as a town trustee in an unusual election. The women of the
town formed a party and nominated an all women slate. The other two parties
joined forces and nominated an all men slate. The men won on about a 2 to 1
margin.
Ed was active with the volunteer fire department, not surprising
since it was about 3 doors west of his shop. In 1919 he is listed as foreman and
assigned to the hose cart.
Ed continued making saddles in Rifle until his
death in 1941, a total span of 31 years. His saddles were also highly prized,
were marketed under the Thompson Saddle Company label.
Ed passed away
relatively young at age 53 on May 17, 1941 in Rifle. May passed away 28 years
later on June 12, 1969 also in Rifle. They are both buried at Rose Hill.
 
W. R. Thompson
Saddle & Harness was first floor of the
Clark Annex to
the Winchester. Hotel rooms were on 2nd floor.
           
 
1900 census, Billy was a boarder with
the Squires family. Looks like Charles Squires
 
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