63 year old Mesannie Wilkins rode her horse from Maine to California
Creating quite a stir along the way. She appeared in hundreds of newspaper articles across the country, and some of them show her wearing buffalo plaid flannel.
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We think she'd definitely approve of this one!
It's heavy brushed flannel, fully lined with smooth, quilted nylon. It has both side and breast pockets, so there's plenty of places to stow your stuff. Long tails cover your fanny, and the oversize cut fits over a turtleneck or sweatshirt - so versatile.
No-fuss care: machine wash and dry; the sample that I wash-tested was virtually indistinguishable from the unwashed inventory; no shrinkage or puckering that can sometimes happen with lined shirts, and nary a sign of pilling.
The red and black plaid is both cheery and traditional; we embroider in house with a super intricate Celtic Horse logo. To order the jacket, click here
Many of the winter time pictures I found of Mesannie show her in warm headwear - similar to the Trapper Hat above. Of course, Velcro hadn't been invented yet so she likely had to secure her ear flaps with buttons or snaps. Our version is infinitely adjustable; up, or down as shown to keep the drafts off your ears. Outer shell is diamond quilted nylon, fully lined with warm faux sheepskin, also embroidered with Celtic horse. That's here
Matching Pewter Celtic Horse Medallion is here
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THE RIDE OF HER LIFE: This new book answers so many questions about our fave equine heroine from Last of the Saddle Tramps
Last of the Saddle Tramps book fans will be delighted with this well-researched story of author Mesannie Wilkins' life, and her cross country horseback adventure in the 1950s.
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When Mesannie compiled her memories, notes and diaries into her book chronicling the 7,000 mile journey. She didn't tell it ALL. There was adversity: divorces, an abusive husband with a criminal record. A stint in vaudeville. The "Uncle" Waldo that she lived with until his passing and her subsequent decision to make her cross country ride - was a hired hand, not a relative. She rode a donkey to her job at a shoe store; the whole town called her "Jackass Annie" and not in a fond way...
Thanks to Elizabeth Letts' superb research, we now get to learn the rest of the story about this remarkable woman. Seeing the details that were omitted from her own telling of the story (details that were likely deemed unpalatable for 1960's readers) make us appreciate all the more what an extraordinary character that Annie (Mesannie) Wilkins really was.
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Every page is filled with detail and trivia, fleshed out only as a best-selling author can. We discover that early on in the trip, there was a run-in with the Humane Society.
We also learn more about what happened after the ride ended in California. Surprisingly, other than archived newspaper articles, almost no physical evidence remains from Annie's journey. She sold postcards along the way, stayed in numerous homes and every chapter describes events where photographs were taken. I've never seen any of these items for sale on ebay, or documented online anywhere. I'm hoping this book of Elizabeth's makes the best-seller list as her others have - maybe some memorabilia from this remarkable adventure will resurface again.
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Here's some ephemera about Mesannie from the Minot Maine, Historical Society:
"A woman who liked to wear pants and speak her mind, she wasn’t well regarded by local folks at the time. Some breathed a sigh of relief when she left. But Wilkins – also known as Mesannie or Jackass Annie because she rode a donkey to her job at a Lewiston shoe shop – would become famous for her journey.” The article is complete with memorabilia, previously unseen photos, and newspaper clippings!
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Indeed she was “A woman who liked to wear pants and speak her mind" the clipping below says "I should have done this years ago. My second husband ran off because I wouldn't deed him the farm. That was my big mistake. I should have given him that blasted farm and then run off myself."
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Over the years, many folks have emailed, asking what happened to Mesannie after she got to California. But now we do!
According to the historical society; "After her trip to California, she returned back to her home state of Maine. She did return to Minot to visit, but not to stay. Eventually she moved in with her good friend, Mina Titus Sawyer up in Whitefield Maine, where she lived 24 years past her two year prognosis. It wasn’t until 12 years after she returned that she was willing to turn her diary and photos into a book. She died on February 19th 1980 at 88 years old. Mesannie was buried in her family plot in Maple Grove Cemetery in Minot, ME."
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The Minot townsfolk called her "Jackass Annie" (wonder how she felt about that?) But years after her death, they named the road where her old house once stood "Jackass Annie Road"! |
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Which brings us to this sweet necklace!
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NEW! Tough by Nature - Portraits of Cowgirls and Ranch Women of the American West Coffee Table Book by Lynda Lanker
For close to twenty years, Lynda Lanker has been immersed in a vast and unprecedented artistic undertaking. While, historically, scores of artists have roamed the West, painting and drawing its monumental landscapes, Lanker has traversed that same territory, but her eyes and artistry have been firmly fixed elsewhere—on a seldom-heralded group of individuals who have, in no small way, played a vital role in forging the fabric and soul of the American West.
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Her search for ranch women and cowgirls across the western United States has taken her thousands of miles to ranches and homes in thirteen states. What she discovered underscores the timeliness and importance of her creative accomplishment, for these women and their way of life are quickly disappearing. The matriarchs of the West—those women who played the essential roles of hard-working ranchers, mothers, cowgirls, wives, and homemakers—are simply vanishing. Mega-corporations and urban encroachment are replacing their family farms and ranches and, in the process, are changing the face and humanity of the West forever. |
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Influenced by Andrew Wyeth and Thomas Hart Benton, Lanker uses a variety of media—pencil and charcoal, oil pastel, egg tempera, plate and stone lithography, engraving and drypoint—to capture the spirit of her women. Just as the Farm Security Administration’s photographic chronicles of the Great Depression have fixed that time and its hardships in our collective memory, Lanker’s portraits, accompanied by her interviews with the forty-nine women featured in the book, will forever honor the unsung heroines of the West. |
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ABOUT THE COMPANY
Gina Keesling started HoofPrints in 1986 to provide helpful promotional materials for farrier husband Rob.
Along the way she added a fun selection of horse and dog products geared toward women of a certain age. This newsletter is emailed to subscribers a few times a month. Watch for sales, stories (including wood repurposing instructions) and more.
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I have awesome customer service reps available 24/7 to take your order or answer questions at 765-724-7004, or email gina@hoofprints.com
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