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I confess I enjoyed researching the Crossett Shoe Company and its founder Lewis Abbott Crossett.

Wouldn’t have thought that such a thing could exist? Well, guess again. They were pretty famous – and big in the early 1900s.

My daughter is understandably proud of the three-dimensional sign (designed to fit around a corner) that hangs in her home.

The I-Net tells me that “information about the brand is not clear. There is an ad from Munsey’s Magazine (circa 1900) that said The Crosett [sic] Shoe is owned by Lewis A. Crossett, Inc. manufacturer from North Abington, Massachusetts. Some sources mention that Lewis Crossett built a four-story building for his Abington factory in 1888.

“Brand Moto: Makes life easy.”

Who wouldn’t want to buy this?

“Just answer” has a real estate appraiser who has added to what was previously little known “The company was so successful that the company doubled between 1900 and 1905.”

Lewis Abbott Crossett, the founder, was born in Springfield Mass on January 29, 1859 and died on April 24, 1926.

An advertisement from 1922 for The Crossett Shoe States “Laboratory experiment – the exact testimony of the X-ray and the moving image – leading orthopedic surgeons and many years of experience in shoe manufacturing have led to the Crossett Supple Treat, Last 62.”

Surely I can’t be the only one who remembers my mom going to Jamestown to have her feet x-rayed in new shoes. I suppose my feet were too long to be adjusted in Warren. Hardly a problem today. (I was just ahead of my time!)

“Thanks to its flexibility and the natural position of the toes, the Crossett Last prevents the arch of the foot from sagging, stimulates muscle activity and thus corrects existing problems with the arch of the foot. Men and women will be surprised that the comfortable – and preventive – corrective properties of the Crossett Supple Tread can be combined in this stylish shoe.

“Recommended by the YWCA”

This was the only mention I found that they made women’s shoes too, pretty stylish oxfords for the day.

All of this was due to a very old article I had about the company and a lawsuit that was first mentioned on the internet (as far as I knew).

And that was because the Lewis Abbott Crossett Company filed a lawsuit against the United States on June 11, 1931 to reclaim $ 100,000 with interest on it, an alleged overpayment of its income and profit taxes for the March 31, 1931. Fiscal year ending March, 1920. “The basis of the complaint is that the Commissioner of Internal Revenue erroneously failed to include certain amounts in goodwill in calculating the plaintiff’s invested capital for the year in question.

Plaintiff, when incorporated in 1912, acquired all assets of all names, types and characters, including the goodwill, trademarks, trade names, both tangible and intangible personal property and assets of its predecessor, Lewis A. Crossett, Inc., for which it issued and paid for $ 749,000 face value for its shares. “

It turned out that the petition was rejected because of the “Plaintiffs who fail to submit a claim for reimbursement to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue within the time required by law, which sets out the grounds relied on in this lawsuit, will not be able to stand in this court.”

I learned that there is now a Crossett Shoe Company – in India. “The website is temporary [sic] Shutdown by administrator. “

My son-in-law did a lot of research on the family tree, but couldn’t get Lewis to stay with me. In fact, almost nothing is known about my grandfather.

Definitely makes life more interesting, wouldn’t you say?

Susan Crossett has lived in Arkwright for more than 20 years. A life of writing led to these columns as well as two novels. Her Reason for Being was released with Love in Three Acts in 2008, followed by 2014. For information on all of the musings, her books, and the author, visit Susancrossett.com.

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