Historic masters
Enid Justin
When the Justin family moved the business to Fort Worth, H.J.'s daughter stayed home and started her own, widely credited as the first woman to lead a major cowboy boot manufacturing company. She started Nocona Boot Company with $5,000 and seven employees.
Known for
Founding Nocona; breaking the ceiling in boots
Related: Nocona · H.J. Justin
Biography
Why collectors care
Independent-era Nocona pairs are an Enid credit story. For company marks and dating, see the Nocona article — boots are marked Nocona, not “Enid Justin.”
The Texas State Historical Association records a $5,000 start with seven employees in 1925.
Life and career
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| 1893/94 | Born (year conflict); child of H.J. “Daddy Joe” + Annie Justin (of seven). |
| ~1906–07 | Leaves school; factory work (catalogs → stitching). |
| 1915 | Marries Julius Steltzer / Stelzer (later Olsen-Stelzer adjacency — people history, not a Nocona stamp). |
| 1916–18 | Daughter Anna Jo dies; father dies 1918. |
| 1925 | Brothers move the firm to Fort Worth (1 July); Enid stays — “Daddy Joe would never have left Nocona.” Borrows $5,000; Nocona Boot Co. ops 1 September. Early press names Julius / Keller; Enid is the driving force. |
| 1926+ | Oil-field lace-ups; Enid on the road selling. |
| 1934 | Divorces Julius; later Harry Whitman (dates not established). |
| 1947–49 | New U.S. 82 plant; Western Store. |
| 1981 | Justin Industries acquires Nocona after contested option-contract litigation (nephew John Justin Jr.). The cited sources do not establish the settlement terms. Brief continued presidency. |
| 14 Oct 1990 | Dies in Nocona, age 96. |
Preferred address and “first woman” claim
- Preferred address: “Miss Enid.”
- Widely credited as the first woman to own and lead a major cowboy-boot manufacturing company (Nocona, 1925). This claim concerns leadership of a manufacturing company, rather than all work in the boot trade.
Taxonomy (person ≠ brand)
- Enid Justin (this person) founded → Nocona shelf.
- Parallel: H.J. Justin → Justin Boots shelf.
- Who was Enid / why she stayed → this page. Date a Nocona stamp → Nocona shelf. Daddy Joe / kit → H.J. Justin.
Documentation limits
- Birth 1893 vs 1894.
- Later revenue figures are not established by the sources cited here.
- 1981 voluntary sale vs “tricked into option” narratives — accounts differ.
- CBDB “Kruse” surname — unverified.
Sources
Identification and markings
Maker-specific markings guidance has not been documented yet. Preserve the complete stamp and compare it against dated sources.
Sources and references
Historical references are cited with the history above. Each catalog record includes its own supporting evidence.
Encyclopedia references: CowboyBootsDB and maker archives linked where available. Historical dates and attributions can vary by source.