Museum hosting program on Civil War farriers

Thursday, March 25, 2010

"My Kingdom for a Horse" is a well-known adage that aptly applies to a program being presented by the Putnam County Museum about farriers.

On April 1 at 7 p.m. Clyde Stringer will discuss the role of horses and cavalry in the Civil War as well as the work of farriers in keeping horses fit for travel.

The Civil War was the last major war fought by the United States in which the horse played a vital role. By WWI, mechanized vehicles did the work that our equine friends previously carried out--the important task of transporting men, equipment, food and other supplies to effectively engage in battle.

Stringer was a local farrier for 45 years and learned his craft first by apprenticing and then by attending farrier schools in Wisconsin and Missouri.

He was trained to deal with horses with special problems and that needed to be fit with special shoes.

Stringer is a charter member of the West Central Indiana Civil War Roundtable, an organization founded 25 years ago.

He was born and raised in Putnam County and the family homestead farm, where he lives, will receive a Hoosier Homestead certificate and plaque this year designating it as a farm held by his family for 100 years.

At the April 1 program you will be treated to a discussion of an aspect of early warfare you've probably never thought about.

And, here is a puzzler for those attending he program: in his research, Clyde found a Putnam County Home Guard Unit called the "Jefferson Cavalry" (Jefferson Township, presumably) but never any mention that there was a cavalry unit in Putnam County.

He requests those attending to bring the answer to this puzzle to the Museum on April 1.

For more information or questions about the program, contact Tanis Monday, Museum Director at 653-8419 or e-mal her at museum@co.putnam.in.us.

Comments
View 1 comment
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.
  • My name is Edna San Miguel and I reside in Green Valley Arizona. My letter to you today is in regards to my Great Grand Father, Robert Feldman.

    He served in the Civil War and maybe served in one of the California Columns Regiments. I understand you wrote about the Civil War and Arizona's History and so I am hoping you can help me find the any information about my Great Grand Father. I understand Robert Fedman was from Boston Mass.

    My research has been on the Civil War and the many Infantries stationed in Tucson Arizona around 1842-1886, but nothing has turned up.

    I am told by my family that my Great Grand Father was in Tucson Arizona in the 1800's. He met my Great Grand Mother Estefana Chavez and had three daughters. The middle daughter was my Great Grandmother, Juanita Feldman. I was told that Robert Feldman was a German Jew, a sergeant, and worked as a Black Smith, Farrier, in the Civil War.

    I have documents, a birth certificate, of one of Juanita's children, stating that Juanita, was born at Fort Grant in 1886, as Juanita Chavez Feldman.

    It seems they left for El Paso, after living in Fort Grant Arizona.. My Great Grand Mother was handed over by her mother to Tucson's wealthy Businessman, Mr. Ochoa, who had an import, export business in Tucson Arizona, and who had traveled to El Paso for business many times. Estefana Chavez gave my Great Grand mother over to Mr.Ochoa, at the age of 8 or 9 years and raised her as his own daughter in Tucson Arizona. There are documents, her memoirs,at the Arizona Historical Museum, of her life as an adopted daughter in the Ochoa Family.

    , many times I had given up my search for my relatives, but here I am again reaching out for help in the hopes of gaining any information on Robert Feldman, my relatives and bring a resolution for myself and my family. Robert Feldman more then likely left Estefana, his three daughters, never to return.

    Thank you for your time Mr. , I hope I was clear with my information, and please if you know how I am able to proceed with my search, I would greatly appreciate your help.

    Sincerely,

    Edna San Miguel

    My contact information is ednasanmiguelart@yahoo.com

    520-399-2125 Home#

    EDNASANMIGUELART.COM

    -- Posted by Feldman on Thu, Apr 26, 2012, at 2:10 AM
Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: